Restyle of Cedrus atlantica from the 1960s

[Grant Bowie]

1 Cedar as purchased.JPG

2 Backlit for detail.JPG

3 Close up of base and roots.JPG

4 Close up of trunks crossing.JPG

5 Close up of trunks sinuosity.JPG

6 More detail of trunks and wiring.JPG

7 Detail from above to see bending.JPG

8 Front.JPG

9 Left.JPG

10 Back.JPG

11 Right.JPG

Fig 12 Front after final wiring and tightening.JPG

13 As was in 1998.jpg

14 As purchased.JPG

15 finished for now..JPG

[Grant Bowie]

Sorry it has taken some time to get this all together but here is the Cedar and the work so far as chronicled.

More to come in a few weeks when I tidy it up after the first year of growth.

Grant

[Asus101]

I like this tree. I like the way the trunks move together and the way the pads form. Its got nice shape too.
has growth filled out on the last top most pads? In that last photo the top two pads look a little out of place.

[Grant Bowie]

I like this tree. I like the way the trunks move together and the way the pads form. Its got nice shape too.
has growth filled out on the last top most pads? In that last photo the top two pads look a little out of place.

Unfortunately No. The top was very weak compared to the rest of the tree(Unknown reason) and I gave it every opportunity and although it grew OK this year it was never going to be strong, so I have since cut it off and restyled the top. Hence the need to tidy up for photography; You're a hard bunch when it comes to marking! It will look a bit unfinished for another year but come and see it next year at the Illawarra AABC convention.

The tree has been well fertilised and has prospered health wise and I will repot in August(late winter/early spring) into a new pot. It even grew heaps of Catkins it was so healthy and I have a couple of days of needle plucking ahead of me to do as well.

Grant

[anttal63]

absolutely gorgeous grant. beautiful work on this one. why did the top get so weak, are they not apec dominant?

[Grant Bowie]

absolutely gorgeous grant. beautiful work on this one. why did the top get so weak, are they not apec dominant?

I just don't know why the top was weak. It could have been broken previously as the original artist(Joe Micallef now deceased) was known for his extreme bending on cedars.Atlantic Cedars tend to lose their lower branches in nature but they sometimes lose their crown as well in drought, so maybe this tree was getting tired and old and just lost it. It had not been repotted for many years I would guess as well.

Anyway I have replaced the crown with a strong side/back branch and it will admirably fill the spot eventually.

Grant

[anttal63]

good to hear you have ressurected it im sure it will be a stopper at the show!

[Asus101]

Anyway I have replaced the crown with a strong side/back branch and it will admirably fill the spot eventually.

Grant

I wonder if that was needed, as once cut off (going from the photo....) it would have had a nice rounded shape to it.
Without seeing the tree properly my comments might not be warranted.

Its a nice tree though, and has a great feel of age to it.

[Grant Bowie]

Anyway I have replaced the crown with a strong side/back branch and it will admirably fill the spot eventually.

Grant

I wonder if that was needed, as once cut off (going from the photo....) it would have had a nice rounded shape to it.
Without seeing the tree properly my comments might not be warranted.

Its a nice tree though, and has a great feel of age to it.

Probably not that obvious in the photo but the weak portion at the top was about the top 1/3rd of the tree, not just the final little outcrop at the top. If the top had completely regained its vigor I would have only taken out that very top portion as it was too high; but as I was trying to get as much growth to the top I had left it alone and incorporated it in the design.

The whole top 1/3rd was weak so I have now cut it out and you would see that there would have been a severe lack at the top without a replacement.

[Dave54]

Hi Grant,
nice job as usual.
To my eye, I think down the track I would probably lose that weak top (apex) as it appears that you have a readymade apex lower down.
The existing apex, looks both high and weak as stated.
You're right though we are definately hard markers in this forum, but any faults are certainly highlighted by photos.
cheers and well done
Dave

[Grant Bowie]

After 1 years growth and apex removed. Left Jin for photograph to show the weak portion.jpg

Here is the tree after one season of growth and having been let grow wild. I Jinned the top for the photo to show where the weak apex had been.

I have since removed it of course as it was too small, I have trimmed back the long growth and wired up a new apex, and I am needle plucking like crazy before I post the next shot.

You can see from this shot it needs a new apex after the removal of the old one.

Grant

[FlyBri]

Gday Mr Grant!

Marvelous work, and a great presentation!

I'm not sure if it's The Rules or intuition, but I had always been opposed to the idea of crossing trunks/branches (as seen in your side views), yet somehow the front manages to pull it off. I'm sure it looks even better in person, with all the depth that a personal view provides.





It appears to me that you've taken a tree which was styled by another and made it your own, while still being true to the initial vision. I wish I could say the same about any of the 'pre-loved' trees I've purchased...

I look forward to further updates.

Thanks.

Fly.

[marleeney]

What can one say. Only wish I had the talent you have Grant! Well done
Marleeney

[Grant Bowie]

Gday Mr Grant!

Marvelous work, and a great presentation!

I'm not sure if it's The Rules or intuition, but I had always been opposed to the idea of crossing trunks/branches (as seen in your side views), yet somehow the front manages to pull it off. I'm sure it looks even better in person, with all the depth that a personal view provides.

It appears to me that you've taken a tree which was styled by another and made it your own, while still being true to the initial vision. I wish I could say the same about any of the 'pre-loved' trees I've purchased...

I look forward to further updates.

Thanks.

Fly.

Thanks for your words. The crossing of the trunks, although unusal, for some reason was not really a problem and as you can see from the front it is not noticeable.

Leigh Taafe, from whom I purchased it, tells me at one time it supposedly had a third trunk which disappeared well before he got it. We don't have a photo of that incarnation but it would be interesting to see it as it started out as well. Photography of bonsai was obviously not a prioriity in the sixties and seventies but there are some interesting photos out there I am sure.

[masekeane]

Gidday Grant a wonderful job (very long term) on the cedar. I am coming down to Canberra tuesday-thursday this coming week. Do you have any recommendations of what to see in Canberra bonsai wise. I am travelling with young family so maybe 2 hours maximum each day. What are your top 2 to 3 picks in Canberra. I have posted a little bit of information about my nursery in the nursey section of this site. (Bonsai at the Bay).
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks Mason.