[A Forest Tale] Ficus pumila - Jan

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[A Forest Tale] Ficus pumila - Jan

Post by Jan »

Hi,

I'd like to enter a Ficus pumila, both green and varigated, forest.

I've had these cuttings for a long while with no real plan for them. I thought that they might make a small fig forest and just to add a bit of interest to the setting I have incorporated a rock (I'm a bit of a rock addict so this is a chance to use one that I've collected) and planted three of the figs as "root over rock" in the setting. At the moment there are five larger trees with three additional trees that are only single trunk at the moment. I have also taken lots of cuttings to add to the composition as they develop roots.
P1030960.JPG
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Re: [A Forest Tale] Ficus pumila - Jan

Post by Jan »

Not happy with this composition so I will see if I can come up with something better, pull it apart and try again. I can't have been very inspired the day I put this together :palm:
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Re: [A Forest Tale] Ficus pumila - Jan

Post by MJL »

Go easy on yourself Jan - it doesn’t look too bad! I suppose that’s the beauty of forests though - they can be Lego-like - undone and rebuilt; that said - clip’n’grow works well too.


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Re: [A Forest Tale] Ficus pumila - Jan

Post by Jan »

I really have bee without inspiration with this one. They have the potential to be useful little trees for a forest but I just couldn't seem to "see" the way forward.

I had another go with them but, while the result was better than the first effort I'm still not happy. I just couldn't "see" this becoming a believable forest.
20201103 Ficus setting.JPG
Still not happy so today it came apart again. The plants have suffered a bit for the multiple replants but the bark on all are green, it is spring so they are trying to grow so fingers crossed :fc:
20201103 Ficus option 2.JPG
Happy enough that I have mossed this one, now all I have to do is wait for the cuttings to strike so that I can "pad out" the forest with some younger trees to give balance and come up with a story so that I can be styling it with that in mind.

Not going to wire them until they show signs of recovery from the multiple replants.

:fc:
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Re: [A Forest Tale] Ficus pumila - Jan

Post by Jan »

The cuttings have made substantial roots and are ready to be added to the "forest".

One of the major trees in the planting is looking quite sad - one wilted leaf, but the bark is green so there is still hope for it.

Eight new "trees" were planted today. One variegated cutting was planted in front of the rock near the existing larger, variegated tree; it was planted with the lean of the branches trailing up the front of the rock.
20210109 173658 Ficus forest Front.jpg
Another green leafed cutting had fallen over in the propagating set up and had struck roots at the end, sent down a long root from halfway up and more at the base of the new growth - I couldn't resist using all three so planted them on the left side of the rock with the base just at the rear of the rock, the long middle root trailing down the rockface and the roots at the base of the new growth planted at the front of the rock in the level area. As these are ficus I feel that it is in keeping with what could have happened in nature if a tree fell and struck roots.
20210109 173748 Ficus forest detail.jpg
I planted a green leafed cutting at the center base of the rock - the shape leant itself to hugging the rockface in a natural manner. The remainder of the cuttings have been randomly planted amongst the trees behind the rock.
20210109 173809 Ficus Forest rear.jpg
The existing trees have been pruned and new cuttings taken, and planted in the propagator to make more trees to "pad out" the forest. I have not planted in the center at the top of the rock and have left the level front area as I have not settled on a "tale" to go with this forest. As these are figs, I am pondering a "Jungle Book" inspired "tale", just have to come up with a focal point inspired by the tale.
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Re: [A Forest Tale] Ficus pumila - Jan

Post by Jan »

20210226_164359.jpg
20210226_164445.jpg
I added nine new (very small - "sapling") trunks to the setting yesterday.
20210226_173853.jpg
These were all varigated plants so I have added a couple near the larger existing varigated fig and more around the back to try to create a naturalistic "band" of varigated plants running through the setting.
20210226_173936.jpg
20210226_174326.jpg
20210226_174405.jpg
20210226_174427.jpg
As many of these young plants were quite long the "offcuts" have been put in to strike yet more trunks for adding later. Still no "Tale" ideas :palm:
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Re: [A Forest Tale] Ficus pumila - Jan

Post by Sno »

Hi Jan . This is an interesting project . I have noticed you use charcoal a lot to guide your trees and I was wondering about your thoughts on this
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Re: [A Forest Tale] Ficus pumila - Jan

Post by Jan »

Hi Sno,

Re the charcoal, it's a case of use what I've found to work and what I have available to me (source = combustion heater & winter burning of windfall branches).

