Blaauw Juniper

[Rick Moquin]

Rick,

Should we tell them?

grouper52

Nope!!

... and depleat our source in the process? I think not! I have noticed that the activity of this particular individual has slowed down of late??? Too bad it was a great source and the price could not be better.

FWIW, the pot value is indeed $250 USD, I acquired it for $85 USD.

 

[Rick Moquin]

Rick nice pot and tree combo. I have one question. Since junipers don't heal (callous over) over damaged wood and in fact retreat from it much of the time. Do the anchor screws make you at all apprehensive? I've seen this technique done on deciduous trees and anchors put in conifer deadwood, but never on live conifer tissue ...really curious about this.

Tom,

That has never dawned on me, I guess time will tell. It was the only way I had for anchoring the tree, I new to use brass screws though. The rationale behind it is that I have seen this technique used in creating "Tanukis" and the species used are indeed usually conifers, where the srews are indeed applied from the living side.

 

[grouper52]

Nope!!

... and depleat our source in the process? I think not! I have noticed that the activity of this particular individual has slowed down of late??? Too bad it was a great source and the price could not be better.

FWIW, the pot value is indeed $250 USD, I acquired it for $85 USD.

I've noticed the slow down as well - no telling if he'll be getting more,especially if, as graydon says, they are not making them anymore.

grouper52

 

[Rick Moquin]

Update

It got a first styling last summer. It is coming along but I am not quite pleased with it. I may take the entire top off. We will see what transpires this summer. I will work on the dead wood in a month or so.

 

[JasonG]

What happened to all that trunk movement from the original pictures? The trunk is now very static except where you can see the apex lean to the viewer.....what if you rotate it to the left 30-40 degrees? Can we see a pic of that?

 

[Rick Moquin]

Which one are you referring to Jason?

 

[JasonG]

My comment was based on the first picture which I assumed was the front.....I could have been wrong though.....

 

[Rick Moquin]

Jason,

Still not sure which one you meant so I uploaded all the angles. There is much much work to be done here. As you may or may not now 2008 was not a good year for bonsais, they basically marked time. This summer they did get the attention they sorely missed from the previous season, and we are finally back on track.

The "styling" if we can call it that, was to more or less wire branches out to see what is what. Many have suggested to develop this tree as a bristlecone pine in the past. I am still toying with that.

The dead wood requires a lot of work. It has started and needs to be finished. This upcoming summer will do wonders for it. This tree is far from finished, at present time I am toying with removing the top. The top was reduced (pruned back) some time ago and may still require reduction. 2008 was supposed to be the year of unhindered growth, well it was unhindered but lack of care did not provide the growth I expected. Last summer it sprang back.

The tree is apically dominant. I need to re-distribute the trees energy this summer to the lower limbs. Constant pruning and pinching of the apex should provide me with the required results. But as stated the top might be coming off. I don't believe in leaving a "gas guzzler" in place when other alternatives might be available. That top BTW was never intended to remain on the tree. If it doesn't come off, then we are looking at splitting that branch to reposition it. These are all ideas I am toying with.

One thing for sure, nobody can't say it doesn't have taper But the amount or rate of taper is a little on the large side for my liking. Any ideas/virts on possibilities are always welcome.

 

[Rick Moquin]

This tree has a 360 degree root pad. Therefore as we discussed in the pass does not present a problem wrt choosing a front based on the nebari.

I will also be toying with different planting angles, tomorrow.

 

[JasonG]

This tree has a 360 degree root pad. Therefore as we discussed in the pass does not present a problem wrt choosing a front based on the nebari.

I will also be toying with different planting angles, tomorrow.

Thats better now! When I made my comment there were only 2 pictures showing in the update. One of those that was posted first was picture 044 and that is what I assumed as the front.

What are your ideas for the front?

Good progreess so far. Nows its time to pick the front, thin foliage and detail wire......

 

[Rick Moquin]

What are your ideas for the front?

Good progress so far. Nows its time to pick the front, thin foliage and detail wire......

It all depends on whether or not I want to style it as a Bristlecone or not.

If I go with a Bristlecone look, then the top remains. If I decided on another direction, I will need the summer to muse on it.

It can become a credible Bristlecone, but as Will knows, I am not too fussy on a lot of deadwood, but this one is an excellent candidate for the Bristlecone style. I was hoping on a greater amount of back branching (when using 44 as a front) it never gave it to me. The alternative I suppose is I could graft foliage. Never done it and wouldn't mind seeing that in person.

 

[cascade]

Something like this perhaps?

 

[Rick Moquin]

Dorothy,

Thanks for chiming in and offering your virts. Yes that is indeed where I would take it if I decide on the Bristlecone approach. I have been mulling over the views 44, 45, 46 as possibilities, whereas the lower portion had died off and grew the top, but with your pointed jinned apex. I wouldn't be getting rid of the bottom branching but I would carve them out to simulate attached photo as an example.

The first pic is a virt of a middle branch removed when compared with the second. Third and forth are 45, 46.

 

[JasonG]

It all depends on whether or not I want to style it as a Bristlecone or not.

If I go with a Bristlecone look, then the top remains. If I decided on another direction, I will need the summer to muse on it.

It can become a credible Bristlecone, but as Will knows, I am not too fussy on a lot of deadwood, but this one is an excellent candidate for the Bristlecone style. I was hoping on a greater amount of back branching (when using 44 as a front) it never gave it to me. The alternative I suppose is I could graft foliage. Never done it and wouldn't mind seeing that in person.

Not quite sure I am following the "Bristlecone" idea... can you post an inspirational picture? Dorthy did an nice virt for ya.... good eye!

