{disqualified}[MattA] Lily pilly

[MattA]

Species: Acmena smithii (most likely)
Height: 40cm
Source: Collected from a friends property
Cost: Some landscaping advice

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An odd bit of wood, to be honest I am not sure why I even dug & brought it home 9mths ago, its going to take some creative thinking to make this into something worth looking at but for me thats the idea of this comp...

[lackhand]

If all else fails, you could always carve it. I'll be interested to see what you come up with though.

[Neli]

I think girls can find something worth looking at even now.

[matlea]

I think a few blue pills fell into the fertiliser mix!

[Dario]

Hi Matt, hope you are well.
It will be very interesting to see what you come up with with this stock.
Pic 1: if you set an air layer I can see a nice semi cascade in there...a layer may not be an option for the comp time line though?
Best of luck, cheers, Dario.

[Neli]

Quote:
An odd bit of wood, to be honest I am not sure why I even dug & brought it home 9mths ago, its going to take some creative thinking to make this into something worth looking at but for me thats the idea of this comp...
That is good! Competition will be judged hopefully on what you achieve...the more nothing you start with...and the the more good result you achieve...will count for you better versus a stock that is prestyled..., that just needs removing few branches. and developing few pads....Lets just hope people will not forget that, and just look at the final result.
I like challenge...and the more of it, the more fun I will have. Lets hope you are the same, and you will truly enjoy the creative process.
I was going to offer You some grass from my loan, when I saw your Jacaranda (that is all I have left in my garden after this competition, I dug most of my shrubs out)
It is perennial...easy to grow...and makes nice cascades.
Sorry your entries got rejected. I suspect more is expected from You....and that is good. It is a way of appreciating you.

[MattA]

Thanks all, I have a rough image in my head that I am going to aim for & yes lots of carving, I just hope it puts on the growth I will need, maybe time for a feed


Neli, The challenge makes it all the more fun....

[Neli]

[MattA]

Got stuck into this & gave it the first shellacing.. alot more work to be done on the wood, more growth & a new planting angle will all help (I hope)

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[Neli]

Two days ago I went to a nurcery. Found a very nice sizzigium, twin trunk. One of the trunks was coming off the main at close to 90 degree and then going up. The horizontal part of the trunk had a dead part on top. When I scratched it with my finger the wood was all powder like, deep inside and coming off.
I am telling you this to be aware that sizzigium wood rots very easily, so You can seal it.

[dansai]

Interested to see where you go with this Matt. Looking like it will be interesting

Have you burnt some of the wood? And if so, was that where you have carved or is that bark?

[MattA]

Neli, I guess thats what I am hoping to achieve, the look of an old rotted out tree that is still clinging to life. I won't seal the wood perse, but I will flame it to help dry & harden the deadwood once the carving is finished.

Dansai, I haven't burnt any yet, the dark parts are the sections of live wood that I left, Now I just have to wait & hope that they all survive & the tree doesnt decide to shed all but the simplest line.

[Neli]

Is the tree not going to die if the inside of the trunk gets rotten?

[Neli]

Have a look here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrk0T4_57uI
after that look at the branch structure of wild chery No9 and compare...
http://walter-pall-bonsai.blogspot.com/ ... results=50
They look very similar to me...except that Graham styled it more like pine.

[MattA]

Is the tree not going to die if the inside of the trunk gets rotten?

It could, tho more likely not if growth is kept strong & healthy, rot will only eat up the deadwood and once its cleared out it doesn't progress too far unless it stays wet. I don't know what the bush where you live is like but here I often find big old trees standing strong that are completely hollow from white ant, rot, fire or any combination of all 3, I find it a powerful image of natures strength & ability to carry on despite adversity.