Spring Varigated Elm

[Bretts]

I decided last year that as I am so far away from workshops and hands on mentors that I would buy some stock to tart up and sell. My thinking is that the more material that passes through my hands the more experience I will get. I have sold a few through the local nursery. This elm was in a pot that was way too small. Recently I was able to purchase a pot from Bonsai enviroment that suited it much better.
I would sell this for $150 at the nursery. I am mainly putting here for critique but all offers would be considerd

elm stock.jpg

[BonsaiBoy]

Good value for 150 bucks [Soltan].
It has decent movement and you have created pretty good negative space but I think the branches should be wired down a bit more so they are below the horizontal. The crown also needs a bit of work but there are plenty of branches there to work with.
BB

[Leigh Taafe]

Hi Guys,

I like this tree, and also think it is a good price.

the branches should be wired down a bit more so they are below the horizontal

I dont mind elms with their branches a little more upright, you dont often see elms with their branches weighed down by foliage like pines & cedars.

Cheers,
Leigh.

[Dave54]

Hi,
I think your branches have to be consistent.
My eye can't get away from the bottom right hand side branch pointing up, the angle is in direct contrast to every other branch on the tree.
If anything, bottom branches down, top branches up.
cheers
Dave

[Pup]

Hey Soltan I also think good value. Have you not taken ANY notice of Jim? he is a full bottle on elms He will be so upset.

I agree with Dave branches should all reflect the same movement if up all up if horizontal all and so on.
However there is always one, in Bunjingi it is not so.
With deciduous trees branches start up then go down but not like conifers. Pup

[MelaQuin]

Price is very good and this particular cultivar is very attractive but I don't like the lack of taper in the trunk. I fully agree that branches have to be lowered, the tree is not balanced but the potential is there. Unfortunately [from the photo] if you can lower the right branch then you need to encourage a branch to develop to fill in the resulting hole further up on the right. It's always something, isn't it.

[Bretts]

Hey thanks for all the comments. I will give some more thoughts later if you like but I just wanted to Bitch that the bloody Nursery Dried this out. That is the third one two in a row I am not happy jan . It will survive without too much damage but I was looking forward to taking it to the markets this weekend

[Bretts]

This elm sprang back fine in fact as I have stated this tree is no longer for sale.
Just like in My fair lady "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" I want to see what happens next.

As I have withdrawn this from sale I think we can look past the rule of critical critiques not being allowed. The original comments where made before that moderators ruling. If a mod wants to move the discussion if they see fit that is fine.

This tree came as a group purchase of ten Trees around the $50 mark that I got Ray to pick out and a local Nursery transported them from the city for me. Ray was not happy to make the selection for me but with a bit of discussion he understood that It would cost me several hundred to travel and make the selection myself and obliged. I trust Ray and figure that even if there was a few trees that I was not happy with the cost of these would be far less than my travel.

A couple of years ago I felt I was stagnating in my progression. I figured it would be a good challenge to get ten trees put in front of me and try to make the best trees out of them in a limited time so that I could re-sell them as upper class mallsai.
This is what turned up at the local nursery ranging in price from $35- $55 most under $50 for me plus a $50 cartage fee. Oh and a pot for my big hornbeam I had my eye on.
Edit: there is also a Japanes hornbeam that I planed on grafting to mine but changed my mind. Ray sent two for $8

bonsai stock (2).jpg

I sold 4 trees for about double what they cost me. 3 I expect to still sell off but have been slack and three I have decided to keep working with on te long term. Considering I made most of my money back and learnt heaps about styling possibilities I found it was a great project.

We can say we do bonsai for ourselves but taking a professional outlook and thinking what will other people like I believe can only be beneficial. There is a thought from a master apprentice that I found interesting.
A regular costumer was in the nursery buying another tree and was telling the apprentice while he styled his new tree that a previous one had died. The apprentice was sad about that as it was a tree he particularly liked the styling he had done. The customer stated that is alright I never liked that tree anyway.
The apprentice realised at this time that he must master the art of making trees how his customers liked as well as himself. That ensured that the customer would take greater care in keeping his work alive.

