AusBonsai

We have been told to preferably use the same species in groups but I reckon that they can be mixed in a landscape.

i do tend to agree with you stymie, but...

only a few species will go together and only if they are used properly together.

a great example is exactly what you have done here, with the larger, more interesting foliage in the foreground, and the smaller scaly foliage in the background to create an extreme depth of an image.

i think its very charming, great post

Beautiful saikei!

I think it is also effective because maples, in nature, grow at the base of mountains where it is more protected, and conifers grow at the tops. In both nature and containers, this reflects the conditions they like...i.e. the conifers like a drier, free draining situation (high above the base of the pot) where as the maples, which generally require more water than conifers, are at the base of the pot where more water is available.

JayC

Hey Stymie,
Great Post, I think that this composition is fantastic. It shows imagination, color, depth, and perspective wich in my opinion tick all the boxes for a saikei composition. Though I am far from an expert, the main thing I think is important for any composition, wether it is a Saikei planting, Forrest, Sumo, or whatever, it needs to be visually pleasing and make scence.
I agree with Jayc that the composition does make scence because of the reality of the piece.
As I said before, as long as the composition is appealing to the veiwer, the job is done. But I guess, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This composition, even though it is not Saikei, is nice, and makes scence, but it is boring to a certain point, where as the next shows depth, color, scale, shape, and inginuity.
My anser to the origonal question is yes, you can mix and match. You can bend and stretch the rules to a cetain point, but one must always remember, that the rules are in place for a reason.

Thanks for reading my babble.

Thanks,
Mac

Nice examples Macros. Is that a fallen tree in the second one?

Macros wrote:Thanks for reading my babble.

thanks for sharing your babble

Hang On! Forget the fallen tree, is that a battle tank?!!!