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bonsaiTALK Adept
Join Date: Mar-2004
Location: Aptos, CA
Country: USA
Posts: 215
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Japanese Garden Maple “Acer palmatum” forest on a slab
On a rainy day in February 2003, I planted a forest on a slate in the garage. I had been requested to plant a forest to replace an earlier forest that was removed from this slate. I wasn’t making many forests at that time due to the information from many teachers that forest plantings are not “good bonsai”. I have since decided that forest plantings are popular with the public and therefore a valuable piece at any exhibit, so I will go ahead and make them. The slab I used is a roofing slate from China that had been removed from an old home. Slates are easy to get at your rock and garden supply yard and make inexpensive large containers for bonsai plantings. I shaped the slate into a pleasing shape with a hammer and tools. The trees I selected from and the slate are shown in the first picture (forest 1). I had about 25 different trees to choose from. The trees are from seedlings that I have grown for 10 to 15 years. I planted these in clumps in growing pots that so they can be easily used for forest plantings. I choose trees that fit well together. Tie down wire was glued to the slate with super glue and cement powder for the stabilization of the trees. I marked a location for the main trees with chalk marks. In the next photograph (forest 2) the marked slate with the tie down wires is shown.
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