To cascade or not....Larch

[mattspinniken]

The pictured tree is just as collected spring 2016. When I first collected it I thought I would definitely go for a semi cascade. After watching the tree grow all year I started to second guess that idea. I also am not sure how easy it will be to get the roots to cooperate with having one side cut off. It grew really well in 2016. Anyway, help me decide which design approach.

 

[sorce]

Sure!

Another different one Matt!

Sorce

 

[AlainK]

I wouldn't make it a cascade.

My idea, something like:



Sort of semi-cascade/windswept, with dead wood spiraling from the stub left on the right to the stub on the left. Like a tree that has to bear hard weather in autumn/winter but that pushes new growth in spring/summer.

I think that like this, it takes more in account the natural movement of the tree.

Maybe with more small branches in the top right.

 

[LanceMac10]

@mattspiniken , have you checked out Hans van Meers work with Larches?

http://hans-van-meer.ofbonsai.org/

 

[mattspinniken]

I wouldn't make it a cascade.

My idea, something like:

View attachment 128865

Sort of semi-cascade/windswept, with dead wood spiraling from the stub left on the right to the stub on the left. Like a tree that has to bear hard weather in autumn/winter but that pushes new growth in spring/summer.

I think that like this, it takes more in account the natural movement of the tree.

Maybe with more small branches in the top right.

Wow great job on the sketch I like this idea a lot and I like how you have extended some Shari . I like that it is sort of in between the two ideas and it would be different than anything else I have.

@mattspiniken , have you checked out Hans van Meers work with Larches?

http://hans-van-meer.ofbonsai.org/

Hans is actually one of my favorites. His site and progressions are so worth a check. He has a great eye.

 

[Wilson]

Nice find Matt! I like the more slanting design, @AlainK has put a nice design idea up. Keep us updated when things thaw out.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

no cascade, I like the idea of Alain.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I think it seems...more fluid in trunk line if it wasn't a cascade. I think..."it's been whispering in your ear" as to what it wishes to be.

 

[crust]

To bad you could not have retained that lowest branch that's a stub. If you had I would recommend to plant it in the ground or hyper grow it for a while to gain taper. Now it will have to be grown carefully to avoid future reverse taper.

 

[mattspinniken]

To bad you could not have retained that lowest branch that's a stub. If you had I would recommend to plant it in the ground or hyper grow it for a while to gain taper. Now it will have to be grown carefully to avoid future reverse taper.

This tree was one that I thought was going to be really good when I found it but it turned out a lot different under the soil. I was thinking there was a lot of good lower movement but I kept checking for roots and nothing until 1/2 down the tree. The stub on the lower part is actually a large root. My plan was to just keep the one large branch like Alain suggested which will hopefully help and maybe I could carve in a small amount of taper. I am afraid though that this tree may never amount to much because of the issue. I'm not giving up on it yet though .

 

[Tycoss]

I still think it could be a very nice tree. I've never seen a full cascading larch in the wild, so the style still seems unnatural to me. AlainK, that design is wonderfully suited to this material.

 

[mattspinniken]

I still think it could be a very nice tree. I've never seen a full cascading larch in the wild, so the style still seems unnatural to me. AlainK, that design is wonderfully suited to this material.

Thanks Tycoss, Alain's idea for this tree has me more excited about the tree than I was. I found a couple more photos of the tree, one tilted up and one with a view of the side.

 

[petegreg]

Alain really nailed it. Simple and clean design.

 

[AlainK]

OK, I'll do my best to avoid the "Tea House" rantings and concentrate on other more tree-related topics, hu hu...

Glad you like it, it's always very comforting when people from different places and different cultures share the same, or at least similar views, perhaps a way to more Fraternity.

A better world that is the fruit of our diversity.

...

 

[Waltron]

what if you rotated clockwise instead, so the old root stump is kinda angled towards the soil, then the trunk curve would kinda be balanced over the left side and maybe get a bud or thread a shoot over towards the left and have the apex keep moving that way?

 

[Waltron]

id love to see a photo of the tree before it was dug or cut at all.. do you ever take those? I find that I value those photos after working with my trees and regret when I fail to take one. wonder if anyone else is like that? I keep those private many times myself, so if you dont want to share it I would understand.

I also think it could be possible to move the root system up higher on the trunk over time, which would actually increase taper rather than create inverse taper. great piece of material Matt, per usual.

 

[mattspinniken]

id love to see a photo of the tree before it was dug or cut at all.. do you ever take those? I find that I value those photos after working with my trees and regret when I fail to take one. wonder if anyone else is like that? I keep those private many times myself, so if you dont want to share it I would understand.

I also think it could be possible to move the root system up higher on the trunk over time, which would actually increase taper rather than create inverse taper. great piece of material Matt, per usual.

Thanks Waltron, I might actually have a picture before collection I will look around. I agree I don't often take in the ground photos but I want to from now on. You mentioned trying to rotate the orientation clockwise. Would that make it more upright? Is that what you mean? Currently I am thinking of making the tree just a little bit more upright and then go with Alain's suggestion. Open to more ideas though.

 

[Waltron]

I'm not trying to sway you in any direction, just when I first looked at it I had the idea to maybe change the angle so that the elbow on that trunk would be pointing to say maybe 2 oclock or even 3 o clock where as right now its at about 11 oclock. and the old root shari would maybe be pointing out parallel to the soil.so yea I guess my idea would be more upright, and there would be a void on the left that would need to be filled in with some foliage one way or another, which may not be an option for it, I can def see Alain's option working though to.

 

[mattspinniken]

I see what you are saying @Waltron I like that that would help with taper. That's a good idea too that I didn't think of.

 

[mattspinniken]

what if you rotated clockwise instead

Your idea looks like it really helps improve the taper. I rotated it in photoshop and it looks really interesting. Also there are some small branches that could easily be trained into a left branch. My concern would be that I couldnt pull of that big angle change. hmmmm