design advice

chappy56

Mame
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Any ideas? I collected this Scotch Pine and put it in this pot at least 8 years ago. I'm ready to style and pot it but I'd appreciate any ideas from you the experts.
Thanks in advance for your input.
20180409_162518.jpg
 

Tycoss

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I love the movement, taper and bark on the lower trunk. I would suggest you emphasize this by removing below the empty, straight and taperless area, about half way up the tree. Wiring branches down into foliage pads fairly close to the trunk should make the tree look more compact and powerful. That's my best advice, but hopefully the pine experts here will have some input. Good luck with it.
 

Velodog2

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Nice, I love Scots pine! I agree the lower third is your tree. Figure out how to make an apex and go from there. I’m not a pine expert but I think people typically do major styling/cutting activities in the fall.
 

butlern

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Chappy, I am linking my response to your question about Hidden Gardens in the General Discussion forum...

Hidden Gardens holds workshops every Saturday morning, so you could bring your tree and have a local expert, Mark Karczewski, offer his styling advice.

By example, this taken directly from the Hidden Garden website:

Saturday Morning Bonsai
• Evaluation • Repotting • Pruning • Styling
with Mark Karczewski
9am - Noon
Bring your own tree, or purchase one at the Hidden Gardens, Mark will evaluate your tree and guide you in taking it to the next level. Whether it needs repotting, pruning or styling Mark will help you make your tree better.

Cost: $20 for the first tree and $10 for each additional tree. Repotting and wiring is extra.



You just have to call and let Jeff Schultz at Hidden Gardens and let him know that you're interested.

$20 seems like a pretty good deal to me... especially considering you'll be able to hold an actual in-person conversation with Mark and other experts (including Jeff) about your tree.

Noah
 

Dav4

Drop Branch Murphy
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There's a straight section of trunk in the top half of the tree that can be clearly seen because there's no branches there... I'd suggest removing everything above that spot, creating a jin there, wiring up a new leader that emphasizes the nice movement you've got in the base, and go there. Nice stock.
 

PiñonJ

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It looks like the tree has some health issues, with yellowing needles throughout, but especially at the apex. My guess would be that it has been in that pot too long and is root-bound. Normally, it is desirable to style it first so that when you put it in a bonsai pot, the planting angle and front are established, but in this case, I would repot now and style it next spring.
 

chappy56

Mame
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Chappy, I am linking my response to your question about Hidden Gardens in the General Discussion forum...

Hidden Gardens holds workshops every Saturday morning, so you could bring your tree and have a local expert, Mark Karczewski, offer his styling advice.

By example, this taken directly from the Hidden Garden website:

Saturday Morning Bonsai
• Evaluation • Repotting • Pruning • Styling
with Mark Karczewski
9am - Noon
Bring your own tree, or purchase one at the Hidden Gardens, Mark will evaluate your tree and guide you in taking it to the next level. Whether it needs repotting, pruning or styling Mark will help you make your tree better.

Cost: $20 for the first tree and $10 for each additional tree. Repotting and wiring is extra.



You just have to call and let Jeff Schultz at Hidden Gardens and let him know that you're interested.

$20 seems like a pretty good deal to me... especially considering you'll be able to hold an actual in-person conversation with Mark and other experts (including Jeff) about your tree.

Noah
Thanks much. That sounds like a goods plan...
 

Lazylightningny

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Check out Walter Pall's Scots Pine nr. 3 - my favorite scots. You could do something like this with your tree. I also point out that Walter started this pretty much as @Dav4 described. You can see this in Walter's progression.
Side note on this tree: look at the shot of the tree in 1995 in the round drum pot. See how awkward it looks? and the next photo in 1997 in its new pot. What a dramatic difference. In the new pot, it looks balanced.
 

0soyoung

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Side note on this tree: look at the shot of the tree in 1995 in the round drum pot. See how awkward it looks? and the next photo in 1997 in its new pot. What a dramatic difference. In the new pot, it looks balanced.
Yes, indeed.
And it looks even better on a stone slab. :cool:
 

R3x

Shohin
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There's a straight section of trunk in the top half of the tree that can be clearly seen because there's no branches there... I'd suggest removing everything above that spot, creating a jin there, wiring up a new leader that emphasizes the nice movement you've got in the base, and go there. Nice stock.
What he says :)
 
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It looks like the tree has some health issues, with yellowing needles throughout, but especially at the apex. My guess would be that it has been in that pot too long and is root-bound. Normally, it is desirable to style it first so that when you put it in a bonsai pot, the planting angle and front are established, but in this case, I would repot now and style it next spring.
I would say that is just winter coloring. Most of my Scots pines do that.
 

my nellie

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