G'day Everyone,
I attended the Plant As Bonsai symposium back on the 29th Feb this year. On the first day they had a Penjing presentation and talk by Allan Harding. I didn't know alot about Penjing at that stage (or even now ) and i thought Penjing was all about landscape settings . During Allan's talk about the 5 schools of Penjing i realised that i was a little off the mark and that Penjing has alot to offer Australian native trees.
What caught my attention was the Shanghai school and Sichuan province schools of Penjing. They had very artistic styles, flowing curves with unusual shapes, they deliberately exposed roots and hollows plus a large focus on old wood. I took what i saw from these schools along with a couple of Allan's learning points. Mainly points 1 Artistic, point 2 Focus on locally grown material, point 4 Find characteristics of material then decide to shape to maximise those features and to top it off point 7 fewer branches to create a more extreme style.
So during the workshop i chose this large callistemon. The label didn't identify what type of callistemon it was but i saw hope within the structure. As you can see the callistmon is very leggy in bonsai terms.
I started by digging down deep below the soil line to see what we had available for possible design features. I realised that the long flowing branches would be a key design feature and after i dug further below the soil line i found a large mess of roots to one side. This would became another feature. I removed a couple of large branches and i was left with this design you see below.
At this stage i was super impressed with Penjing and over the moon with my callistemon. I wacked it back into it's black pot and covered it with soil then headed home. It sat in the corner of the garden for a couple of weeks.
I attended the March Canberra bonsai club's meeting before this COV-19 lock down crap started and noticed that Graham Cook was selling a fantastic pot that would suit my callistemon. But my money was tight as i was attending the Ausbonsai market in a few weeks after the meeting. So i tried to ignore the pot he had on his table but i just kept staring at it... thinking should i?...god i really should just get it ... long story short i did
This is how the tree currently looks in its pot.
In Oct/Nov it'll have a haircut to reduce the foliage down lower plus a couple of extra branches removed.
Penjing Bottlebrush
- Keels
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Penjing Bottlebrush
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Last edited by Bougy Fan on June 9th, 2020, 5:17 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Reason: Typo
Reason: Typo
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Re: Penjing Bottlebrush
Very dramatic, good imagination. You might like to funk up the branches a bit more - mor bends, more drama, to match the base. The pot might be a bit small unless the foliage is reduced quite a bit. Great start!
Gavin
Gavin
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Re: Penjing Bottlebrush
Looking good Keels . I agree with Gavin , the foliage does need to be compacted , but you already intend to do so .
I think that pot may be one I made .
Cheers
Graham Cook
I think that pot may be one I made .
Cheers
Graham Cook
- Keels
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Re: Penjing Bottlebrush
Yes your correct 100% Graham. I was thinking Graham cook but i wrote bell sometimes my hands never write what I'm thinking lol
- Keels
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 702
- Joined: December 11th, 2012, 12:13 pm
- Favorite Species: Pines, Eucalyptus and Callistemon
- Bonsai Age: 11
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- Location: Canberra
- Has thanked: 224 times
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Re: Penjing Bottlebrush
Thanks Gavin. Appreciate the input. I am planning on reducing the foliage abit also you make a good point to add more bends and drama to the branches.....I'll work on my branch funk style
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Re: Penjing Bottlebrush
Interesting start Keels. Kind of have set the scene with that nice heavy near horizontal branch culminating with a sharp angle and lovely flowing curve. Our natives sure do lend themselves to Penjing..Looking forward to were you take this one. Cheers John.
- Keels
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 702
- Joined: December 11th, 2012, 12:13 pm
- Favorite Species: Pines, Eucalyptus and Callistemon
- Bonsai Age: 11
- Bonsai Club: CBS, Goulburn & VNBC
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- Has thanked: 224 times
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Re: Penjing Bottlebrush
I really enjoyed creating this tree and i love the big flowing curve. I'm looking forward to developing it further.
- Keels
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 702
- Joined: December 11th, 2012, 12:13 pm
- Favorite Species: Pines, Eucalyptus and Callistemon
- Bonsai Age: 11
- Bonsai Club: CBS, Goulburn & VNBC
- Location: Canberra
- Has thanked: 224 times
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Re: Penjing Bottlebrush
The Penjing bottlebrush has really settled into it's new pot. The exposed roots have aged well in the last 12 months. It got attacked by some caterpillars last summer, so the foliage is looking a little rough. I did have issues deciding if I wanted to keep the small back branch but I snapped it clean off trying to add movement into it . It has a tiny shoot growing so I might reduce and keep it. I plan on reducing the far right branch and growing some movement into it as well. If I have a good growing season with it, I will clean up and shorten the foliage too.
Tree with the wire on. Close up of the tree. (please ignore the weed, I didn't realise till I saw the photos ) Tree with the wire removed. Branches have stayed in place pretty well. Anyone else out their using natives to create Penjing?
Tree with the wire on. Close up of the tree. (please ignore the weed, I didn't realise till I saw the photos ) Tree with the wire removed. Branches have stayed in place pretty well. Anyone else out their using natives to create Penjing?
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- Aussie Bonsai Fan
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Re: Penjing Bottlebrush
Hi Keels ,coming along nicely ,looking like a powerful solid tree. About that far right branch i think it is a nice asset ,maybe a little movement would tie it in a bit better. Good taper. Just a thought. Look forward to updates ,i have a few natives i have tortured under the excuse of Penjing . Poor things....
Cheers John.
Cheers John.