Credibility thread, this is where you get to post and shine.

[Arcto]

This is very cool stuff. I think the problem with this type of styling is that because of the scale, the line between it looking like a tree and looking like a bush is very thin. I think your starting to be at the wrong side of the line.

Exactly. It is styled to be like the krummholz trees found at high elevations. Naturally stunted and very dense. The pic was taken after the 2nd time I worked on it. 3 years ago, I nearly lost this tree to tip blight. I kept all the branches to aid in its recovery and getting strength back. The next time I work on it, I’ll probably shorten and remove some selected branches to bring more age to it.

 

[Potawatomi13]

One of the problems with this or any forum posting "art" is critiquing it. Gushing is perfectly acceptable, in fact groveling while gushing is even preferred. Much of what is posted needs work and needs serious discussion to establish the next level of excellence, but serious criticism only starts fights. Some of the people most qualified to comment productively are exactly the same people who don't know how to just offer technical advice without finding a way to condescendingly support their comments by name dropping or citing the uppity shows they have displayed in. Language designed to shut others up. In return, other people either take personal shots in defense or shut up. I myself enjoy creating virtual trees from the photos posted to offer alternatives, but I probably have more time than others.

Here's a nice Motherlode that doesn't photograph as well as it looks in person, not an unusual condition. One of the benefits of photos is that you get a different kind of look at your critters, as here.
View attachment 308508
The fix for this tree is for me to increase the definition of the foliage clouds so the space between is clearer. Here's an adjusted photo.
View attachment 308513
By tweaking it a tiny bit here and there I know where on the tree I need some strategic space to accentuate the positive and hide the negative. The amount of difference is negligible and too much space would be ugly. The operative word is "tweak".

Nice pot

 

[Paradox]

I will post current pictures and pictures of the trees when I got them to give a sense of where the tree was when I bought it and where it is now.
They arent spectacular trees but I am happy to see how they have evolved. All are still works in progress.

Japanese White Pine (today, 2017, 2013)

 

[Potawatomi13]

I don't find that this is the case here at Bnut. Perhaps you are speaking in general of other forums, or the online community at large. And I find your attitude towards showing trees as demeaning to the shows and those who show there.

You are way too tolerant or indulgent of those very people Forsoothe spoke of. I see the same jerks he mentions who greatly degrade the forum with arroganceor profanity.

 

[Paradox]

Not many people seem to like this tree, but its special to me because its the second tree I ever purchased and its still alive despite by newbie mistakes that it has suffered. I have been slowly reducing the octopus branching it came with. I should have removed all the remaining by now but I keep hoping to use some of the last stuff to cut off for grafts before I cut the last branch off. So it too is still a work in progress.

Scots Pine (Today, 2011, future vert)

 

[Paradox]

Unfortunately I dont have an as purchased picture for this tree because I neglected to take one.

Larch (today) I need to find a pot for it




And many of you will remember this tree. Unfortunately it died in an unexpected freak freeze that caught me by surprise.



2017 2015

 

[Potawatomi13]

You know what Al, I did read that but I didn’t post a tree for a few reasons.
1) If My own trees make someone question what I say and want to see trees from me, it’s very easy to look some up here https://www.bonsainut.com/search/319057/
I actually do that sometimes when I see comments from someone that I may not agree with.
granted not everyone posts here though. I truly wonder why you have never posted a tree in that thread. nothing Comes up when I search your name in that thread anyway. any personal problem you never wanted to post there before?

that said, your thread so I should acknowledge the little rule you made but

2) also I wanted to check if you actually read what I post since I Thought the styling of your tree on page 1 must have been inspired by this here below so you passed.
View attachment 308621
edit, I actually forgot to put a tree now...
one that isn’t actually ready yet for a critique but ok
View attachment 308624

Does not NEED a critique. Great looking tree

 

[Haines' Trees]

I welcome criticisms from people who know what they’re doing. I know I’ve had a few questions answered by Leo and Adair, possibly by some of the other notable members on the forum but I can’t think of any currently.

I’ll play too, the only way to get better is to put your work out there right?



Buckthorn, little tiny guy. Nothing spectacular but I am quite proud of it. As you can guess, I haven’t been at this for long, is only my second summer. I collected this little guy from my yard in April and stuck it in a pot, the first tree I’ve ever collected as a matter of fact! It has been growing well, I like the shohin look! But I collected it on a whim and my choices of pots were limited, if I had it planned out I would have gone with a slightly larger pot. Especially since I have to water it twice a day to keep it from drying out currently....

