The Elegant Bonsai Thread

[leatherback]

Often we see big fat trunks with loads of taper being seen as the ultimate aim. With this, we forget about lightness, elegance and age such as corkbark and twisty turny branches. Particularly for deciduous bonsai but also for some coniferous plants lightness and feminine forms are well suited.

Would love to hear other peoples thoughts on this and see inspirational elegant and light trees.

 

[leatherback]

I'll start off with one..
The picture below features a Mountain Cherry Prunus Tomentosa in a Toufukuji Pot, from a blog, and this is one on my inspiration trees, for more than 15 years I have a picture of this tree sitting in my inspiration folder. Source: https://saruyama-bonsai.blogspot.com/2012_05_01_archive.html

 

[gschup]

Agreed! While I am personally not the biggest fan of the extreme bunjin aesthetic, I do love to see some elegant trees.

I absolutely love this birch. Found the picture on Google a year ago, never found out if there is more public info on the tree.

 

[Vincent Tanner]

Mother Daughter Blueberry.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I've this Japanese maple...and it seems so light and airy. To the point. I don't want to heavily manipulate it. But taking a soft approach.

One styling in...so it's just began it's journey.

Sitting now in a Dan Barton pot.


The before...

 

[JustALoneSpirit]

I've this Japanese maple...and it seems so light and airy. To the point. I don't want to heavily manipulate it. But taking a soft approach.

One styling in...so it's just began it's journey.

Sitting now in a Dan Barton pot.

View attachment 575176View attachment 575173View attachment 575178

It's lovely and gorgeous. I love the red color of the foliage and the way it turns towards you near the base... definitely some good inspiration will save this in my inspiration folder

 

[JustALoneSpirit]

Haven't seen such elegant forms before, can't stop staring at it!

 

[Cadillactaste]

It's lovely and gorgeous. I love the red color of the foliage and the way it turns towards you near the base... definitely some good inspiration will save this in my inspiration folder

Thank ya kindly... it has amazing fall colors. A closer look at the base. Damage from a grass torch of all things.

Also video on Instagram. A direct link even without an account should be able to view it.

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[Dav4]

I appreciate the beauty in both the tall, feminine and shorter, masculine trees and am lucky to have some of each on my benches. This is my big JWP. A smaller pot would really set off the height and gentle curves but it's not bad as is.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Probably the closest of mine that fit the description is the Stewartia. I think this JBP is pretty elegant too, though not light and airy.

 

[leatherback]

My tall Japanese Maple, seed-grown by me.

 

[JustALoneSpirit]

My tall Japanese Maple, seed-grown by me.

View attachment 575190

Oh man this is the one I saw in your propagation video, surprised that even with a thin trunk looks like a really good bonsai

 

[The Barber]

Often we see big fat trunks with loads of taper being seen as the ultimate aim. With this, we forget about lightness, elegance and age such as corkbark and twisty turny branches. Particularly for deciduous bonsai but also for some coniferous plants lightness and feminine forms are well suited.

Would love to hear other peoples thoughts on this and see inspirational elegant and light trees.

I think a mix of nice taper, age, and elegance is the ultimate goal.

 

[Maros]

My tree close to the description
Yamadori Oak, Quercus pubescens

 

[August44]

Wow! All of those are very nice and inspiring for me. I am going to work on creating some of those. I collected some yamadori Sub Alpine Fir last spring that might work really well for this. Thanks all for sharing.

 

[Michael P]

Even though I've done bonsai for almost 50 years I feel like a beginner in so many ways. Recently I am more and more drawn to this style. Thanks for starting this thread. Attached is a photo of my collected cedar elm. For a long time I obsessed because the trunk wasn't thick enough, now I like it they way it is.

 

[August44]

Even though I've done bonsai for almost 50 years I feel like a beginner in so many ways. Recently I am more and more drawn to this style. Thanks for starting this thread. Attached is a photo of my collected cedar elm. For a long time I obsessed because the trunk wasn't thick enough, now I like it they way it is.

That's a wonderful tree and you being able to collect them is even better. I'll trade you a collected conifer for one of those if you want.

 

[Colorado]

Tall, slender piñon pine. Collected by @Hartinez and myself

 

[Colorado]

Aspen

Grown from a seedling