Boxwood Forest Reworked

[fourteener]

Sorry for the order...

The photo on the right is from summer 2013.

The photo on the left is the before shot from spring 2014.

Last year I got a lot of "could be better" comments. I took it to the state fair and got some ideas from Suthin.

1. It doesn't look like a forest. It looks like five people lined up for a photo and there is no interaction between them.

2. The primary and secondary trees are on the same plane front to back. Lacks perspective.
3. The two trees are at the same elevation. Make the primary tree taller than the secondary tree.

I have never like how the trees go too far out of bounds of the pot.

I was going to separate the two trees on the right, raise the elevation, twist them a little to get different spacial relationships. It was okay but it didn't seem to change enough. So I switched sides. The two trees that were on the right are now the two trees on the left. I built up the soil on the left, minimized the soil and root balls on the right to try and get a height difference. I like it, but I'm not totally sold.

Part of the problem is the interplay of the trees takes time to grow and clip, as that happens some of that will look better.

 

[JudyB]

Well I think it is going to be an improvement. I think that part of it, is that I don't think box are an ideal tree for forest work. That is of course just my opinion. Something about their growth, makes it difficult to blend them... Keep us posted!

 

[fourteener]

Well I think it is going to be an improvement. I think that part of it, is that I don't think box are an ideal tree for forest work. That is of course just my opinion. Something about their growth, makes it difficult to blend them... Keep us posted!

I would agree that they become complete full trees and don't need the help of other trees to complete a picture. When I go gather tamaracks in the swamp you can easily tell the difference between good quality individuals and those that would be best incorporated into a forest group.

I will say I saw some really cool Kingsville forests at the MN State Fair this year. I think the small scale of the leaf made for a better forest. I also remember that I wish I had plucked the forest closer to the state fair. I plucked it too soon and the new growth extended too far creating a muddy foliage filled look. If I plucked it more often the year I am going to show it, it might have a better look to it.

 

[kirk@localbonsai.com]

The addition of the large rocks complements the whole arrangement well Mr.14 - perhaps if a surface root was draped over one of them, it would look even more natural.

 

[coh]

Looking good. I started a boxwood forest/group last year, probably going to slip the group into the ground for a few years to put some size on.

Chris