Swampy first styling!

[JayP]

styled my swampy yesterday, wiring the basic branch structure, i'm relatively happy with it but not entirely, i think it may need some carving of some sort!? what do u think??

[EdwardH]

Good start however swampy branches normally grow upwards, as if reaching to the sky. Google and see. My pc skills do not allow me to do the link. As a general rule deciduous trees have branches growing at horizontal or upward positions.

[JayP]

Good start however swampy branches normally grow upwards, as if reaching to the sky. Google and see. My pc skills do not allow me to do the link. As a general rule deciduous trees have branches growing at horizontal or upward positions.

i agree however there are exceptions of course, there is a really tall swampy about half a km away from my place and its branches are most definitley sweeping downward, it is a very old and very tall tree with long heavy branches which causes them sweep downward. personally i have never really liked the look of many trees that conform to the style or charachteristics you mentioned with the exception of some trees i see in books from japan and of course broom style etc. another point is that it gives a tree less of the impression of age when the branches are heading upwards. i dont disagree with u but personally i am not one to worry to much about mimicking the trees natural growth characteristics, i know there are probably some traditionalists out there shaking there heads in disgust right now but i guess i just like to have complete creative control lol. appreciate the feedback though cheers mate

[EdwardH]

I agree completely. Some of the most awe inspiring bonsai are those that bend (if not break) the rules. I look forward to seeing your tree progress.

[Jamie]

nice solid trunk for height there mate, some more growth and it will be a cracker, have you though about really extending that first right hand branch and creating a semi? might be a different option for a swampy mate, havent seen many in the semi cascade form.

i have one i am growing on a bit that will be similar to this it will probably be a jinned top though

[JayP]

nice solid trunk for height there mate, some more growth and it will be a cracker, have you though about really extending that first right hand branch and creating a semi? might be a different option for a swampy mate, havent seen many in the semi cascade form.

i have one i am growing on a bit that will be similar to this it will probably be a jinned top though

i hadnt thought of the idea of semi cascade but i had thought about layering the top 3-4 inches for a nice little shohin and then starting again with the lower section with a bit of carving and a re-design!? im not entirely sure what the future holds for this tree yet but appreciate all the suggestions! cheers mate

[Jamie]

no prob champ, it just looks like to me with that long right hand branch you could continue that and then create a canopy on top and have a 2 line semi cascade

layering the top off for shohin is an option to mate, shohin rock!

[MelaQuin]

Stick with the upright, wiring branches down gives a great look and you area on the right track. I would taper the stub more now and watch the development of the branches as swampies tend to thicken better higher up. I keep nipping the higher branches on my tree so the lower branches thicken better. In my collection I would not air layer. I find the growth rate of a swamp cypress is staggeringly fast and trying to keep a smaller tree in order would be a big task and I think the sweep of branches and leaflets looks better on a taller tree. But to each his own. But nice to see the trunk size as a starter. That's the way to go.

[JayP]

Stick with the upright, wiring branches down gives a great look and you area on the right track. I would taper the stub more now and watch the development of the branches as swampies tend to thicken better higher up. I keep nipping the higher branches on my tree so the lower branches thicken better. In my collection I would not air layer. I find the growth rate of a swamp cypress is staggeringly fast and trying to keep a smaller tree in order would be a big task and I think the sweep of branches and leaflets looks better on a taller tree. But to each his own. But nice to see the trunk size as a starter. That's the way to go.

cheers mate, i do have issues with the taper as it's a bit heavy in the top of the tree but i think a bit of carving should be able to fix that and u are spot on about the growth of swampys they are strong very growers and they indeed tend to be apical dominant so a bit of top pruning is definitley beneficial for developing the lower branches! cheers mate

[NBPCA]

Swampies are deciduous, but they are also conifers.

Style as you please! There are no Bonsai Police.

Time can take care of taper; it can also destroy it.

Grant

[JayP]

Swampies are deciduous, but they are also conifers.

Style as you please! There are no Bonsai Police.

Time can take care of taper; it can also destroy it.

Grant

hi grant dont be fooled mate, there are bonsai police out there but i would refer to them more as bonsai gestapo there not always visible but they are there, you just have to look closely at some club meets etc. they're the ones who spend 15 minutes looking around a tree at a distance of about 15cm away from it, taking notes with there eyes and sneering at that non conforming branch!! then u look out the back and you will see trees being lined up and being numbered and shipped off to bonsai concentration camps to be bare rooted and topiaried

but in all seriousness i have seen jaw dropping trees of contemporary stylists win numerous peoples choice awards however dont seem to even be in contention with the winning 'judged' trees, when the winning tree's have the boring old typical 'left, right back - left, right, back branch placement' and frankly look average compared to the rule breaking tree! i think clubs should have two sections for a show 'traditional/contemporary' i know it's supposed to be a level playing field but it simply just isn't, to many senior members of clubs are set in the traditional ways in which they were schooled and unless you conform or knit with Beryl and Joan on wednesdays you stand little chance of getting anywhere

and club committee members if you are wondering why it may be hard to get younger members or just more members in general etc read this post 3 times and learn it, the politics and backstabbing i have seen go on is absolutely mind blowing especially from some of the older members and is actually really discouraging for some! and in case anyone wondering this little rant i'm on isn't because i'm bitter about never getting a best in show etc. i have never entered a tree in a show and currently don't belong to a club, this is just an outsiders perspective from someone who has dealt with people from many different clubs and has been a guest at numerous!

cheers and sorry depending on how you feel about what i just said