Is less more?...

[AlainK]

Got this pine from seed, not sure what it is, maybe Mugo pine.

June 2007:

Boring...

2014, drastic pruning:

It almost died...

Today:

Well, if it survives, I'll only keep the first branch...

 

[JudyB]

I rather liked the 2014 version, but nice progression.

 

[Paradox]

Good example of what can be accomplished with a bit of patience and time.
I agree with Judy, nice progression

 

[Geo]

You are perhaps the most talented and most skillful practitioner on this forum. Thank you,once again, for your more than valuable contributions.
Most sincerely,
George Dawson.

 

[just.wing.it]

Wow, nice litte tree!
Can I ask what happened to the jin?

 

[AlainK]

I rather liked the 2014 version,

There was a problem of coherence between the roots and the trunk: the trunk was actually very straight, and the roots were hook-shaped under soil level, with fine roots only at the end of them. That's why I decided to carve the trunk deeper so I could bend it, and in the process, the jin had to go.

And 1/ I didn't have a windswept tree any longer and 2/ I had this pot that I like a lot, so that was an opportunity to try something different.

Finally, I have a larch whose top died and that I will shape so as to make it look like a thunder-stricken tree with a jin and some dead wood on one side, with one branch on the side to form a new design.

 

[Adair M]

There was a problem of coherence between the roots and the trunk: the trunk was actually very straight, and the roots were hook-shaped under soil level, with fine roots only at the end of them. That's why I decided to carve the trunk deeper so I could bend it, and in the process, the jin had to go.

And 1/ I didn't have a windswept tree any longer and 2/ I had this pot that I like a lot, so that was an opportunity to try something different.

Finally, I have a larch whose top died and that I will shape so as to make it look like a thunder-stricken tree with a jin and some dead wood on one side, with one branch on the side to form a new design.

Oh. You were going for windswept?

I guess the trunk line would work. But the branches hang. Not consistent with windswept. Especially the hanging needles.

The foliage is below the branch structure, for the most part. It should be above the supporting branch. Unless you're trying to suggest the wind is blowing down!

Your design is more consistent with a cascade style. Even then, the foliage should be above the branch, not below.

To see what I'm getting at, Google "windswept bonsai", and click the "images" button. The convincing ones all show foliage above the branch, not below. (And it makes sense, the foliage is caught by the wind, and the wind is pulling on it, up and away!)

 

[AlainK]

Oh. You were going for windswept?

I guess the trunk line would work. But the branches hang. Not consistent with windswept. Especially the hanging needles.

The foliage is below the branch structure, for the most part. It should be above the supporting branch. Unless you're trying to suggest the wind is blowing down!

Your design is more consistent with a cascade style. Even then, the foliage should be above the branch, not below.

To see what I'm getting at, Google "windswept bonsai", and click the "images" button. The convincing ones all show foliage above the branch, not below. (And it makes sense, the foliage is caught by the wind, and the wind is pulling on it, up and away!)

Yeah...

You critique is 100% justified, and constructive, a very good analysis, thanks for castigating me .

Actually I'm still hesitating between windswept and cascade, I might well opt for "kengai" or "han-kengai".

But the first thing is: "will the tree survive?" I'm no expert at all on conifers. Repotting it in August is for me an experience, even a challenge so what I'm doing at the moment is keeping my fingers crossed, keeping it in dappled shade, and misting it late in the morning and at sunset.

If it survives (if!), it's small enough anyway to have the branches put differently. It's only about 5 inches (13.5 cm)!

(1 inch=2.54 cm):

 

[Adair M]

I put my freshly repotted pines back in full sun.

Then again, when I repot, I do it in early spring. But, I mostly do JBP. Not Mugo.

Our resident Mugo expert, Vance Wood, says Mugo should be repotted in summer, so if this is a Mugo, you should be fine.

 

[Adair M]

Alain,

You might benefit by reading a thread I posted in the "Resources" area of this site about using "fish hooks" when wiring to control pine needles. That technique would help with getting the foliage up above the stems.

 

[AlainK]

You might benefit by reading a thread I posted in the "Resources" area of this site about using "fish hooks" when wiring to control pine needles. That technique would help with getting the foliage up above the stems.

Thanks for the tips, I've bookmarked the page