Very pleased with the Chinese Quince...

Ruddigger said:
It’s starting to fill out nicely.
Click to expand...
For sure...it always amazes me to see its past progression images. With any tree on my bench. I'm liking where this one is heading. Looking at its dormant yet buds pushing branches. Amazed at what this tree has offered up as growth.
 
Had a little time last evening so I started tossing wire on it. I absolutely struggle with thicker wire. But once applied...and not pretty either...it still does its job. Need to finish it yet.

To be honest...as in earlier days...that back still appeals to me. Not going to lie.
Current front
20210220_195002.jpg


Back
20210221_095656.jpg
 
I was tinkering in the greenhouse...and turned this clockwise a smidgen. 🤔 Yes, the right branch now peaks into the negative space of the tree. I think...it may soften it. I've always been an oddball to my tastes though. But...I think I like it.
20210314_201044.jpg
 
A plain background...yeah, I think I like this as a front better. The trunk shows good taper...it twists to the back then turns and twists toward the viewer...so bowing to the front. An angle change next spring...I will enhance the bow...and make it slightly more prominent.
Chinese Quince.jpg
 
The apex is a good 2" past the base of the tree coming to the viewer. I may offer an angle change come next spring. To make it more pronounced. That first bend taking it back...ones have trouble following it back to the viewer. But it bows to the viewer. Optical illusion with this trunk line for sure.
 
I don’t think a planting angle or rotation of front is enough to style this tree. I also know my style isn’t for everyone. But since you seem to be mulling something over with all these photos, I’ll share my thoughts. I still think this is a tale of two trees, with a great upper trunk on top of a phone pole. The lower branches (1,2,3) are only accentuating the disconnect in my eye. 3 is useful, 4,5 are crucial, and well-located.
81C1F9D9-61DD-40B0-BE4D-0759439E564A.jpeg36EE0A92-F189-4A7A-A1D1-F2201769619B.jpeg
Simply removing part of 1 isn’t enough, in fact it makes the straight trunk worse:
2C689CEA-7042-4975-B6B6-306C28C3DEA8.jpeg
Removing it entirely starts to pull your eye up the trunk, to the interesting section, and into the well-placed branches.
ADD93FD6-053A-4885-8D59-4A1F54CC77A9.jpeg
However, branch 2 emerges to the front, and to the right, just below branch 3...so it’s redundant and poorly-located. If it’s removed:
A41E4783-F012-40A4-BD51-3B719DD8A6D6.jpeg
Now the tree is starting to look almost graceful, and probably even more if you tilt the top just a bit toward the viewer. Then, and since branches on CQ grow quickly, you can develop 3 to fill in the space left by 2, and 5 to fill in space left by 1. Need to pull down 3 and 5, which can be done with guy wires.
4F54C35B-7994-4313-AC0D-E0B893244991.jpeg
 
...and for the neagari gal, where are your roots?

Show us those roots, lower your soil, give us some soil level lovin'! Right now we are responding to the trunk dropping vertically into the soil with no visual stability.
 
@Brian Van Fleet your attention to detail and eye are amazing. I do so appreciate your effort in explaining what is in your head. it comes across so clear. I just don't like the trunk being so bare up to the first branch.

But I do appreciate your time and critical eye.

This tree shows poorly in 2D because it's movement is lost in so many ways. No photo is going to show it perfectly. I don't see a telephone pole when I look at it. I see a trunk slanting to the right and moving towards the back. Then to the side and back to me.. With twists that blow my mind. I also happen to liked the negative space that is found in the center of the tree. I admire trees with that look to them. There is one in Robert Stephen's second book that draws me in. With a similar look to it.
Bonsai Nut said:
...and for the neagari gal, where are your roots?

Show us those roots, lower your soil, give us some soil level lovin'! Right now we are responding to the trunk dropping vertically into the soil with no visual stability.
Click to expand...
They are being developed. I've kept them covered intentionally. But you have a point.
 
Bonsai Nut said:
...and for the neagari gal, where are your roots?

Show us those roots, lower your soil, give us some soil level lovin'! Right now we are responding to the trunk dropping vertically into the soil with no visual stability.
Click to expand...
There is nice flare down below the soil level. Was wanting the roots to thicken more.
20210315_211409.jpg
 
Cadillactaste said:
@Brian Van Fleet your attention to detail and eye are amazing. I do so appreciate your effort in explaining what is in your head. it comes across so clear. I just don't like the trunk being so bare up to the first branch.

But I do appreciate your time and critical eye.

This tree shows poorly in 2D because it's movement is lost in so many ways. No photo is going to show it perfectly. I don't see a telephone pole when I look at it. I see a trunk slanting to the right and moving towards the back. Then to the side and back to me.. With twists that blow my mind. I also happen to liked the negative space that is found in the center of the tree. I admire trees with that look to them. There is one in Robert Stephen's second book that draws me in. With a similar look to it.

They are being developed. I've kept them covered intentionally. But you have a point.
Click to expand...

Don't cover them (assuming they are poor). Reveal them so it forces you to come up with a plan. The plan for the entire tree! Styling the foliage is easy compared to fixing the roots - particularly if the roots cause you to change your planting angle.

I know you know this... but I am forcing you to acknowledge it :)
 
Bonsai Nut said:
Don't cover them (assuming they are poor). Reveal them so it forces you to come up with a plan. The plan for the entire tree! Styling the foliage is easy compared to fixing the roots - particularly if the roots cause you to change your planting angle.

I know you know this... but I am forcing you to acknowledge it :)
Click to expand...
I was hoping to do this with the commissioned pot being made for it...for reveal 2022. April Grigsby asked to do one for the tree...a few months back.
 
Brian Van Fleet said:
I don’t think a planting angle or rotation of front is enough to style this tree. I also know my style isn’t for everyone. But since you seem to be mulling something over with all these photos, I’ll share my thoughts. I still think this is a tale of two trees, with a great upper trunk on top of a phone pole. The lower branches (1,2,3) are only accentuating the disconnect in my eye. 3 is useful, 4,5 are crucial, and well-located.
View attachment 361211View attachment 361212
Simply removing part of 1 isn’t enough, in fact it makes the straight trunk worse:
View attachment 361213
Removing it entirely starts to pull your eye up the trunk, to the interesting section, and into the well-placed branches.
View attachment 361214
However, branch 2 emerges to the front, and to the right, just below branch 3...so it’s redundant and poorly-located. If it’s removed:
View attachment 361215
Now the tree is starting to look almost graceful, and probably even more if you tilt the top just a bit toward the viewer. Then, and since branches on CQ grow quickly, you can develop 3 to fill in the space left by 2, and 5 to fill in space left by 1. Need to pull down 3 and 5, which can be done with guy wires.
View attachment 361217
Click to expand...
I must say...as I look at this tree. It loses all it's movement of the trunk in leaf. I'm chewing removing that lower branch come spring... @Brian Van Fleet think with it needing to heal over that scar...to leave it in the deeper pot to allow it to have room to push roots to heal that scar?
 
Cadillactaste said:
Just here to update this thread.

Finally got balsy enough to remove that lower branch. I do happen to love a tree with lower laying branches. But...think it's heading in a better direction. Now to develop that branch I grew out for this design.
View attachment 470626View attachment 470627
Click to expand...


Congrats, looking better and a great near future for my taste.
 
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