Colorado
Masterpiece
This tree earned the nickname “Big Pondo” because when I originally purchased it, the collection box was too large for me to move by myself. My wife was kind enough to help me until I got it into a smaller container. It’s not the most creative nickname…but it is accurate! ![Rolling on the floor laughing :rofl: 🤣](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f923.png)
I purchased this tree in 2019 from Todd Schlafer - almost exactly 4 years ago. It was my very first yamadori purchase. I hindsight, maybe I could have started out with something a little bit more manageable, but I dove in headfirst! I think he mentioned that he collected it in 2015 or so.
Here’s the tree as collected:
![E522B0D6-9148-4665-9BDF-A6EF255DBD25.jpeg E522B0D6-9148-4665-9BDF-A6EF255DBD25.jpeg](https://www.bonsainut.com/data/attachments/497/497789-3e0738377c2993d595dc07fd9a031074.jpg?hash=Pgc4N3wpk9)
The next spring i was putzing around the garden and I spotted it from this angle. I fell in love with the angular movement of the trunkline:
![0EEA7198-4A36-4A23-9CFF-852FDA3D9665.jpeg 0EEA7198-4A36-4A23-9CFF-852FDA3D9665.jpeg](https://www.bonsainut.com/data/attachments/497/497792-6d568211573d8a07ce1cf697f4a6c839.jpg?hash=bVaCEVc9ig)
I ordered this huge rectangle pot and potted the tree:
![06A31CF9-EACE-424F-98A2-B5923366BCAB.jpeg 06A31CF9-EACE-424F-98A2-B5923366BCAB.jpeg](https://www.bonsainut.com/data/attachments/497/497793-c31f9cb65a33b326ea0441a1a49e8beb.jpg?hash=wx-ctlozsy)
Over the next several years, I basically just focused on water and health. I keep the tree in full sun. I removed some growth here and there that I knew would not be a part of the final design. Wired it for the first time in late summer 2021. Repotted again into a smaller container in spring 2022 and put it out to pasture until yesterday.
Yesterday I gave the tree its second wiring. My goal was to set the tree up for refinement and to tighten up the design. Here’s the tree now:
![FFDF0E48-4E8B-4F36-836A-D6D7E582E06C.jpeg FFDF0E48-4E8B-4F36-836A-D6D7E582E06C.jpeg](https://www.bonsainut.com/data/attachments/497/497795-7670b6571ce20e55a99a473271b7d2cf.jpg?hash=dnC2VxziDl)
I’m really happy with where this tree is at 4 years in! The tree has the most exceptional bark I’ve ever seen on any tree. I just love having this tree on my bench! Looking forward to what the next 4 years bring![Smiling face with sunglasses :sunglasses: 😎](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f60e.png)
![Rolling on the floor laughing :rofl: 🤣](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f923.png)
I purchased this tree in 2019 from Todd Schlafer - almost exactly 4 years ago. It was my very first yamadori purchase. I hindsight, maybe I could have started out with something a little bit more manageable, but I dove in headfirst! I think he mentioned that he collected it in 2015 or so.
Here’s the tree as collected:
![E522B0D6-9148-4665-9BDF-A6EF255DBD25.jpeg E522B0D6-9148-4665-9BDF-A6EF255DBD25.jpeg](https://www.bonsainut.com/data/attachments/497/497789-3e0738377c2993d595dc07fd9a031074.jpg?hash=Pgc4N3wpk9)
The next spring i was putzing around the garden and I spotted it from this angle. I fell in love with the angular movement of the trunkline:
![0EEA7198-4A36-4A23-9CFF-852FDA3D9665.jpeg 0EEA7198-4A36-4A23-9CFF-852FDA3D9665.jpeg](https://www.bonsainut.com/data/attachments/497/497792-6d568211573d8a07ce1cf697f4a6c839.jpg?hash=bVaCEVc9ig)
I ordered this huge rectangle pot and potted the tree:
![06A31CF9-EACE-424F-98A2-B5923366BCAB.jpeg 06A31CF9-EACE-424F-98A2-B5923366BCAB.jpeg](https://www.bonsainut.com/data/attachments/497/497793-c31f9cb65a33b326ea0441a1a49e8beb.jpg?hash=wx-ctlozsy)
Over the next several years, I basically just focused on water and health. I keep the tree in full sun. I removed some growth here and there that I knew would not be a part of the final design. Wired it for the first time in late summer 2021. Repotted again into a smaller container in spring 2022 and put it out to pasture until yesterday.
Yesterday I gave the tree its second wiring. My goal was to set the tree up for refinement and to tighten up the design. Here’s the tree now:
![FFDF0E48-4E8B-4F36-836A-D6D7E582E06C.jpeg FFDF0E48-4E8B-4F36-836A-D6D7E582E06C.jpeg](https://www.bonsainut.com/data/attachments/497/497795-7670b6571ce20e55a99a473271b7d2cf.jpg?hash=dnC2VxziDl)
I’m really happy with where this tree is at 4 years in! The tree has the most exceptional bark I’ve ever seen on any tree. I just love having this tree on my bench! Looking forward to what the next 4 years bring
![Smiling face with sunglasses :sunglasses: 😎](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f60e.png)