Japanese Beech Forest

[AlainK]

Thanks Maros! Certainly she's good from the back too!

That's how you can tell a very good bonsaï from a great bonsaï

 

[MACH5]

i just hope this isn't going to delay the Mach5 calendar!

Lil bit, lil bit

 

[Lars Grimm]

The white on these trees is pretty amazing. That is why I love to photograph it against a dark background to bring it out. I am a bit puzzled by the two trees in the forest that exhibit a rougher bark much like birch. I have never seen beech do that? I like it because they add textural variety.

Do you treat the trunks with lime sulfur to whiten them further?

 

[MACH5]

Do you treat the trunks with lime sulfur to whiten them further?

Lars, although I do treat some of my maples with LS, I have no need for this forest. The trunks are naturally that white that's specially enhanced when seen against a dark background.

 

[Hartinez]

Hey Serg, this thread has me inspired to put together a group of foresteria Neomexicana that I have. Do you know of an online source that shows and describes the methods for tying together and tying down smaller pencil size trees for a forest of this type? I’ve got 11 trees I’d like to plant together and want to make sure they stay put, and that my practice gets better.

 

[Deleted member 21616]

+1 @Hartinez

i'm curious about this too @MACH5

i followed the methods that Peter Adams describes (i tied the trees to a sheet of plastic mesh -- the type we use to block drainage holes) and it was a difficult and tedious with only 3 trees! I guess that's the nature of the beast, but i'm interested what your strategy was

 

[Hartinez]

+1 @Hartinez

i'm curious about this too @MACH5

i followed the methods that Peter Adams describes (i tied the trees to a sheet of plastic mesh -- the type we use to block drainage holes) and it was a difficult and tedious with only 3 trees! I guess that's the nature of the beast, but i'm interested what your strategy was

I think In this case @MACH5 bought this group already assembled but I imagine with his experience and expertise he knows the methods pretty well.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I have used loops of wire embedded into a bit of epoxy putty, stuck to the inside bottom of the slab to create some anchor wire tie-down points.

 

[Hartinez]

I have used loops of wire embedded into a bit of epoxy putty, stuck to the inside bottom of the slab to create some anchor wire tie-down points.

I just read an article by @William N. Valavanis that is very helpful. Here. Also talking about beech.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/valavanisbonsaiblog.com/2014/03/28/creating-a-beech-forest-bonsai/amp/

I was also looking at this article by Pauline Muth. She’s got simple ideas for planning the forest that Seem very helpful. But have you seen 1 large piece of drainage screen used to help tie down all of the trees like she shows?
http://www.pfmbonsai.com/docs/BonsaiTypes/Forests.pdf

 

[MACH5]

I think In this case @MACH5 bought this group already assembled but I imagine with his experience and expertise he knows the methods pretty well.

Yes the beech forest was already assembled when I purchased it. At this point it has become more of a raft since all trees from one end to the other have fused into a single mass.

The way I have done my forests is very similar to the way Bill does his. On a slab, I do exactly what BFV described.

In some cases, like on the forest below, the smaller seedlings were just stuck into the wet akadama. They were too small and thin to be affixed with wire.

 

[Hartinez]

Yes the beech forest was already assembled when I purchased it. At this point it has become more of a raft since all trees from one end to the other have fused into a single mass.

The way I have done my forests is very similar to the way Bill does his. On a slab, I do exactly what BFV described.

In some cases, like on the forest below, the smaller seedlings were just stuck into the wet akadama. They were too small and thin to be affixed with wire.

View attachment 238008

Very cool. Thank you @MACH5 . I’ll post a thread of mine when it’s done and will document as best as possible.

 

[Soldano666]

Fuckin a man. You're an animal

 

[MACH5]

Very cool. Thank you @MACH5 . I’ll post a thread of mine when it’s done and will document as best as possible.

Great! Please do and have fun!

Fuckin a man. You're an animal

Hey... watch your language young man!

 

[MACH5]

Here she is now more "formally" presented. Here the modern meets traditional. This same display was shown under some controversy at the 2016 US Nationals. The plexiglass table was met with praise but also criticism and understandably so.

I like displaying this forest in combination with this non-traditional table. My inspiration came from a Japanese scroll, where a forest was depicted in heavy fog. The effect was that of a floating forest amongst the mountains. I had the idea of creating a simple clear plexiglass table that would create somewhat of a floating effect. One can also say that the effect is that of a stand of trees surrounded by water. I also like the contrast between the natural materials and elements against the cold, hard artificiality of then plexi.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Here she is now more "formally" presented. Here the modern meets traditional. This same display was shown under some controversy at the 2016 US Nationals. The plexiglass table was met with praise but also criticism and understandably so.

I like displaying this forest in combination with this non-traditional table. My inspiration came from a Japanese scroll, where a forest was depicted in heavy fog. The effect was that of a floating forest amongst the mountains. I had the idea of creating a simple clear plexiglass table that would create somewhat of a floating effect. One can also say that the effect is that of a stand of trees surrounded by water. I also like the contrast between the natural materials and elements against the cold, hard artificiality of then plexi.

I love that effect, and the modern “edge” of the plexiglass table under the natural stone. I can see the controversy in the traditional setting of the USNBE, and can see it embraced at the Carolina expo. I like it better against the black background than the lighter background available in Rochester. The “emptiness” of the leafless canopy is repeated in the “emptiness” of the clear table.

 

[MACH5]

I love that effect, and the modern “edge” of the plexiglass table under the natural stone. I can see the controversy in the traditional setting of the USNBE, and can see it embraced at the Carolina expo. I like it better against the black background than the lighter background available in Rochester. The “emptiness” of the leafless canopy is repeated in the “emptiness” of the clear table.

Yes the table does look much better against the dark background. Your observation of the "emptiness" echoed on the table is very interesting and didn't see it from that perspective!

 

[MACH5]

Another good year it has been for this forest. Surprisingly the leaves have managed to stay in great shape despite some intensely hot days this summer.

This bonsai will be the subject of an upcoming article in International Bonsai magazine.






Leaf size is much more balanced and even than even a couple of years back. They have gotten progressively smaller as the trees have ramified. Notice some leaves were cut in half to improve light penetration.

 

[coh]

Looks fantastic, Sergio!

I almost bought a beech this spring (at Bill's place) but couldn't decide on one. I think they were European beech, not Japanese, though I don't know how much difference there is in terms of culture.

 

[MACH5]

Thanks Chris!

In my experience there are differences! Fagus crenata is trickier and not as vigorous as Fagus sylvatica. I think it's easier to work with sylvatica. Both however are beautiful!

 

[fredtruck]

This forest is just incredibly beautiful on the plexiglass table. It'w a wonderful work, Serg.