More Trees From Mid-Atlantic

I don't know what I am doing wrong but posting photos should not be this difficult.

Blue Moss Cypress

Major wiring done on my Blue Moss Cypress. This weekend will get the fine wiring spreading all the foliage pads.

Here are some of the trees at the Mid-Atlantic Bonsai Societies and the three speakers who gave presentations and demonstrations. Chase Rosade's Display Dr. Karen's Award Winning Display A neat Hawthorne cascade from the Lehigh Valley club. A grouping of small (one hand) bonsai A nice shimpaku juniper

Eastern Redbud In The Pink! (again!)

Here is an Eastern Redbud in the village of Wayne...spectacular!

BSSJ Boyz Work with Ryan Neil & Peter Warren

Some of the South Jersey Boyz attended the Friday Workshops at 2013 Mid-Atlantic Bonsai Festival. Doc Stone worked on a really nice pine hybrid, with Peter Warren, shown here at beginning of the workshop.

Doc is intent on catching every nuance
of the information Peter Warren is providing...

First task is to clean the tree, and start going over the material by examining the base. This is where one ALWAYS starts.
Next things to look over:
- trunk and the movement;
- special features, like jins, shari, bark quality, hollows, etc.
- branch placement;
- Apex;
- lastly, any flaws in the tree which must be fixed, featured or removed.

This turned out to be a great starter tree! It will provide many years of enjoyment while refining and styling.

Doc is happy!












Here is one of the Larch workshop trees. It was grown in Maine and purchased for this workshop for about $80.
After some settling in when Ryan arrived, Mac chose this one to work, at my suggestion.

Ryan agrees...this is probably the best of the batch!

Ryan points out some of the features of the tree for Mac to pay attention to...

...and a little help from the young Master...

...checking intermediate results...

Mac will have some major work to complete the initial styling, but this tree will be a future star in his collection!


Cheers...
Flex

BSSJ March 2K13 Workshop with Jim Doyle

On this dreary Saturday we hardy South Jersey folk gathered at Clover Gardens, to put in some quality time with Jim Doyle, from Natures Way near Harrisburg, Pa.
Jim has been doing bonsai for over 30 years, so is knowledgable in all aspects of the art. In addition, he has traveled extensively in Japan, Europe, and the US, learning, discussing demonstrating, and trying to raise the quality level of bonsai thru the world.
A number of folks brought trees for critique, direction, instruction, and just plain fun!



Jim brought shohin for a nice display...a miniature Hinoki, a nice Trident Maple, and a small stone.





At the start of the critique, first victim was John, and his small Pine.

Jim has some easy suggestions to add some movement.

...John is not so sure the trunk won't break!












Next...Jay Walter's Ficus. Grown for a few decades, the tree has a nice base, and pleasing lines and structure.
Jay describes how he was thinking of lowering
the top  from here...

to here....












...and Jim believes the tree is just about right!










Next up is Connie with a nice Yew, purchased from Natures Way in 2012. Jim describes some basic features of the tree.
Of course, there is too much soil, and the roots need to be closer to the surface, so a shallower pot may be used.










No problem...Jim quickly solves the problem.

Presto...tree is shorter!

"See...it is now shorter, and if the roots are nicely spread, it can be placed in a shallower pot which is wider, so the roots can grow".







"What did he DO to MY TREE?"

"Oh well...maybe this little clay pot will do for the time being..."!














Connie's husband Tom found a nice Engelmann Spruce at Natures Way which will keep Tom busy for a few weekends here in the Spring.

The tree has interesting lines, and potential. Jim cuts away the nursery pot to get a better look at the base and nebari.





Here is one mounting possibility which will yield a pretty nice piece.







Doc (aka Pope Francis!!!) had a nice Pine with graceful movement, and good branch placement.



So the question now is.....

Karen had her Kosteri. What a sweetie! Jim is impressed with the health.











Please pardon how this post looks...the latest BLOG editor is horrible to use.. The editor shows you one thing, but if you preview, it is totally different!
You would think that a good software company like GOOGLE might have their act together...naahhh...ain't so!

Flex

Progressions: Rocky Mountain Juniper #4

This old RMJ was found in the back of Natures Way in Spring 2010, during Woodstock III.
The tree is perhaps 350 years old, and has very straight V-shaped twin trunks, so some thought was given to what styling possibilities could be turned into reality.

Peter Adams suggested the trunk on the right be removed. Different planting angles were also sketched.

The suggested trunk was removed, and some carving done to make the resulting jin look natural.
Still, the long almost-straight remaining trunk did not seem to express what the tree had to offer.

This year there was an infestation of Juniper Inchworms in my garden. These defoliated 3 of my RMJs, and killed a 4th. This RMJ lost maybe 40% of it's foliage.
Going over the tree in the studio I noticed an old borer entry hole which had been missed in 2010. Cleaning this out, the borer trail led past a back branch which had died, and up into the trunk which was removed! Luck was with us this time!

Here is the lower portion of the tree today...

As you can see, the lowest branch is quite a bit more sparse than in the original picture above.
I let my eyes and mind wander a bit, and the question emerged:

What if the lowest branch is grown out, and the remaining trunk is removed?

The lowest portion of the trunk has the live vein coming from underneath, and twisting up and around the large amount of deadwood. With several old jins and some sparse foliage, the power of this trunk would really speak to the struggle the tree has had.

A sketch was made to evaluate the idea:

Of course, the tree must be brought back to good health before any major work of this type is attempted. I think this might be possible in next several years.
Flex