A Forest Tale - New Competition: A walk in the forest and a story to boot …

[MJL]

Cheers Greg, Matt and Starfox, looking forward to seeing the entries.

Starfox - good luck with your seed mats. From memory you’re working in Spain at present so I hope the seed mats allow you to propagate over winter.

Matt - spot on with competitions; I think they do make us focus on our actions. The current ‘natural’ competition is pushing me to better understand and analyse my natives and how best to manage these in the context of a 3 year time horizon.

I hope this competition encourages people to think about the relationship of groups of trees in a specific landscape/setting. And indeed, how the group is then managed; respecting each tree but also considering each tree in relation to its neighbour.

Of course, the ironic part is that I am still learning too.... that should make judging the entries interesting!

[MJL]

Hey Folks,

With people starting to consider their groups of trees, I wanted to expand the initial guidance in relation to the age of trees.

As noted in the initial guidance: "Young trees or old...

• There’s a preference for seedlings and/or small plants – rather than getting advanced stock and bring them together to form a mature scene from the get-go.
• On above, I am not going to be too anal … If you have trees that are a little older – sure, go nuts but I want the competition to be accessible to all and I want to show people that a well thought out planting of younger trees can look cool too."

The intent behind the guidance above is about increasing accessibility. I didn't want people to think they had to spend heaps of time finding mature stock and then spend bucket loads of cash on trees to enter this competition. That said, if you have (or find) a few older trees and want to include them with some younger stock to create a perception of older age - no drama. Similarly, if it's all young trees do drama. Whatever floats your boat.

Don't be constrained by fear of breaking 'rules' or thinking there is one right way. One of the great aspects of this AusBonsai forum is its fair, fun and supportive nature. I have had (and will continue to have) many 'public' failures on this forum - including some of my more 'out there' designs... but all these help to learn and move forward in this hobby.

Also, I penned some thoughts on forest styling nearly a year ago... the thoughts contained in this post (linked below) still remain valid. At least in my mind and may help people consider their forest plantings. https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/forum/view ... gn#p263836

A close date of April 2020 should give people plenty of time to think and gather stock but feel free to enter a group any time beforehand. Multiple entries allowed, if you are so pre-disposed.

Cheers,

Mark

[TimS]

Here is the first step of what i'll be doing. A big box full of trident maples of various sizes that are wildly overgrown. I was tossing up some ideas of more unusual species, but in the end i want to not only grow this group for this competition, but as something i will be keeping and progressing into the future. I have some young she-oaks, but i just don't have the experience with them yet to be able to progress them in the right way yet.

I have a few ideas, and lots of big pots to play with, so we shall see where i end up going with it. Also found a really nice little dwarf ginkgo that came home with me but that's not for the competition!

tridentscomp.jpg

[Starfox]

Starfox - good luck with your seed mats. From memory you’re working in Spain at present so I hope the seed mats allow you to propagate over winter.

Cheers, yeah winter hasn't exactly kicked in here yet but the mats should help. Just saw the first sprout in the Kunzea tray so here's hoping they kick on and I can enough to stay alive, it's not guaranteed at all with me.

[TimS]

Quick question about the entering process if I may?

In my case using deciduous, I will be needing to wait until winter to put mine together( after the deadline of entry), but in theory someone doing natives or tropicals could be starting now.

My question is simply; is it enough to simply show what you will be using before the April deadline, or does it actually have to be started as a planting by then?

[MJL]

Thanks for the question Tim.
Just your selected trees by April 2020 and then .... they must be in the same pot by the end of 2021.

That said, if they start all potted together that’s no problem either.

Happy to work with what right for the artist and their trees .... alive and happy trees are surely better than a concept killed by forcing a repotting at the wrong time.

Cheers,

Mark


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[alexm]

I know you said to be creative but would a raft count if it looks like a forest?

Either way very cool competition.

Cheers,
Alex

[melbrackstone]

Why am i just seeing this now? sheeesh, I need to check the forum more closely!

I'll avago.

Cheers Mark, another fab comp to keep us all on our toes.

