Rock mountain, started carving!!!

[Josh]

Some time ago I posted a rock that I carved out for a pot (see it here viewtopic.php?f=29&t=13598 ) and no I haven't found a suitable tree for it yet
I also had a tall rock that I planned on carving somehow and making some sort of rock mountain out of. Well I finally got some time and inspiration so I started today.

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My plan is to put a juni or pine in the top, cascading down the rock or twisted and weather beaten. Where the hole is in front for drainage I plan to place some moss or a small creeper type plant so the water draining of the top tree will water this plant, like it's growing in the entrance of a cave or crevise. This moss/creeper will hide the drainage hole and make it look like a cave or crevise (hopefully).
I plan to do several more pockets for trees and a couple of pockets for small amounts of moss or plants like dwarf mondo grass. I want to try to imitate a wild mountain top with trees, moss, small plants and interesting nooks and crannies on it. A mountain you would expect to be covered with cloud or mist. Not sure how accurate it will portray what I want but it will be fun.
Carving it out is hard work but so rewarding. This hole took around 2 hours. I really enjoy the satisfaction I get from hand carving the rocks. I am going to mount the rock on a board which I will make it look like a display stand. I may add some other smaller rocks but will see how it goes and see what it needs to make it look convincing.
More updates will follow.

Josh
BTW I still have all my fingers and only one small bruise where I missed the chisel

[cre8ivbonsai]

Hi Josh, quite the ambitious project you've got going, it must be pretty heavy?

Cheers, Ryan

[lycwil88]

Wow,­ indeed very ambitious!

[Keels]

Thats an awesom idea i would have never thought of that

[Jan]

There's a great rock planted with a juniper?( if I remember correctly), and some other supporting plants in a large grotto near its base, at the National Bonsai Collection in Canberra. I had a trawl through my photos from the last time that I visited but it only appears, largely obscured, in the background of photo. Have a look there for inspiration if you get the chance, or another member may have a shot of the TALL rock planting I'm talking about.

Best of luck with a great project and keep us posted as you progress with it,

Jan.

[cre8ivbonsai]

Is this the one Jan?

[Josh]

Thanks for the encouraging words. Im still trying work out how to secure/display it as you are right Ryan, it is quite heavy. Ive got an idea for that though. Gotta drag this rock out again and update this. Thanks Jan and Ryan. That is an awesome tree/mountain. Got inspired again. Been busy potting up and carving some other rock pots but need/want to get back on to this one. Will post photos when I take some and have some time.

Josh.

[hard1all]

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here's mine

[Gerard]

A group of us had great difficulty dismantling and moving a composition early this year. Three similar rocks each way too heavy for one person to lift were placed in a tray of water with many plants, mostly elms planted on the rocks.
We were terrified that we would damage the large ceramic water tray and because the rocks could not be transported upright damage to a couple of the trees was unavoidable.
Remember that with all the effort to drill holes the project gets lighter every time but in reality it will be one which does not get moved very often.

[Jan]

Is this the one Jan?

Yes, that's it - thanks cre8ivbonsai.

Thanks for the encouraging words. Im still trying work out how to secure/display it as you are right Ryan, it is quite heavy. Ive got an idea for that though. Gotta drag this rock out again and update this. Thanks Jan and Ryan. That is an awesome tree/mountain. Got inspired again. Been busy potting up and carving some other rock pots but need/want to get back on to this one. Will post photos when I take some and have some time.

Josh.

It certainly was an outstanding rock/planting combination - I found it, and many others in the collection, very interesting and inspiring. Don't forget to keep the rest of us posted as the project progresses,

Jan

[Josh]

A group of us had great difficulty dismantling and moving a composition early this year. Three similar rocks each way too heavy for one person to lift were placed in a tray of water with many plants, mostly elms planted on the rocks.
We were terrified that we would damage the large ceramic water tray and because the rocks could not be transported upright damage to a couple of the trees was unavoidable.
Remember that with all the effort to drill holes the project gets lighter every time but in reality it will be one which does not get moved very often.

Yeah I'm thinking of the issues of moving it. I did find an amazing slab at one of my rock suppliers that was the top slice of a step slab. It had amazing shape and would have made a great landscape BUT I had no idea how I would move it, it was 1.2 mtr by 600mm.

Josh.

[Josh]

Is this the one Jan?

Yes, that's it - thanks cre8ivbonsai.

Thanks for the encouraging words. Im still trying work out how to secure/display it as you are right Ryan, it is quite heavy. Ive got an idea for that though. Gotta drag this rock out again and update this. Thanks Jan and Ryan. That is an awesome tree/mountain. Got inspired again. Been busy potting up and carving some other rock pots but need/want to get back on to this one. Will post photos when I take some and have some time.

Josh.

It certainly was an outstanding rock/planting combination - I found it, and many others in the collection, very interesting and inspiring. Don't forget to keep the rest of us posted as the project progresses,

Jan

Have been busy with getting my garden under control but got the rock out ready to work on. Had a good look at it and may even cut in half to reduce weight and split the bottom to form a mountain range. Not sure. I will update when I do some work on it, hopefully next week. I have a pile of rocks sitting there to be carved, just haven't had time.

Josh.

[alpineart]

Hi Josh , mate very ambitious if i say so myself . I though busting rocks was for prisoners back in the 19th century .

I recall "The Hacker telling me of an old timer carving a pot out of solid granite , took close to 4 years . I believe it was on display with an old pine or cedar at Garden World in Keysborough.

Don't put off today what can be done tomorrow , get into it fella .

Cheers Alpine

[Josh]

Sooooooo after trying to move this several times and working out the logistics of moving it with trees on it, I decided to go in a different direction with this mountain.
I started of by cutting the whole rock in half

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I then split the bottom piece in half

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With some carving and blending this second piece will form part of the now mountain range

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Carved the 2 separate pieces to try and make it look like one mountain range which has split and cracked over time.

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Unfortunately while carving the last part I managed to crack this piece in half.....again, oh well, a new feature

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A preview of how I want it to look.

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Looking ok so far, still heavy though but more steady and easier to move

[Josh]

The top was carved out for a tree to be planted in (will be carved more yet) and a drain hole goes from the bottom of the carved piece and comes out the front to form a cave. I want to grow moss in/on the cave so needed to hols the moss on there some how.
I drilled a small hole on an angle on the side of the cave and inserted a piece of wire. I then inserted another piece to jam it in there.

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I added some sphagnum moss to help keep it moist

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Then some fine soil

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And the moss

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Hoping the moss will grow and spread across the front

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Looks ok for now

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I then filled the other cracks with moss

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Looks ok so far

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I have set up some bottles dripping water onto the moss to keep it moist for a few days to let it get a hold. While the moss is taking hold I will look for some trees to plant it out with.

Comments welcome as usual..

Josh

Ps. the hours are starting to build up on this thing so hope it's worth it