Casuarina

[Dario]

Hi Craig, somehow I missed this one lately
I like where you are taking it and jining the top of tree 1 was an interesting choice
Good to see you made a shari lower down to add continuity, will you do any more small jin or shari on the other trees?
When you repot are you going to leave as is or will you do some slight changes with the outer trunk angles? Not saying it need it I was just wondering?
I will enjoy seeing it progress over the next few growing seasons.
How tall is it Craig?
Cheers, Dario.
EDIT just checked height...when it was Pups it was 66cm

[Craig]

Hi Dario, , i admit it looked ok with a full crown of foliage but imo it was a centre of attention, when i looked at the group i would see an out of character #1 tree. The canopy being far too full for such a tree so the removal of the original apex needed to happen .The group portrays an old very tall group, you get the best image from a slight distance, but looks equally as impressive up close, to me being reminecant of a group of pines in it's design. The #1 tree definately look better without the bulge and the excessive canopy. Yes i will introduce some more shari, maybe a jin or 2 aswell. I still am a little concerned that i haven't set each tree at it's right hieght yet but can change those as i go.

As far as tree angles are concerned; ; i have tied the smallest left tree #7,up straighter to have a look , i think it's an improvement,as it fits with the trees beside it better. Viewed from all angles including diagonally at least 8 out of the 9 trunks can be seen so i won't change anything yet, including leaning them outwards which i think is what your getting at .

I would however like to put this group into a new pot which isn't as wide as the one it's in now.

The #1 tree is 700mm high from rim of pot & has a 48mm trunk.
The #2 tree is 600mm high from rim of pot & has a 34mm trunk.
The smallest left tree #7 is 315mm from soil level & 23mm trunk.
The group is 515mm wide and has a depth of 420mm.

the pic is uneditted version and may give a better feel of the group.

100_3800.JPG

you can see the subtle changes here .

pics34.jpg

[Craig]

That is a very interesting group of trees Craig, it is very hard to pick a point that needs to be rectified, so I will not try.

Thank you for sharing.

Harry

cheers Harry , thanks i think , so many people here say they love Casuarina, well i just don't see it,

[Pup]

G,day Craig looking good I read that you are looking for a narrower pot! when this group was initially put together it was planted on a Granite slab.

I have since given it away, not sure to whom!. Cheers Pup

[Dario]

Hi ya Craig, I am excited about the new pot.
I was unneccessarily questioning different aspects of this lovely composition...tree height and planting angles and something else that I won't bore you with.
In hind sight I think this was because to my eye there was a lot of room from the last tree on the right to the edge of the pot on that side, which made my eye look for issues that weren't really there, and as a result caused me to focus on the right hand group in particular.
So I believe that a different pot or slab (as Pup had it planted origionally), will bring out the best in this planting and eradicate the issues I stated above.
Can't wait to see it repotted and what you choose to go with!
As I have stated previously...I really like this group very much and I would be very proud to own it. The things that I mentioned were just the subjective feelings of my untrained eye, so I hope you don't misunderstand what I was getting at?
Cheers, Dario.

[Craig]

and something else that I won't bore you with.

That's the part i'd like to hear the most Dario.

Thanks mate

[Dario]

and something else that I won't bore you with.

That's the part i'd like to hear the most Dario.
Thanks mate

Ok Craig, you asked for it ...I will start by saying that group plantings are in a way a new animal to me as single trunks have mostly been my focus and there is so much to learn about groups.

I was unneccessarily questioning different aspects of this lovely composition...
In hind sight I think this was because to my eye there was a lot of room from the last tree on the right to the edge of the pot on that side, which made my eye look for issues that weren't really there, and as a result caused me to focus on the right hand group in particular.

The empty space on the far right of the pot that I mentioned above also caused me to focus on the bottom of the space/gap between the two groups which for me isolated the group on the right as my eyes seemed to bounce back and forth between the two empty spaces.
Even though the second group on the right is the less dominant of the two, it gave me the impression that it ended too abruptly and as a result I wanted to see a couple of smaller trees extend the width of the second group to fill that space on the far right.
I even considered a putting smaller tree as the first tree of the second group to stagger the heights more, but this would have pretty much closed the gap seperating the to groups alltogether.
Anyway, that is just what I was thinking/feeling due to the space on the far right ...probably all in my mind :
I look forward to seeing it potted up Craig.
Cheers, Dario.
EDIT substitute ? for

[Craig]

Ok Dario cheers for the explanation, i appreciate your feedback very much , ;



have a good one

[Dario]

I knew it was all in my mind!
That looks SWEET Craig, love the slab!
Cheers, Dario.
Oh, and thanks for humouring me with my previous observations
EDIT anyone for tennis

[Roger]

I'd only keep that new high leader for only as long as it takes to get some lower side branches up there then cut it. These fellas don't have pointy tops when they get old...

[Craig]

Thanks Roger, so you're saying you wouldn't grow it on until it's a little thicker, it's only 3mm thick. It has side shoots already.

Dario, you may not be happy mate, i should have taken more time yesterday when repotting so today i have had to start again .
I should of kept some negative space on the right where you didn't like it , .
I have turned the slab around 180 degrees , split the two sub-groups in half and moved them closer enabling me to get back that negative space i need. The group also is not as high on the slab now . I know i said it looked better yesterday but today it really does look better ..Give it time to settle and i'll get some nice pics,

Cheers

100_3819.JPG

pics38.jpg

[TheNumber13]

Nice adjustments. The shape of the slab, along with the more gentle slope down into the negative space, is more pleasing to my eye.
A lovely looking group to start with, and getting better each time.

[Roger]

Hi Craig
By all means grow it out to thicken and then cut back. No worries.

roger

[Dario]

Nice call Craig, Iooking at the two pics side by side your adjustment is much, much better...lower in the pot and with some negative space
I think it was all about proportions (negative space is important it just seemed too much space previously, now is just right!).
Moving them closer together has helped heaps too and in my opinion helps to visually harmonise and balancefor the space on the right as you have made.
I sure am glad you changed it! You have a very good eye Craig
Cheers, Dario.
EDIT looking at the side by side pics for a second time now that it is adjusted, it was too centered before. Well done!

[harry]

Hi Craig, this is really starting look very nice, I would like to offer a little bit of my thinking if I may. This new postion is by far a better one.

I would like to offer that may be a little sculpting of the forground, so it is not so straight along the front and puts some interest in the landscape, also a slight indentation between the main and subordinate groups.

Just my Harry

Ps it is a very nice setting, I would be proud to own.