Cascading Nana

[berobinson82]

I've had this procumbens on my bench for almost two years now taking up space and growing steadily. I took some time over the weekend to give it a styling. I really wasn't planning on it. It was just time I suppose.



The pad furthest away took some damage during the final tweaking. I'm good about breaking junipers, expecting them to be more flexible than they are. I feel as though if I lose it, no big loss will be suffered. It may have a been a "happy mistake". Of course it's difficult to convey a tree in 2d form especially when I have but a crappy Point and Shoot and poor photography skills; but your feedback is more than welcome.

 

[Nybonsai12]

I love cascades and really like your styling of this one. Good luck with it.

 

[Vance Wood]

Just my opinion and probably not worth much understanding it is just an opinion; if the tree were mine I would when potting it, place it a little more right in the container and incline the trunk more leaning to the right. As it is now you are sending a conflicting message, the trunk leans left while the movement and the cascade goes right. For me this would improve the already decent design measurably in creating the image that causes this kind of anomaly; chiefly the acts of nature trying to pull this tree off the cliff where it hangs on for dear life.

 

[berobinson82]

Thank you Vance. That is the second time I have been coached to change the angle more towards the right, rockm being the other. When I pot this, I will absolutely make that change. Thank you for your input.

 

[rockm]

Shows what can happen if you let a tree marinate a bit before working it. I try to leave trees alone for at least two years just to look at what could be possible with them.

Very nice job.

The leaning thing is pretty easy to correct.

 

[Stan Kengai]

Just my opinion and probably not worth much understanding it is just an opinion; if the tree were mine I would when potting it, place it a little more right in the container and incline the trunk more leaning to the right. As it is now you are sending a conflicting message, the trunk leans left while the movement and the cascade goes right. For me this would improve the already decent design measurably in creating the image that causes this kind of anomaly; chiefly the acts of nature trying to pull this tree off the cliff where it hangs on for dear life.

I agree very much with Vance, but I think I would take it a step (or three) further. Because it appears that you have a nice even nebari, which is something very hard to come by on a procumbens, I don't think I would tilt the tree to the right. While tilting would drastically improve your current design as Vance suggests, it would take away from the nebari and the natural lean of the trunk. Consequently, I would develop the lower left branch into a cascade instead. This would jive much better with the tilt of the trunk, and your nebari wouldn't be affected. If it's already been sitting on your bench for 2 years, what's another 2 or 3 to get back to this stage of development? IMO, it would be the difference between an average bonsai and a good/great bonsai.

Caveat: If your surface roots are small and pliable enough to bend during repotting, and you are able to maintain an even nebari while tilting the trunk past vertical to the right, then by all means go that direction. Your trunk does have a little curve in that direction already.

 

[october]

I like this very much! It looks great. Agreed on the new planting angle. Maybe something like this. This is a nice tree.

Maybe even open up the the apex and the area right underneath it with a little pruning. Just to let some more light and air circulation in there.

Rob