Swamp Cypress - Breaking some rules

[wattynine]

I think we have all seen the majestic formal uprights that a good swampy can make. I certainly have seen a lot and it is difficult to get a good majestic formal upright that works well. So I haven't........ in my viewing of re-potting swampies and seeing how flexible they are in their young growth, how such a fantastic root was going to waste all under the ground, I started to formulate that more could be done with them.
This of course all began when the realization of NIL good starter stock would and will be available to me in NQ, so I began my own.
Anyhow, couple of years ago began the trial with this one, not sure if I am doing the right this but the plant certainly has accepted its new role and although only two years old I can picture this in about 5 years or so being a majestic twisted, mountainous, weathered old tree...........unless I have killed it yesterday, or sometime in the future, lets hope not.

This 2was grown as a root over rock first of all, something I have not seen in a swampie, as I turned down the first primary branch below the horizontal it straight away began to weaken and threw out another shoot which became the dominant, so I turned that one down as well, it seemed to accept its fate and the twisting began, my future intention will be to further the height with rocks and cover that with the roots that are now in the bottom water- medium tray.

tell me what you think

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and adding some shari, in the hope I can emulate the "live vein" of an old juni (?)

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[wattynine]

Just an update, turned 90 degrees from photos 1 and 10 and now in a "swamp bucket", 20 ltr builders bucket from Bunnings filled with a scoria chunk mountain directly underneath and 10mm scoria to fill it. Yes its a bit heavy. I would think 2 years and I'll unearth it for what should be a great root over rock.

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Watty

[boom64]

Interesting !!!!!!!!! , look forward to the next up-date Watty. Hope it powers on. Cheers John.

[Rory]

Yeah, the bonsai nursery on the central coast - Bonsai World - in Jilliby, only 1 hour from Sydney, (end shameless promotion for our local nursery)
has been experimenting with these too. They are quite malleable and adapt quite easily to any style, but personally it is not something which is growing on me. I still only prefer the look of their native style, but I anyone who tries their hand at new things.

[Jarad]

Nice work

I like how the Shari is developing too. Are you going to attack it/have you attacked it with lime sulphur to get that bleached look?

[wattynine]

Annual update on a project.
The shari's had all but closed up so a pen knife and a steady hand.
The top is progressing nicely I see a few seasons to go yet but I may lift it in spring/summer next year and see what the roots are doing in relation with the four or five rocks of scoria underneath, then back in the swamp bucket for a few years.
thanks for lookin'
Watty

PS Apologies Jarad, this one just slipped into obscurity, please excuse my ignorance. No on this I didn't treat the deadwood with anything and haven't this time, just wanted to see what the wood would do, seems to be holding up nicely although I snapped the cascade deadwood as I bent it, no biggies. Thanks for your interest.

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[Ben Thomas]

Interesting indeed.
I picked up an interesting swampie yesterday from Ashly at bonsai world, Im searching for info on time of year to work on them. Like when to repot?

Ill post a pic soon.

Cheers Ben

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[beanwagon]

This thread makes me incredibly happy. I have had the exact same opinion about swampy's and have been looking a long time of examples of these grown as ROR. I finally got around to starting 3 of these the other day.

[beanwagon]

Any updates?

Sorry to hijack your thread. Here are mine.

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[Keep Calm and Ramify]

A swamp cypress growing from a rock? Why would a tree with such a heavily fluted base want to grasp?
Sorry I'm not convinced. There has gotta be better species to use if your showcasing a ROR

[beanwagon]

A swamp cypress growing from a rock? Why would a tree with such a heavily fluted base want to grasp?
Sorry I'm not convinced. There has gotta be better species to use if your showcasing a ROR

You ask why? I ask Why not?

Ofcourse there is always going to be something more suitable. Ultimately bonsai is about artistic expression. For me having not seen any examples (until this one) and only mainly styled upright i am extremely intrigued. I see arguments like "it doesnt grow like that in nature" which to me stifle creativity and ultimately hold the art back.

[Keep Calm and Ramify]

You ask why? I ask Why not?

Ofcourse there is always going to be something more suitable. Ultimately bonsai is about artistic expression. For me having not seen any examples (until this one) and only mainly styled upright i am extremely intrigued. I see arguments like "it doesnt grow like that in nature" which to me stifle creativity and ultimately hold the art back.

Well if it's an art project, then that changes everything - I say go for it

[beanwagon]

You ask why? I ask Why not?

Ofcourse there is always going to be something more suitable. Ultimately bonsai is about artistic expression. For me having not seen any examples (until this one) and only mainly styled upright i am extremely intrigued. I see arguments like "it doesnt grow like that in nature" which to me stifle creativity and ultimately hold the art back.

Well if it's an art project, then that changes everything - I say go for it

Isn't all bonsai an art project if you break it down?

[Mbunro]

You ask why? I ask Why not?

Ofcourse there is always going to be something more suitable. Ultimately bonsai is about artistic expression. For me having not seen any examples (until this one) and only mainly styled upright i am extremely intrigued. I see arguments like "it doesnt grow like that in nature" which to me stifle creativity and ultimately hold the art back.

Well if it's an art project, then that changes everything - I say go for it

Isn't all bonsai an art project if you break it down?

Where's the popcorn emoji?

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[melbrackstone]

Any chance of an update on this one @Wattynine?