AusBonsai

A piece of the driftwood has been loose for a while & it finally broke away revealing a bit more of the trunkline. I have it set in the rear left corner of the tray to represent another island in the distance. Do you think the extra piece adds to the story or isnt really needed?

Matt

I get the story, that the sea is on the right, the winds come from the right, and the tree is growing in the shelter of the dead wood, but for me the shape of the design all flows to the left. So it's empty on the right and too full on the left. Sorta.

Maybe think of placing the driftwood a bit right of centre, and then see whether your eye wants something in the back left corner or not. Or you could use the bit of driftwood tight in on the left, as part of the edge.

The tree suits the wood now, it will be interesting to see how the balance changes over the years.

Gavin

Hey Gavin, I get what your saying about space & lack there of. The deadwood sits hard against the left side of the tray & the trunk was threaded thu a hole in the wood, all of which makes it a bit hard to rearrange them any other way. It will be getting repotted next spring so I can play aound with it a bit more, maybe a much larger tray could be the solution.....

Looking good as it goes thru its seasonal colour change, the reduction in overall leaf size & increase in ramification give me hopes for my big one when it gets to refinement.

The last update was lost but thats ok. Heres the pics from the 27/11... And yesterday

Its got a new pot.

I still really enjoy this tree.

time8theuniverse wrote:Its got a new pot.

I still really enjoy this tree.

That another enjoys my fun is the greatest compliment, thankyou.

New pot & room to really grow and its doing lots of that already.

This has made some nice growth over the past year, with cooler nights it is now at a standstill & the colour change begun. Height is 35cm, average leaf length is 8cm. The deadwood has shed a few smaller bits from rot & more needs to be addressed tho I do like the idea of it slowly decomposing over the years as the tree grows bigger, the 2 have been fused for a couple of years now & I see no reason to change that. I have lowered the first branch, otherwise I am still just following the growth & yet to impart any will on the upper half...

Comment & critique as always welcomed.

This is really nice Matt. And looking at the thread, it has been for a while now. I like the decaying deadwood, and I think I would just leave it. The composition works well to my eyes and I think it's pretty cool to watch it change over time. For bonsai growers obsessed with having every root and branch perfect, there is something cathartic about letting the tree and the setting (deadwood) decide how it will look.

Thanks Karl, I couldn't agree more.

I had a visitor recently who despite having the tree infront of them was trying to tell me you wont get good leaf reduction with this species... mate, here is a comparison with a full sized leaf off my garden tree ... The full size leaf is 50cm, this setting 35cm high

I have only ever seen photo's of this style of pot so when I found this one on the sales table at my local club show I wasn't leaving it behind. It still bears the red & gold 'Made in Japan' sticker despite having had some use, I don't know the chop & haven't gotten round to researching it, all in good time Since acquiring it I have been considering it as the final home of Crab Cove & after a friend told me how he saw this composition I am totally sold... bring on spring, in the mean time I might do a bit more on its styling

I'm just jealous.
Its a great pot for that tree. I will keep that in mind for my own tree.

After a little string work.

quick update on this tree when I was ot at Matts I did endeavour to take photos of those I know he had posted on as I know how much I enjoy updates and progress and presume others do as well.

Please if you find another of his posts you want a follow up on let me know Ill do my best.