[MJL]

Hey Alex,

Hmmm - I think a raft is its own form. It stands alone. That said, I am pretty sure I mis-took a raft at the NBPCA as a forest and was corrected by one of the friendly volunteers.

I’m not a huge fan ‘rules’ - so Alex how about we run with this ... if the raft looks like a forest or group and/or is combined with other trees too ... go for it. While we’re are at it ... if people want to combine a numbers of ‘clumps’ of trees to make an interesting forest/group ... go for it too.

Enjoy the competition if you do decide to enter.

And Mel, I’m glad you found the thread/competition. You have plenty of time to gather your thoughts. I hope to see an entry or two from you...




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[alexm]

Thanks so much Mark, I might try one that's a bit experimental and also something more tradtional.

Cheers,
Alex

[Starfox]

The good news is both sets of my ficus seeds are germinating the bad news is that the larger seedlings in the tray appear to be lettuce. lol

thumbnaild.jpg

Also the Kunzeas are coming up plus some Brachychiton rupestris seeds I collected are sprouting this morning. I'm just going to keep throwing seeds in throughout winter and see what I have to play with come April.

Cheers Mark again, keeping me busy.

[MJL]

Ha! I’m pretty open-minded but I find it hard to imagine a field of tiny lettuce being part of a forest playing ....perhaps ....
A forest bordering a farm ....



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[melbrackstone]

Ha! I’m pretty open-minded but I find it hard to imagine a field of tiny lettuce being part of a forest playing ....perhaps ....
A forest bordering a farm ....

I've got a lovely forest of Japanese blood grass here! Plus another one of bamboo! Don't diss the lettuce!

[PeterH]

Hi MJL,

Great format for a comp.
I find forests/settings/groups a good way to reduce numbers of trees in my yard, and the challenge of putting them together in a pleasing way.
Tempted to put a couple of entries in but the 2 I have on the go are older stock trees and would not be suitable.

I will be interested to see the progress of the entries in the coming years.

Kind Regards,

Peter

[MJL]

Hi MJL,

Great format for a comp.
I find forests/settings/groups a good way to reduce numbers of trees in my yard, and the challenge of putting them together in a pleasing way.
Tempted to put a couple of entries in but the 2 I have on the go are older stock trees and would not be suitable.

I will be interested to see the progress of the entries in the coming years.

Kind Regards,

Peter

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your feedback on the format.
On the subject of older stock ... don't walk onto the observation deck yet. I am torn!

I have this guidance from my initial post
• Young trees or old… or a combination;
and this information from my initial post to sway the judge(s) ...
• Imagination - a setting that you could walk through - assuming you could shrink yourself down to say 1cm. If I can picture myself sitting in or walking through a landscape …. happy times.
• There’s a preference for seedlings and/or small plants – rather than getting advanced stock and bring them together to form a mature scene from the get-go.
• On above, I am not going to be too anal … If you have trees that are a little older – sure, go nuts but I want the competition to be accessible to all and I want to show people that a well thought out planting of younger trees can look cool too.

The conundrum ... I really want a competition where people are not blown out of the water by forests of more advanced trees from the get go...(and indeed, younger forests without older trees can look good too) but... I want this to be a learning exercise for all and without the experience of someone like you can put together groups like this https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/forum/view ... 56&t=25124 we are all lessor for not having those skills at the table.

So - please continue to think about this competition - perhaps it's a combination of new and old stock. Or if you don't have that and your forests are too advanced - that's cool - please continue to provide feedback and thoughts as entries develop over the years. (Perhaps I could ring you in as a judge if you don't enter. )

In the meantime, I too will consider whether I can create a new category - that perhaps separates older stock trees ... not sure. It would be a subjective line of separation to be sure (but hey, this whole competition is about fun and in the end, a subjective call is going to decide who get the gongs).

Regardless, entries do not close for a few months yet so there's no rush to decide.

Cheers,

Mark

PS - Thanks to everyone to the feedback and the participation. Great entries are flowing in - a vein of interest has been tapped and that's ace. Keep the entries coming - I reckon we are all going to learn a heap.