Recent content by mattspinniken

I have a few goals: 1. Collect 2 trees that I like more than my top 15 trees currently 2. Apply 15 air layers 3. Get rid of my least favorite 5 trees in my garden. 4. More trips to the "wild" than 2024

this story does not have a good ending. This tree died, I have not had as much luck with this species as I would like. I still plan to dream up some nice collections but I honestly need to figure out how to properly grow them first!

THANK YOU! I really enjoy this tree in my garden but I do not enjoy moving it! I would love to get this tree into a different pot but repotting a tree like this is not a one man job.

Yep, I do have one in the ground, I suppose I should just be happy with that. Andrew Robson posted a few that had me second guessing though.

If someone can get me a Wisteria of this quality in the US for under $1000 please let me know! I think this tree is worth over 2k here. In Michigan a tree like this would be very hard to find, but I agree that a Wisteria is not a good tree for a beginner. I reallly just thought it would be...

Make sure not to let it dry out and don't be shy with fertilization. That is what I have learned. I have some collected Birch since about 10 years ago that are going strong.

This one is going to be really nice. Its rare to see a tree that came from a big box store turn into something nice. I actually love White Birch for bonsai and have only had success with them. Ive been looking to collect more.

Very nice work amigo. Im a sucker for slabs and like the little plants you added. Styling looks good, your wiring is cleaner than mine. Something to toss around might be to find a few smaller Shimpaku and add them to this to make a really nice forest. There was a small Shimpaku forest in the...

Great tree and congrats on the award! I really like the 3 point display and I think you used it well. I am trying to create more small trees so I can play around with 3 point as well. I hope I can see another display from you 5 years from now, I bet it will be even better.

Pretty awesome, I think that big Thuja was collected by Nick Lenz or maybe his buddy David Crust. Both are a huge inspiration.

Thanks! This was a fun tree, I was starting to run out of room so I actually sold this one. The new owner had it in the ABS show in Michigan this spring.

I thought I would post an update after I styled this tree recently. I would like to find a new large pot for it but I am not sure where to get it. The photo is kinda far away but I do like this tree as much as I thought I would, when I collected it. Curious what peoples thoughts might be on...

Thank you! Thankfully this has three areas of foliage and two are lower than that upper piece. A lot of the best Larch I see in the wild don’t have any foliage down low but lucky this one does.

Yes this was the big issue, but it is actually much better than it was after some heavy bending. It actually doesn't look bad in person but I do think I might add a bit of shari there and put some foliage in there as well. Thanks.

I collected this Larch in 2021 fall. It was growing in a harsh windy lake shore and at some point something heavy had fallen on it. I love odd trees that are unique and this one was going to be fun. I bent the top down in 2023 but was not happy with the look so over time I bent the top more...