Charcoal is light, so can be used with large or small trees/young shoots/branches, is non-toxic, is natural, easily adjusted to required shape/size with bonsai cutters, doesn't leave wire marks and it is east to reposition if I change my mind. Don't get me wrong, I use wire and other 'implements of torture" in other situations, and on other trees, but these "trees" are so small and fine that even my finest wire is a bit heavy in most situations.

I must include an image with a "known object" for a size indication. In fact I'll go and do it now...
20210227 144535 50 cents for size.jpg
In this "forest" I'm using up some advanced ficus cuttings that I've been wondering what to do with for a while (there are only so many shohin ficus that I need) and, as they strike readily, I have plenty of material to create the "groves of saplings" that I need to make a (hopfully) convincing forest. As you can see this is not a big pot but, because the trees are quite small, I've needed quite a few to populate the forest. Still haven't come up with an inspired "focal point" to pin my "Tale" to but there is plenty of time yet and ypou never know just what "the Universe" will provide :D

Thanks for the positive feedback,

Jan
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Re: [A Forest Tale] Ficus pumila - Jan

Post by MJL »

Hi Jan,
It’s great watching you mentally ‘fight’ with this setting ... to me this is the beauty of groups and forests. They challenge and inspire creativity - something different. Further we can create ‘gravitas’ from younger material.

I’m enjoying where this is going and was surprised how small everything was - the coin added context. So, at least in photos, the perception of something slightly older is starting to take hold.

As an aside, my stepfather and I love round pots - indeed, I am starting to use them more for some of my single plants but...there maybe something about this group in an oval pot - offset to one side...

Again - purely observations and please follow you instinct - it’s working. And the ‘tale’ will come when the group fully resolves itself in your mind ....


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Re: [A Forest Tale] Ficus pumila - Jan

Post by Jan »

Time for this forest to get an autumn "hair cut" as I'm trying to convince these creeping figs to be "trees". Also want them to put on trunk size and improve ramification so opting for clip 'n grow.
20210418_144729.jpg
20210418_144806.jpg
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Re: [A Forest Tale] Ficus pumila - Jan

Post by Jan »

I was considering your oval pot suggestion today, MJL, and a shallow dark brown oval pot came to mind. It's a touch longer than the width of the round pot (yes, I too am a round pot fan particularly for those with grown for viewing "in the round" rather than a specific front) and would give me the opportunity to make the hill look taller and possibly introduce a stream edge/gravel section to one side.

I will look at this when I'm repotting in spring (freezing and unpleasant strong winds outdoors here today).

Jan
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Re: [A Forest Tale] Ficus pumila - Jan

Post by Jan »

Opps, I used that dark brown oval tray to plant some Lonicera nitida – Aurea in a little hilltop setting viewtopic.php?f=130&t=29800&p=290365&hi ... da#p290365. In the "lLanguage of Flowers" (popular in bygone days) one meaning for honeysuckle was "hidden secrets" so I think this little path over the hill implys some "secret" hidden from view.

I'm still looking for inspiration for the Ficus Forest setting, a suitable focal point and a suitable pot. Perhaps something from the "Language of Flowers" where fig means, FIG (Tree) - Fertility, Strength, Energy , Health, Joviality and FIG (Fruit or Foliage) - Argument, I Keep My Secret, Antidote to Poison, will inspire me.

