Penjing Chinese Elms

[alpineart]

These are a few of my Chinese Elms that were recycled from self sprouting roots acquired from my compost heap 12 months after i trimmed my old Elm several years ago ...Little or no wiring was used to shape the trunks basically self sorted seeking the daylight through the mound of retired experiments .In need of some serious wiring

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in order to place some much need movement into the branches or cut back extremely hard and grown on again .

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I'm one for utilizing all the foliage possible in most cases , cant always hack and chop . These cant be replaced tomorrow so wiring will take place after this weekends show . The group planting was done last year

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however a tree failed and another recently attached hence the string around the rock . Probably not every ones cup of tea but i like them as they are and no doubt with some time and manipulation "No Torture" they can only improve .

Cheers Alpineart

[Guy]

I can see value in the group on a rock but I struggle to see the "natural tree" in those twists and turns of the other two--I would increase the movement by straightening them a little -

[Bougy Fan]

Love them Ian - gotta have a bit of fun occasionally in this sometimes very serious hobby

Tony

[Andrew F]

Love them Ian - gotta have a bit of fun occasionally in this sometimes very serious hobby

Tony

I second that.

[alpineart]

I can see value in the group on a rock but I struggle to see the "natural tree" in those twists and turns of the other two--I would increase the movement by straightening them a little -

Hi Guy , i expect many different opinions on my tree's but my interpretation of penjing is different to most as is my interpretation of Bonsai .I can fault many Bonsai as not looking like natural trees rather more like garden rockery plants .A lot of 200-300 year old pines certainly dont look like natural tree's but rather like manicured foliage garden plants . Many Penjing in days of old represented the stairs to the heavens and foliage pads were in forms like clouds representing the steps to the heavens . If i was to straighten the trunks out , decrease not increase the movement some what they would then be literati Elm Bonsai . I once posted the slab planted tree and called it a bonsai and low and behold was discretely informed that it was not a bonsai but a penjing .

I could layer the tops off and make plain jane informal upright Elm Bonsai , each to his own but these are personally styled by me utilizing the natural contortion that mother nature so kindly provided from the scrap heap ..All natural pine tree's have bar branches yet this is a no no or frown upon in Bonsai . I have bonsai that have bar branches and they look quite unique, pleasing to the eye and natural to my eye and several members on our forum agree . I find that the best looking natural looking Bonsai are produced by quite few members here using our natives , moreso the many European guru's styling for example pines . We are all uniquely different thank god or all out tree's would be basically the same . No offence intended but i still have never read the rules for Bonsai or penjing . I see what i see and that is what i try to produce and maintain . I for one rarely call any of my tree's Bonsai but rather trainers , i have never professed to be a Bonsai artist , hacker and chopper yes . A new topic coming up please i would be interested in your honest opinion .

Cheers Alpineart

[alpineart]

Love them Ian - gotta have a bit of fun occasionally in this sometimes very serious hobby

Tony

I second that.

Hi Guys , i always have fun and are never serious as far as my obsession/hobby goes .Its about bending the rules and breaking tradition and creating unique works .If people are offended then build a bridge and get over it , Next week i will post a progression that has been planed to change a little area or two , but not too much . Cant hack and chop all the time .

Cheers Alpine

[siddhar]

.Its about bending the rules and breaking tradition and creating unique works

Alpine, I have struggled with this ever since I first took hold of this hobby. I often begin styling trees with 'my vision' and then start to doubt my abilities when I reflect back on 'the rules'... I like the first two elms you have there! Very natural in their style.

[alpineart]

Hi Siddhar , i first read left , right, left ,rear then said stuff it some tree's had a branch on the right so that meant right , left , right , rear then i through the rules out the window . I was also told you can't do bonsai unless you know , understand and follow the rules , guess they forgot to ask me .??

Cheers Alpine

[Guy]

--sure-------- but I don't think a tree would grow in such an unnatural way.

[LLK]

I like your work with pines.

Lisa

[alpineart]

Hi Guy , a lot of old Chinese material look like puffed up poodles, they most cretainly dont grow like that naturally .

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This tree was collected up here is it literati or penjing ?. Pines don't grow naturaly like this however the trunk has never been manipulated it was actually growing upside down under a cutting in a steep hillside .The wire was placed on the upper branches to try to get the branches to have the same movement as the trunk . this has been a cascade , slanting and now is it Penjing or a literati Bonsai . Most of the material i collect is collected for the trunk not the tree..

Cheers Alpine

[alpineart]

Hi LLK , thankyou , a lot of people don't, but i dont do it too please others i do it to please myself . There are quite a few tree's here that i don't like at all , yet other including non Bonsai people consider them beautiful . Its good we are all different andunique or the world would be full of all things plain Jane .

Cheers Alpine

[Guy]

the shape or aspect of the tree tells the story of the trees life--Perhaps I lack imagination but I cannot think of a scenario in nature that would produce the trunk lines of the first two photos--the radical changes in direction would usually be caused by breakage or dieback with the resulting jin or deadwood at the curves--

[alpineart]

Hi Guy , visit the Alps in North East Vitoria and you will see thousands of majestic Natives of numerous species twisted and contorted naturally , far more than a simple curve or bend these two trainer have . My Red Gum Raft recently posted has a trunk very similar to the slab planted Elm however because its laying down you cant see it . I intend to rotate this raft to show off the contorted trunk , Strange but true most people see the foliage or canopy of the tree in nature very few view the trunk . .

Cheers Alpineart

[Guy]

fair enough and I'd be interested to see some photos but Ive never seen an elm like these.