AusBonsai

Here is a pine that i have been growing. What would you do with it? How would you improve it? How would you style it?

Feel free to be critical or even suggest wild solutions. I am open to all ideas and think it would be interesting to see what diferent people come up with.

Its a difficult tree with some redeming features.....

Possibly layer the top if possible?

Then put a upward bend halfway along the horizontal left branch, to create a leaning effect, rather than a semi cascade.

Hi Jow........ I would stub jin the first branch and wire the other branches down. Then make further design decisions based on what I see.

A bit hard to see in the light, but I was thinking something along these lines, with a bit of wiring and needle work...

The bottom branch in my pic looks like it may be coming out at an awkward spot though?

Some interesting suggestions so far.

The challenge with this tree in my oppinion is that removing the main branch leaves you with a very mediocre tree. It has a straight trunk with a high canopy. If you look carefully at scotts virtual it is clear that the trunk appears much thinner than it does with the first branch on.

That is not to say you cant make a tree that way but i think there may be other ways to approach it to end up with a more interesting bonsai in the long run.

Hey Jow,
Great tree for discussion.

The nebari is excellent and a real feature.

You pretty much have two trunks to me and removing either one will diminish the interest with this tree. Removing the right side trunk would create a stock standard type pine if you know what I mine.

Personally I would love to see you keep both trunks. (I don't have access to adobe photoshop at work so can't creat virtual but I hope you can follow my suggestion.) You would have to change the angle of the tree slightly to lower the right hand trunk/branch a little further down closer to the horizontal level. It would be much, maybe 10 to 20 degs. This will bring the main trunk over to the right more. Now here is where your talent and experience come into you. You will need to get more movement into the main trunk over towards the right as well. I think the main trunk will need to be shortened slightly though to bring it into better proportion or line.

All i could manage was to use paint at work to put across my idea. PLease forgive the crudeness but I think it articulates what I mean.

David

Turn it on its side wire all the branches and make it a sinuous root style.

Just my

Cheers Pup

a 2 second virt. With drilling and bending this could be done.

EDIT- I left the first branch because I know you love it.

Hi Joe I don't think the first branch is really viable the foliage is way too far out and its very straight and boring, but it would make a great sacrifice branch. If you put the tree in a grow box and let that branch run for a few years then you could create an massive base which would make for a much more interesting tree.
Craigw

It certainly is a challenge Jow. The sheer bulk of the first branch, in my opinion, seems to overpower the overall design. There again you could notch the first branch tilt the tree to the left and swing that first branch up to form the new apex.


Something I learned many years ago. If you fall in love with a certain part of a tree it tends to distract you from what should or could be. Just a thought.

Again, some interesting suggestions.

Firstly Craig, Although you are correct in that it would become much more interesting with a thicker lower base i don’t know if the material merits that. I think if i was going to plant something in the ground i would rather start with a trunk with movement so i ended up with a better result than what this tree could become. Which leaves me with what i have.

Interesting ideas David. You are right in that the tree has a great root base which make it worth pursuing and what makes me reluctant to go with pup's suggestion of sinuous root style. I think Jarrod’s virtual is a pretty interesting option. The virtual is actually how i had planned the first styling to end up. the lower branch was bent a fair bit more but when i removed the reinforcing bar it sprang up a little. Something about it though bothers me.... I think it is the thickness of the branch.

Ash you suggested using the branch as a second trunk, that is quite an interesting way to go. I have actually already styled the tree but thought it would be interesting to see how different people might approach it. There is always one way to skin a cat.

Having said that it might be interesting to see a few more people’s ideas before i post the result and you can see how i have dealt with it. It’s a flawed bonsai really, and i am sure the end result will not be everyone’s cup of tea but i think it is at least an improvement on the last styling.

twin trunk?
air layer it at the bottom of the right branch to lower it down to make a twin trunk looks better?

like this?
http://pittsburghbonsai.org/chinatrip/seoul15.jpg

Hi jow
There is a great tree in there that bottom branch is way to heavy jin it ,reduce the hieght and bring the branches in tight with the bottom branch taken down sharply with low foliage

Hope you like it

Hi Jow, I like DavidN's suggestion best. But as Craig points out, it is too far out -- to solve this problem, would you consider growing the tip branches a bit long, then wire them back toward the trunk, therefore creating an impression that it is filled out? It is a bit tacky, but I think it could be achieved.

The difficulty with DavidN's design, IMHO, is to bend what need to be bended to the right angle.

I completely agree with your initially assessment that removing the lowest branch will turn it into a very average pine.

I hope to see progression posts on this tree Jow.

Best regards.