[Bretts]

Can you pick the varigated elm? I think it was $45 and the pot was $25

[Bretts]

Anyway back to this tree.

I found the comments very interesting. It was about 50-50 as to whether liking the upward growing first branch. I think it was only Mela that commented on the taper.

Lets consider removing the first branch or flattening it out. That would leave a large hole in the design with too much negative space on the right.
Look at replacing the branch where would it go?
90% of the right side is an inside curve. A branch just will not look right above the existing branch in my opinion.
When people ask me what type of music do you like I reply all good music . I feel the same about Bonsai I am not concerned if it is cookie cutter naturalistic or contrived. Good bonsai is good bonsai.
I don't believe that we must find an example of a real tree to validate a composition. As a movie must make sense so must a bonsai but most movies are still fantasy. I like the thought of controlling nature but it must be pleasing to the eye and that is often best achieved with being believable but not restricted too. As Pup states I think this is what literati shows us.

As stated I have come to like the stature of this design and see no other option other than cutting it back to a stump and starting a new trunk. I would be interested if anyone can come up with actual options though.
I see the line of this first branch very believable of the tree being vibrant filling a space of light on that side. As stated Deciduous can and do grow up without being weighed down for many reasons. I also see branches that replicate the lower branch to make it believable.
Emphasized by retracing the branch and apex lines.

elmv.jpg

I find the taper refreshing in relation to the low ratio, trunk to height that is in fashion at the moment. This sits nicely at almost perfect 6:1

Edit: As Mela said the spring variegation is a very nice cultivar. Variegated does not often work with Bonsai but the speckled effect of the variegation on this tree is very interesting.

[Jamie]

i for one am bad for not doing trunk chops but am realising the need for them to induce taper.
to keep the tree in at around the same height you would need to go right back to get the taper. i think something like this would help, using the nice movement of the trunk then bringing it back, excuse the bad virt. i hate not having my laptop. but gives you the idea of what i think that will help get the taper that has been talked about


i think something along the lines of this could be achieved in a couple of years the way elms grow not know bout the variegated ones how they are but by the chinese elm they boom so its quite possible. especially if its taken out of the small bonsai pot and put into a growing pot.
by the way brett, whats the dimensions of the tree?


jamie

[Bretts]

That is an interesting option Jamie. It is surprising that your option although looking much shorter only takes it down to about 5:1
Like I said this tree is refreshingly different to me so I doubt I will go for a different option at this time but that is something that I had not considered so thank you.

One other enduring feature to me about this tree is the variation of aged patches of bark. Not sure if that is a trait of the cultivar?

I called Ray up about this tree as when I went to repot it had bark eaten away from a jelly substance on the trunk. He stated it was nothing out of the ordinary. It came from putting field collected trees root pruned in water until repotted. He stated that this species is very hardy and it would be hard to kill.
I have seen this effect he speaks of this year in elms that I dug from the garden yet I not cultivating as many as ray or as long
I have not worked out how it can get from the roots to the trunk

If you look closely where I have circled you can see it. I figured that as it was now above the soil it would cause little issue especially after what Ray stated.
With the contrasting age of the bark this indistinguishable deadwood is also a feature that endures me to the tree in it's current form.

[Bretts]

I forgot to post the highlight of the bark damage but thought I would post it with a picture of one of my favourites I sold from this group.
This was it's second pot . I think the first one which was less complimentary got smashed some how?
Not bad value to the public for $150 I reckon

bonsai trident (5).jpg

And the bark damage highlighted on the elm

elmv2.jpg

[Bretts]

I find the 6:1 ratio very interesting the trident above is sitting at 7:1 Apart from the pom pom ball effect I find the height very pleasing showing young vibrancy.

[MelaQuin]

It is planted wrong...should be a tad more to the left. I agree it should be shortened as there is a very thick branch near the top on the left and the lack of taper is disturbing. If you were going to sell it the buyer would not notice. If you are going to keep it you have to lower it and regrow an apex with taper to really highlight the tree. But repot it please.