AusBonsai

Here in Victoria we are very fortunate to have a year of wonderful workshop opportunities.
Boon in May and Hiro in July.
The problem I have is finding good material to take to these workshops.
Last year I got my hands on a pinus contorta (shore pine) this is a grafted variety known as "Spaans dwarf". My next problem was deciding who to take it to.
I know and trust Hiro to make a nice design.
Boon is very highly regarded and the tree is native to North America, Boon is also considered to be good with two needle pines.

G'day Gerard, could i suggest that if you have already workshopped trees with Hiro, go the wild card and give Boon a chance to impress you, , nice tree also.

I found the solution.............another tree of the same species. a quick trunk chop and it is ready to go.

I'd never looked at Shore pine before, I hadn't realised how short the needles are, that last one looks very promising...

More stock has been chosen to take to the Hiro worshops (I plan to do several)

That is one beautiful Juniper Gerard.

Wish I could get hold of stuff like that. Would love to see the outcome of this tree. You could always send it to me

Tony

Where did you find that Juniper! Vry nice starting material mate

Ken

Interesting story with this juniper,
Was done in a workshop with Hiro about 6 years ago, the owner let it go a bit and replanted it in a nursery pot so that it could grow on a bit.
This tree has appeared at the BSV sales day last year.......I already have a few junipers, so I let it go.
It appeared again at the Yarra Valley society sales day in Feb 2012.

I watched a newbie looking at it and was hoping that he would decide to give it a go, it was really cheap (less than $100) and would have made an excellent start to his collection.
Two hours later it was still there so I purchased it myself!

You are lining up to have an absolute ball !!!
It amazed me how many newb's left behind great cheap juni's from Mike... Well too bad !!! means you and i are gonna have more fun gezz. I picked one up too...

I found a photo of a tree done a few years ago in a workshop with Hiro.
If it is not the same tree it must be its brother

Gerald i love the movement in this juniper a classic piece of material and i would of grabbed it up in a second for that price

Here are some of the ideas I have been contemplating. I like this front because of the live veins and deadwood crossing each other.
I do not like the very straight section leading to "A"
My first thought was to make a new apex out of "B" and turn "A" into deadwood with lots of jins.
After stopping to think I realized that this would kill the main "live" vein running across the front of the tree.
Now I am thinking along the lines of splitting the live vein away from the deadwood along the straight section in order to achieve some more interesting movement in the live vein.

Perhaps this is over ambitious.
Any other thoughts?

at these workshops( I've never been to a meeting or workshop)-- do the experts just give suggestions and guidelines or do they grab the clippers and chomp right in.

Gerard,

Have you thought about grafting Shimpaku foliage onto it? It has a great trunk, but not so great foliage...

Otherwise have a go at splitting the live vein away from the deadwood, and make sure you document it...Ger-imura

Guy wrote:at these workshops( I've never been to a meeting or workshop)-- do the experts just give suggestions and guidelines or do they grab the clippers and chomp right in.

Hi guy,
Different teachers will have different methods.
Most will try to understand what you hope to achieve and work within those limits.
I have watched as Hiro gave a student six sketches from which he could choose before any cutting was done.
I think it is important to consider every possibility you can come up with before presenting your tree, your ideas might be the best option but usually not. It is a great way to learn and can give you the confidence to make a design without assistance.
When I present a tree at a workshop I have already decided that I will accept the design given by the master.
If I disagree..........(has not happened yet)........... final decision is mine because it is my tree.