Literati Clump

[Derek91]

If I may add my opinion, there's something about the movement of the individual trunks that I find distracting. I don't get a sense of harmony.

I to think the same but I'd hate to give bad advice. I will try and tell u what I think though.


I would wire all the trunks and play with them personally.focus on that for now before removing anymore foliage(I don't think you need to).most of the trunks are all pretty close to the same thickness and I'm not sure there's much u can do about that. the dominate trunk is ok but the "mother and kids" need work on the height differences and placement to me.The gap is a little distracting and I would close it more.

My advice isn't irreversible it's just placement.I feel your main issues are in your trunks. I wish someone with more experience would comment and elaborate more on it. But at the end of the day it's your tree and go with it what you like. It looks good and u did improve it. I'm just trying to help u make it better

 

[jk_lewis]

Thanks, all, for the comments. I'll be working on the spacing, though again, it's much better in "real life." This is a "round" bonsai, and while this is the designed front (the gap lets all the trunks be visible) the bare trunks let you see through the planting and see it as a whole. Each trunk is pretty much entirely visible when you stand looking at it.

most of the trunks are all pretty close to the same thickness and I'm not sure there's much u can do about that.

Well, that's how a clump grows in nature. It is one plant, so all trunks are about the same age.

I'm gonna keep at it. I've stopped adding trees now (and in fact am getting rid of as many as possible to good new homes), so the ones I keep I'll keep on refining as long as I can.

 

[tmpgh]

So this is what I had in mind when I saw this clump. I feel like this is much more aesthetically balanced. The large gap between the left and right group, I felt, was very distracting and made the arrangement look cluttered.

I wonder if rotating the tree 15-20 degrees clockwise might solve that issue to some extent.

 

[jk_lewis]

Rotating it even 2-3 degrees "solves" it. Then it creates others.

Everyone who has seen this on the table agrees that this is the only real front.

 

[mc4mc44]

How about this?

All of the trunks have a nice flow to them along with beautiful branches, then the trunk on the left comes in with the sharp angle in the trunk and the one lanky branch.

 

[JudyB]

off topic

Just had to ask JKL, is the pear tree starting to show color? Look forward to seeing that one each fall...

I'm on the fence with this tree, I don't really see it as a literati, but as a clump I like it just fine. There are so many possibilities, and truly with a clump and 2d pictures, there isn't really a way to see the best direction to go.

 

[jk_lewis]

No color in the pear yet, Judy, but the trees in the mountains just above us are gorgeous!

I didn't defoliate the pear this summer, so color may not be the best.