[360°] Green Five needle pine at the NBPCA

[NBPCA]

Side 1.JPG

Side 2.JPG

Side 3a.JPG

Side 3b.JPG

Side 4.JPG

OK,

We will now cut off the low branch, do some needle plucking and rephoto.

[craigw60]

Hi Grant, so far I like side 2 and 3b. Its a bit hard to tell from photos but these options seem to show off the trunk movement to its best advantage. Will be interested in what you come up with. Are you going to change the pot when the time comes ?
Craig

[NBPCA]

Hi Grant, so far I like side 2 and 3b. Its a bit hard to tell from photos but these options seem to show off the trunk movement to its best advantage. Will be interested in what you come up with. Are you going to change the pot when the time comes ?
Craig

Oh yeah,

I imagine a pot with strong rectangular lines but some gentle rounding of corners to bring out the softness of the foliage on this tree.

Just about to do the next photos.

Each side has its good points and bad points. The actual apex is very difficult and will take many years to fill out properly but of course it is at the top so it will heal quickly. You will see what I mean soon.

Grant

[NBPCA]

Side 1 after tidy up.JPG

Side one is a bit flat and doesn't have a lot of possible branches to the front but it could work OK.

Most of the foliage up the tree can be used. To keep or not to keep the low branches.

Grant

[NBPCA]

Side 2 after tidy up.JPG

Have to remove at least the right hand portion of the lowest branch to the left and front

[NBPCA]

Side 3a after tidy up.JPG

Use the lowest right hand branch as a semi cascading portion?

Remove lowest branches on left.

[NBPCA]

Side 3b after tidy up.JPG

Cut off lowest right hand branch and leave the left hand side?

[NBPCA]

Side 4 after tidy up.JPG

To get the best from this side we need to tip the tree to varying degrees to the left and roll the apex towards the front.

This side has the best and broadest view of the base.

[NBPCA]

Any one else see any more possiblities? Lets hear if you do.

Grant

[NBPCA]

Side 2 has yielded a couple of possibilities so here they are.

.

Side 2a Tilted.JPG

This side clearly shows the possible cut off point at about two thirds up the trunk. This would give good taper and can be used in some of the various designs.
The root base is absolutely awesome from this side and angle.
The branching is crowded but most of it can be kept. The part of the lowest branch that crosses the trunk could be removed and the rest retained if wanted.

Side 2b Tilted.JPG

In this angle the lower branch can be awept back to the left and fully retained if wanted.

Grant

[NBPCA]

Side 3 already had a few options and here are some more.

Side 3b Tilted to left.JPG

Side 3b Tilted to right.JPG

Side 3a Tilted to right.JPG

Side 3a has plenty of things going for it . The tilting separates the two layers of the lower branches.

Side 3a tilted to the right and lower branch held out of way.JPG

Here it is with the lower branch removed, if you dont like it, so that you can see a bit more.

The base from side 3 is also excellent, just one large root going almost horizontal that can be removed in time.

Grant

[NBPCA]

Side 4 Tilted to the left.JPG

Side 4 Tilted to the front.JPG

I must admit after looking closely at side 4 I can't see anything that really works or sings for me.

However here it is.

Grant

[NBPCA]

Side 1. Using full height and existing apex 001.jpg

Side 1 after tidy up.JPG

[NBPCA]

Hi all,

We are narrowing down the possibilities for this tree and it seems that side 1 and side 4 seem the most unlikely.

It is now down to a choice between sides 2 and 3.

Next major decision is whether to keep the existing apex and height or reduce down to the obvious cutting off point and replacing with a more compact apex with less problems.

Photos tomorrow.

Grant

[Bretts]

Next major decision is whether to keep the existing apex and height or reduce down to the obvious cutting off point and replacing with a more compact apex with less problems.

I have not been doing Bonsai long but I get the feeling that more often than not once you start to consider chopping something off, that something has a short lived life

Thanks for taking the time to load this up Grant it is much appreciated Oh and Thanks Leigh I am sure you are doing just as much in getting this up for us