Thoughts? Criticism welcome! People are free to be brutal, sometimes little kids need a snack on the head! Hit me @Smoke

 

[Woocash]

Ok lets do it. 3 trees. Nursery Maple with no styling so far, just “hedged”. Half dead (when purchased) nursery ‘old gold’ juniper bought for wiring practice - pretty chuffed with how it turned out. Christmas tree contest spruce. Happy, healthy and back budding quite readily, had to remove wire from the top because it was biting in so now it’s obviously moved back a bit.

 

[leatherback]

Gushing is perfectly acceptable, in fact groveling while gushing is even preferred. Much of what is posted needs work and needs serious discussion to establish the next level of excellence, but serious criticism only starts fights.

.. Interesting to see this statement coming from a person who puts people that recommend adjustments to his trees on ignore.

 

[Underdog]

Here is one of mine now in a @sorce pot. I put some wire on it after the pic. I'm trying to build a better apex by allowing it to extend and thicken with plans to cut back a bit. I'm 5yrs in.

 

[thomas22]

I don't post too much lately but are some of my best trees a few if which are in need of new pots.

 

[Gustavo Martins]

All work by me from a garden centre pole-like tree
Trunk chopped in May 2017

April 2019

June 2020

Still a work in progress...

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I am curious. For those posting trees here for the opportunity to critique or be critiqued, why not start or update your own threads on the same tree for some real discussion over time? This thread will also fizzle. And yes, I am aware of the “rule”... I am making a point...

 

[Alkabides]

Inspiration 12/10, thanks all. This one isn’t special and one of my first projects - just a collection of mistakes - but I can sit and stare for hours at it. It’s starting to produce fruit buds, looking forward to its new look once those set.

 

[leatherback]

I am curious. For those posting trees here for the opportunity to critique or be critiqued, why not start or update your own threads on the same tree for some real discussion over time? This thread will also fizzle. And yes, I am aware of the “rule”... I am making a point...

I for one do try and keep threads on a number of trees that I can see staying with me updated.
Good point though!

 

[VAFisher]

I am curious. For those posting trees here for the opportunity to critique or be critiqued, why not start or update your own threads on the same tree for some real discussion over time? This thread will also fizzle. And yes, I am aware of the “rule”... I am making a point...

I was just curious if I would actually get any discussion or critique in this thread, because for the most part I don't in my own threads.

 

[JudyB]

I was just curious if I would actually get any discussion or critique in this thread, because for the most part I don't in my own threads.

Do you actively ask for critique? I think a lot of people are gun-shy about giving it without being asked these days. As far as discussion on threads, I understand your frustration. Lot's o likes- but no comments. Makes it sort of hard to put the effort in sometimes.
As far as your mother daughter, I would say you need to let that daughter trunk run for a couple years. I think it's headed in the right direction, but is just too small for the mother tree right now. I might also replant at a slight angle to the right, to accentuate the movement back to the left. And I think the right side of mother may be a bit heavy right now. But I like it very much!

 

[VAFisher]

Do you actively ask for critique? I think a lot of people are gun-shy about giving it without being asked these days. As far as discussion on threads, I understand your frustration. Lot's o likes- but no comments. Makes it sort of hard to put the effort in sometimes.
As far as your mother daughter, I would say you need to let that daughter trunk run for a couple years. I think it's headed in the right direction, but is just too small for the mother tree right now. I might also replant at a slight angle to the right, to accentuate the movement back to the left. And I think the right side of mother may be a bit heavy right now. But I like it very much!

Thanks Judy. I think your comments about the elm above are spot on. I probably could do a better job of actively asking for critiques. I think I say things like "comments welcome" a lot but also just post pics of the trees frequently without asking too. I guess I assumed people should feel free to comment since I posted em up. I'll do a better job of asking from now on.

 

[Hartinez]

I am curious. For those posting trees here for the opportunity to critique or be critiqued, why not start or update your own threads on the same tree for some real discussion over time? This thread will also fizzle. And yes, I am aware of the “rule”... I am making a point...

I have threads on every one of my trees, at least the ones that I feel are in need of threads. Like @VAFisher said, I wasn’t quite sure If posting here would yield any sort of critiques because I certainly get very little critiques or design comments in those threads I have started. Usually it’s from the same small handful of members. What comments I do get are great and welcomed, but rarely if ever, are any comments from seasoned members with the best collections and trees. At this point, I update my threads for myself and for whoever may want to have a look.