I think 044 would never be a good front. You need to caputure movement and small jins out of the stumps you have. That wouldn't be a lot of deadwood but would be enough to help tell a story. Don't try to let a certain style dictate the direction of this tree, ie. bristlecone, but let the tree dictated what it wants. I think maybe shortening it a bit wouldn't be a bad idea but you have the makings of a nice tree as it is. It just needs branches set, foliage thinned and detail wiring. That would be a great first step in the right direction. When doing this I gaurentee you that you will see something and it will guide you in the right direction.

One of the best tidbits of advice I got when starting to get serious about bonsai a few years ago was to always go with your gut. Don't sit and waste hours, days, years deciding on what to do. Because in the end 99% of the time you will do exactly what your gut tells you in the first place and now you have just wasted seasons or years. Make sense?

 

[Rick Moquin]

... a couple of more options, more or less

 

[Rick Moquin]

Not quite sure I am following the "Bristlecone" idea... can you post an inspirational picture? Dorthy did an nice virt for ya.... good eye!

Yup! she sure did. I have seen many of her virts in the past and they all have been not only extremely credible but doable.

I think 044 would never be a good front. You need to caputure movement and small jins out of the stumps you have. That wouldn't be a lot of deadwood but would be enough to help tell a story.

I had to go back and see why you keep referring to 44 as a front. It did get repositioned in the pot in comparison with when it was originally potted up

Don't try to let a certain style dictate the direction of this tree, ie. bristlecone, but let the tree dictated what it wants.

I don't believe I am, but the closest thing to explaining where I might go with it was "bristlecone pine" which Dorothy picked up on immediately. IMHO there was no other way to explain the deadwood I am/ trying to create on this tree, so not a style perse but a template for creation.

I think maybe shortening it a bit wouldn't be a bad idea but you have the makings of a nice tree as it is. It just needs branches set, foliage thinned and detail wiring. That would be a great first step in the right direction. When doing this I guarantee you that you will see something and it will guide you in the right direction.

Yup! that is the other option. We must remember however Jason, mulling over a direction that involves reduction, should never be taken lightly. Once gone it is gone. As I explained if it wasn't for 2008, it would be further ahead, Sooo since I lost that year I need to recoup it somehow, what's wrong with this summer. Knowing now that back branching will not occur from view 44. I have to use the/that view for descriptive purposes only. The other problem I am mulling over is the abrupt "knee" we see. I have an idea but I am not fully convinced at this point in time. As stated there is much to do and we are not going to get there overnight. Do you have any virts to offer for a shorter tree. I would definitely appreciate your vision on the subject.

One of the best tidbits of advice I got when starting to get serious about bonsai a few years ago was to always go with your gut. Don't sit and waste hours, days, years deciding on what to do. Because in the end 99% of the time you will do exactly what your gut tells you in the first place and now you have just wasted seasons or years. Make sense?

Yes it does!

 

[cascade]

Very good brainstorming here. Jason has some good points. Rick, this is good material with many ways to go - as you know- and I am most confident that you will choose a tree to your eye and heart. I like the "Bristlecone effect" a lot.

Another of many possible ways choosing 44 as front:

 

[Rick Moquin]

Once again thanks Dorothy. I think I am going to have to practice my virtual skills as well. I'm a little busy at this moment but will render a virt of a dead base, with a young top.

As Jason mentioned, we should thrive to style a tree with 360 degrees in mind, and I fully support that idea and in doing so view 44 is a starting point because of the branching which I may be able to pull of (grba20879) or a facsimile thereof with the lower portion of the trunk, keeping the top foliage as seen in (pic 44rv) first of previous posted pics after virt.

or...

I might go with a combination of (445pz and 053104) should I decide to kill the top. 053104 is extremely doable. However your first virt as I mentioned is indeed a direction I was/am contemplating and is indeed doable, but instead of having a plain deadwood trunk would like to develop it as grba 20879 more or less, with the option of smoothing things out down the road if/as required.

The version I given thought to and the one that is giving me the biggest grief is the smaller tree. Not that a smaller tree would not work, just where to start the smaller/full tree. I have an idea, but for that I need to see where the tree will go this summer. I believe that she will come out of the gate like a thoroughbred on race day come spring, because of its feeding regimen last year and that I was/am once again on top of things.

This has been extremely educational and welcome continued discussion on the subject.

 

[Rick Moquin]

I did a virt trying to explain the base carving. Although this base was developed from, just imagine the top as "virted" by Dorothy

 

[grouper52]

Rick, Rick, Rick!

Can't believe I missed this little two day flurry of wonderful activity here!

This tree is coming along very well. You are - fortunately or not, depending on your readiness - at the stage where you'll have to commit drastically to one direction of another to achieve whichever vision you pick.

The idea of the Bristle Cone styling intrigues me, as you might guess. It would certainly require you to go all out with deadwood work, and yet I know your mixed feelings and perhaps lack of experience in that sort of work. Unless you are both technically AND mentally comfortable with that sort of work, and prepared to risk this prized piece of bonsai real estate in something that is not yet in your comfort zone, it may not be the best way to go. But then again, as Winston Churchill said, "Play for more than you can afford to lose, and you will learn the game."

Interesting that Kimura, when first asked to come teach in the US, agreed to do it only on the condition that he be taken to see the Grand Canyon AND the Bristle Cone pines in the White Mountains! The book, Timberline Ancients, by David Muench and Darwin Lambert, once treasured by many of the old bonsai masters, is a marvelous tribute in words and photos to the Bristle Cones, and well worth owning if you can snag a used copy somewhere.

Great tree, Rick. It had come along nicely, and awaits the next phase, whatever that may be!