Firstly, don't ask why I decided to stand on a chair and table to take a couple of 'birds-eye' photos! I just did. I was interested to see what was happening from a different angle.
Also, I know I could have put all these tree in grow beds for years before a bonsai pot ... thicker trunks would've been just one of the benefits. However, for me and I imagine a range of new folk ... we like to have something that resembles a bonsai. Perhaps too - we like to show our wives and partners that this hobby results in something half creative, artistic and possibly, eventually ...beautiful and inspiring. Anyway, I ramble... again!
What I love about my deciduous forests - whether Japanese Maple, Chinese Elm and Japanese Elm - is that they re constantly changing... colours, leaf size, growth patterns. My 'philosophy' if that is the right term ... perhaps 'approach' is more apt ... my approach with these forests is that now that they are clumped - to treat every tree as an individual - respect it alone while also training it in the group; primarily with a cut and grow method. I want each tree to be in context of those trees around it. So eventually, the story will flow ... seedlings will turn into young trees and together with the older trees ... eventually they all will knit in a logical and natural story.
That's why the small things matter. To me.
In the photos below ... check out this new growth - exactly where I need it on one of my Japanese Maples (lucky huh - yep, sort of but also rigourous pruning at the right time pushes growth back and sometimes...if you're lucky... the growth comes where you need it. Perhaps we make our own luck! Also, check out the back view of the Chinese Elm forest ... the young seedlings are sprouting well and I can now work them into the overall design. Indeed, I reckon that photo from the back of that forest looks good - there's a randomness to the trees
that looks right. And then there the bud growth on the Japanese Elm. 
When you're starting out.. appreciate the small things. In reality - it's all we've got. Have a good day.
