Parsons Juniper Training Progression - For "me" and the tree!!

[sbarnhardt]

This was my Father's Day present this year. I told my wife I wanted a tree to practice and learn on so we went to the nursery this morning and this is what I got. To my inexperienced, newbie eyes it looked like it "might" turn out to be something. To you folks with all the years of knowledge, it very well may not, but it's mine so here goes.

I took some pictures out back of the house when we got home. I've done absolutely nothing to this at this point other than to bring it home. Figured I'd clean it up a bit. There "are" some brown needles, the bulk of which seem to be from one small branch. So, I'm going to clean those out, give it a watering and go from there. It's going to sound like a pretty elementary "progression" to a lot of you guys, but I hope to learn and enjoy from it.

So here I go..............

 

[GrimLore]

Happy Fathers day! Looks to be a lot to get dirty with What did they identify that as?

Grimmy

 

[sbarnhardt]

Happy Fathers day! Looks to be a lot to get dirty with What did they identify that as?

Grimmy

Parsonii Juniper is what was on the tag which I've posted below.

 

[Neli]

Looking good...What next?

 

[M. Frary]

I just got a parsons juniper myself this spring. It seems to be a tough customer. It took having it's roots cut down to a third and being put into a collander like a champ.
What's next for yours?

 

[sbarnhardt]

Looking good...What next?

I've gotten it "cleaned up" somewhat, at least so I can see it a little better. I took some "post clean up" pictures and was going to post them from the different sides to correspond with the first pics, but they were with my cell phone and weren't all that great so I'm going to go back with a good camera. I'll post them when I get that done.

I've read about not necessarily being in a hurry to "do" something, but since bonsai is a long term process to take a little time to ponder "what ifs", etc. and try to formulate a plan of action. That's where I'm at now, I sat there yesterday turning and looking and turning and looking.......trying to visualize scenarios. I'm not to the point yet, like a lot of you experienced folks, where something pops out as obvious right away. I want to get those good pics up so I can use them to illustrate ideas for critique, etc.

 

[KennedyMarx]

It looks like you've for a lot of options with the material. I like it. I'm still trying to wrap my head around styling junipers. It's not as easy (yet) as looking at tropical or deciduous tree and chopping away.

 

[Vance Wood]

I've gotten it "cleaned up" somewhat, at least so I can see it a little better. I took some "post clean up" pictures and was going to post them from the different sides to correspond with the first pics, but they were with my cell phone and weren't all that great so I'm going to go back with a good camera. I'll post them when I get that done.

I've read about not necessarily being in a hurry to "do" something, but since bonsai is a long term process to take a little time to ponder "what ifs", etc. and try to formulate a plan of action. That's where I'm at now, I sat there yesterday turning and looking and turning and looking.......trying to visualize scenarios. I'm not to the point yet, like a lot of you experienced folks, where something pops out as obvious right away. I want to get those good pics up so I can use them to illustrate ideas for critique, etc.

Let your mind and imagination start with the trunk and work upward. Above the first several inches of trunk everything is up to your vision for the tree. Don't try to pigeon hole the tree into any particular style, just look at it on a turn table, relax and see what you can see. The trunk should give you suggestions as to where this tree is going. If you are going to spend time not doing something active, this is the best activity; contemplation.

 

[jk_lewis]

Have a look here: http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t12533-parsonii-juniper-progression

 

[M. Frary]

I've gotten it "cleaned up" somewhat, at least so I can see it a little better. I took some "post clean up" pictures and was going to post them from the different sides to correspond with the first pics, but they were with my cell phone and weren't all that great so I'm going to go back with a good camera. I'll post them when I get that done.

I've read about not necessarily being in a hurry to "do" something, but since bonsai is a long term process to take a little time to ponder "what ifs", etc. and try to formulate a plan of action. That's where I'm at now, I sat there yesterday turning and looking and turning and looking.......trying to visualize scenarios. I'm not to the point yet, like a lot of you experienced folks, where something pops out as obvious right away. I want to get those good pics up so I can use them to illustrate ideas for critique, etc.

I like to sit and look at trees. If nothing jumps out at me right away I do exactly like Vance says and just sit there " contemplating" my next move. My wife thinks I'm nuts but it goes back to the old builders saying. Measure twice cut once.

 

[Vance Wood]

I like to sit and look at trees. If nothing jumps out at me right away I do exactly like Vance says and just sit there " contemplating" my next move. My wife thinks I'm nuts but it goes back to the old builders saying. Measure twice cut once.

I hate to use this phrase but over the years it has proven to be correct: Think tree Daniel San.

We tend to think so much in terms of the different styles of bonsai forgetting that those styles are supposed to represent the forms mature trees assume with age-----in the Japanese view of nature. These forms and styles, for me, merely represent shadows. If my tree looks like an Informal Upright it is not because I planed it out to be so but that is the way it turned out following my perception of the tree's natural direction.

In my experience, a tree designed in the beginning to be one thing or another usually turns out contrived and boring. here is the thinking process. I think I want to make a formal upright of this tree. I think I want to make a windswept, an Informal Upright and so on. It is like the ubiquitous Procumbens Juniper cascade bonsai where the end design had nothing to do with the messages the trunk was sending. A successful bonsai starts with the base. It has to be pleasing, compelling and believable. If you can applaud the base odds are you will love the tree. If the base sucks no matter how wonderfully refined the branches, the tree will be a failure; been there done that.