In the meantime, I was trimming up the overgrowth from this season and decided to take a few images from the point of view of a walker in this forest. I hope you enjoy them.
20220406_115802 Fig Forest.jpg
20220406_120030 Fig Forest.jpg
20220406_120145 Fig Forest.jpg
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Re: [A Forest Tale] Ficus pumila - Jan

Post by Jan »

It has been a while, life has distracted me, but I've finally had another look at this setting, that I still find unsatisfactory :shake: , and decided to make a change. Yes, I know, it's not the time of year in such a cold climate (-7.8 degrees C a week ago) for a "make over" but I was inspired to try something so I started anyway.

I had it in mind to remove the rock (nice rock but not the one for this setting), split the setting down the middle and swap the halves to turn a "hill" into a "vale". The idea had some potential, but "the Universe" had other ideas, so when I went to lift it out of the pot to split it the whole setting fell apart :o - OK, looks like a total rebuild.

I arranged the trees in size groups, selected a new pot (shallow terracotta bowl Japanese pot, with three ornate feet, the same size as the original pot, and yes, Mark, round again). Next, the selection of rocks to make the "rim" of the vale (lucky I have a rock collection on the retaining wall outside the shade-house to supply plenty of options :lol: ). After considerable trial and error and trying some rocks with a view to doing some trees as "root-over-rock", I settled on four of the same local stone, with some quartz inclusions, that fitted tolerably well together and started reconstruction.

One larger "tree" was re-potted elsewhere to make a ROR later (I couldn't resist). The remaining largest tree was positioned to show off it's trunk and roots, using a major root as an "arch" over the path.
20230704_174509 Path Underpass.jpg
Another was positioned above, up the hill from the first tree and overhanging the rock rim, and the last one on the other side of the meadow in front of a rock on the other edge of the rim.
20230704_175027 Side Detail.jpg
The next size down were positioned randomly with most towards the top of the hills to give height to the forest. The "saplings" were grouped in 3's as little groves throughout the setting (one grove between the larger tree on the right side of the vale to blend the forest into the meadow and the smallest were used as fill in the forest with a couple on the lower edge of the rim.
20230704_200254 Detail.jpg
On my wander about down the paddock earlier, I'd found some suitable moss to help hold my "hills" together and some fruiting lichen( :?: ) to add interest to the meadow so it was the next addition. Who needs jig-saws when you have moss to apply to a setting, trying to get the edges to match seamlessly while matching the various types of moss and lichen inclusions ;) .
20230704_114206 Meadow detail.jpg
As the light faded (early this time of year), I brought the whole project indoors (I use big, plastic trays from the $2 shops to hold the pot and resources when working on the kitchen table) continued with my moss jig-saw and laid my sand path. I'd misted the roots constantly and heavily misted the potting media as I built up my "hills", planted my trees and bedded in my moss.
20230704_175348 Path Detail.jpg
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Last edited by Jan on July 5th, 2023, 11:14 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: [A Forest Tale] Ficus pumila - Jan

Post by KIRKY »

Great job Jan, that last photo with the fruiting lichen looks amazing with the tree in the background and the roots splaying down, I love it! My favourite front very realistic. :clap:
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Re: [A Forest Tale] Ficus pumila - Jan

Post by Jan »

And now for the reveal...the Front,
20230704_195542 Front.jpg
20230704_195918 Front.jpg
And another angle on the front,

20230704_200054 Front.jpg
And yet another of the front.

20230704_174616 Underpass.jpg
View up the path.
20230704_121017 Side.jpg
Left Side.
20230704_175027 Side Detail.jpg
The left side, with overhanging larger tree and small base tree to try to give the "cliff" a bit of scale.
20230704_200201 Rear.jpg
The rear, again with a small tree for scale.
20230704_195822 side.jpg
The remaining side, showing part of the back.
20230704_195650 Side.jpg
And that same side showing the placement of the larger tree near the rock and the grove of "saplings" blending into the meadow
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