I use the word advisedly as I have been evil to this particular juniper.
Anyhow i thought they were all pretty bland so i decided to really give it a tweak about 2 years ago and almost snapped it in half.
I was after a really turbulent look and bent the trunk back about 90 degrees and then sideways and then up etc.
it was going fine until I really leaned on it hard but all the rubber, vet wrap and wire stopped if from a catastrophic break.
Anyhow time to get back on with it. I will start removing wire over the entire tree but leave the snapped trunk till last.
Grant
Evilution of a juniper.
-
Grant Bowie
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 3810
- Joined: February 18th, 2009, 3:22 pm
- Favorite Species: Banksia
- Bonsai Age: 52
- Bonsai Club: Canberra
- Location: Canberra
- Been thanked: 350 times
Evilution of a juniper.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
John Henry
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 487
- Joined: December 2nd, 2008, 3:19 pm
- Favorite Species: pines
- Bonsai Age: 20
- Bonsai Club: BSV Nth West Vic Native Bendigo
- Location: Melbourne VIC
- Been thanked: 1 time
- Contact:
Re: Evilution of a juniper.
Hi Grant, is that the juniper you did the demo on in Bendigo .
Thanks john m
Thanks john m
-
emi93m
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 145
- Joined: November 15th, 2011, 9:09 am
- Favorite Species: Ficus-Elm
- Bonsai Age: 10
- Location: Sydney
- Contact:
Re: Evilution of a juniper.
I thought it looked Great at the end of the second attempt 
you obviously know what you are doing great work nice tree hope it lives 
you obviously know what you are doing great work nice tree hope it lives So many Bonsai ......So little time between work hours and wife!
-
Grant Bowie
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 3810
- Joined: February 18th, 2009, 3:22 pm
- Favorite Species: Banksia
- Bonsai Age: 52
- Bonsai Club: Canberra
- Location: Canberra
- Been thanked: 350 times
Re: Evilution of a juniper.
Hi John,john henry wrote:Hi Grant, is that the juniper you did the demo on in Bendigo .
Thanks john m
It is very similar to the one I did at Bendigo (same propigation stock that I had left over after my nursery days) and I did have it with me as a prop during the talk/demo.
Grant
-
MattA
- Banned
- Posts: 3112
- Joined: February 13th, 2010, 2:37 pm
- Favorite Species: Lichen
- Bonsai Age: 26
- Bonsai Club: Killing Trees Inc..
- Location: Lower Hunter Valley
- Been thanked: 2 times
- Contact:
Re: Evilution of a juniper.
Hey Grant,
At first I thought the title was a typo but then seeing what you have done to this juni all I can say is, WOW!
I would love to see the side & back views.
Matt
At first I thought the title was a typo but then seeing what you have done to this juni all I can say is, WOW!
I would love to see the side & back views.
Matt
42 Mice ~Imperfection
"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards." ~ Vernon Sanders Law
"All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth
"Bonsai becomes great when growers start trees they know they will never see in a pot"
"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards." ~ Vernon Sanders Law
"All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth
"Bonsai becomes great when growers start trees they know they will never see in a pot"
-
NBPCA
- National Bonsai and Penjing Collection of Australia
- Posts: 1562
- Joined: December 9th, 2009, 11:44 am
- Favorite Species: All
- Bonsai Age: 14
- Bonsai Club: All Australian Clubs
- Location: Canberra
- Has thanked: 19 times
- Been thanked: 65 times
- Contact:
Re: Evilution of a juniper.
Hi Matt,
I got the wire off last night and took some photos but the internet didn't seem to work for a while.
I will post photos tonight.
The bends and twists have taken and set quite nicely. I should have used the drill out technique on this one and will do so in future. On the smaller right hand branch I used the trunk splitter and you can hardly see a mark.
Its all a learning curve, bend , twist, splinter, snap.
Grant
I got the wire off last night and took some photos but the internet didn't seem to work for a while.
I will post photos tonight.
The bends and twists have taken and set quite nicely. I should have used the drill out technique on this one and will do so in future. On the smaller right hand branch I used the trunk splitter and you can hardly see a mark.
Its all a learning curve, bend , twist, splinter, snap.
Grant
-
Grant Bowie
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 3810
- Joined: February 18th, 2009, 3:22 pm
- Favorite Species: Banksia
- Bonsai Age: 52
- Bonsai Club: Canberra
- Location: Canberra
- Been thanked: 350 times
Re: Evilution of a juniper.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
Andrew Legg
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 1404
- Joined: June 24th, 2010, 6:23 pm
- Favorite Species: The ones that don't die
- Bonsai Age: 15
- Bonsai Club: Oyama Bonsai Kai, Ausbonsai
- Location: Cape Town, South Africa
- Been thanked: 2 times
-
Grant Bowie
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 3810
- Joined: February 18th, 2009, 3:22 pm
- Favorite Species: Banksia
- Bonsai Age: 52
- Bonsai Club: Canberra
- Location: Canberra
- Been thanked: 350 times
Re: Evilution of a juniper.
Hi all,
Just a couple of observations from the bending on this tree.
First. The black bicycle rubber was on the tree for about 19 months and the bark shows no sign of any deterioration due to the rubber. This is contrary to what we were first taught years ago about using raffia as it was a natural product, the bark could breathe etc. I do make sure the rubber is not in too direct hot sun by covering with vet tape to stop the transferance of heat.
Second. There are actually signs of the trunk/bark putting out very fine roots under the rubber in what must have been a slightly moist and dark place.
Third. The very large bends have mostly set very nicely with no major relaxation of the tree after a few days
Fourth. The rubber, vet wrap and wire certainly did stop a catastrophic break.
Fifth. I did not use the drill out technique or trunk split on the major trunk but with hindsight should have.
Sixth. On the smaller trunk I used grafting tape, then a non stretch tape, then another layer of grafting tape and their was also no damage to the bark after about 15 months in place
Grant
Just a couple of observations from the bending on this tree.
First. The black bicycle rubber was on the tree for about 19 months and the bark shows no sign of any deterioration due to the rubber. This is contrary to what we were first taught years ago about using raffia as it was a natural product, the bark could breathe etc. I do make sure the rubber is not in too direct hot sun by covering with vet tape to stop the transferance of heat.
Second. There are actually signs of the trunk/bark putting out very fine roots under the rubber in what must have been a slightly moist and dark place.
Third. The very large bends have mostly set very nicely with no major relaxation of the tree after a few days
Fourth. The rubber, vet wrap and wire certainly did stop a catastrophic break.
Fifth. I did not use the drill out technique or trunk split on the major trunk but with hindsight should have.
Sixth. On the smaller trunk I used grafting tape, then a non stretch tape, then another layer of grafting tape and their was also no damage to the bark after about 15 months in place
Grant
-
Andrew F
- Crafty Tanuki
- Posts: 1898
- Joined: December 19th, 2010, 6:06 pm
- Favorite Species: Pest species.
- Bonsai Age: 5
- Bonsai Club: N/A
- Location: Raiding a hedgerow.
- Been thanked: 1 time
Re: Evilution of a juniper.
Unintentional air layer perhaps...Grant Bowie wrote:
Second. There are actually signs of the trunk/bark putting out very fine roots under the rubber in what must have been a slightly moist and dark place.
Grant
-
Grant Bowie
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 3810
- Joined: February 18th, 2009, 3:22 pm
- Favorite Species: Banksia
- Bonsai Age: 52
- Bonsai Club: Canberra
- Location: Canberra
- Been thanked: 350 times
Re: Evilution of a juniper.
It just shows that trees are tough and will do anything to survive.VelvetSicklid wrote:Unintentional air layer perhaps...Grant Bowie wrote:
Second. There are actually signs of the trunk/bark putting out very fine roots under the rubber in what must have been a slightly moist and dark place.
Grant
Grant
-
Andrew F
- Crafty Tanuki
- Posts: 1898
- Joined: December 19th, 2010, 6:06 pm
- Favorite Species: Pest species.
- Bonsai Age: 5
- Bonsai Club: N/A
- Location: Raiding a hedgerow.
- Been thanked: 1 time
Re: Evilution of a juniper.
That's right. Resilience is key to survival.Grant Bowie wrote:It just shows that trees are tough and will do anything to survive.VelvetSicklid wrote:Unintentional air layer perhaps...Grant Bowie wrote:
Second. There are actually signs of the trunk/bark putting out very fine roots under the rubber in what must have been a slightly moist and dark place.
Grant
Grant
Love where this Juni is going Grant, look forward to updates.
-
Grant Bowie
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 3810
- Joined: February 18th, 2009, 3:22 pm
- Favorite Species: Banksia
- Bonsai Age: 52
- Bonsai Club: Canberra
- Location: Canberra
- Been thanked: 350 times
Re: Evilution of a juniper.
Hi all,
Had some fun today with this Juniper.
As far as can go today. A very complex series of bends has created lots of interest and a little more foliage will help.
Grant
Had some fun today with this Juniper.
As far as can go today. A very complex series of bends has created lots of interest and a little more foliage will help.
Grant
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
lackhand
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 808
- Joined: January 10th, 2013, 9:42 am
- Favorite Species: Japanese maple
- Bonsai Age: 8
- Bonsai Club: AusBonsai
- Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 2 times
Re: Evilution of a juniper.
Thank you for the update Grant, quite impressive to see what can be done with a piece of very standard stock and some evil treatment. 
Makes me wonder if I'm being to gentle to a few of mine . . .
I like where the tree is headed and look forward to seeing the next update. Thanks for sharing.
Makes me wonder if I'm being to gentle to a few of mine . . .I like where the tree is headed and look forward to seeing the next update. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Karl
-
Webos
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 1206
- Joined: July 15th, 2009, 12:05 pm
- Favorite Species: Juniper
- Bonsai Age: 0
- Bonsai Club: Southern Vic Bonsai Club
- Location: Southern Vic
Re: Evilution of a juniper.
Great stuff, really good example of why we should all be taking regular photos of our trees. A very cool tree.
I like the final result apart from the very top branch, I think that's the only thing detracting from the flow of the branches. Of course, a photo never does a bonsai justice so I'm sure that in the flesh, it's even more powerful and complex than what we see here.
I like the final result apart from the very top branch, I think that's the only thing detracting from the flow of the branches. Of course, a photo never does a bonsai justice so I'm sure that in the flesh, it's even more powerful and complex than what we see here.
