Japanese Garden Maple “Acer palmatum” forest on a slab

Jgs bonsai

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.

Attached Images

	forest 1.jpg (67.2 KB, 126 views)
	forest 2.jpg (45.3 KB, 131 views)

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Jgs bonsai

I removed from the trees the pots by matching type and arranged them from largest to smallest for use in the planting (forest 3). I placed the trees on the slate at the chosen locations and began to work in the soil. (forest 4; please excuse the busy background of the garage). I used the broken pieces of the slate from the shaping process to build up the outside of the planting and hold in the soil. I put “peat muck” between the layers of slate pieces and around the outside of the planting to hold in the soil. After the plants have been placed moss was gathered and placed on the soil surface to further stabilize the soil.

Attached Images

	forest 3.jpg (46.9 KB, 94 views)
	forest 4.jpg (58.8 KB, 125 views)

Jgs bonsai

Here is a picture of the planting in leaf from late this summer (forest 5 090704).

Attached Images

forest 5 090704.jpg (65.5 KB, 162 views)

Jgs bonsai

Here is a picture taken recently (forest 6 011505). I think that I need more branch ramification on the left side of the forest to improve this planting. I will leaf prune it this spring to get a jump-start on the process.

Attached Images

forest 6 011505.jpg (59.3 KB, 154 views)

Alasdair

I think the main tree is a bit too dominating, drawing away from the forest. But that slab is wonderful, i like the way slate breaks into it's layers like that. It looks quite thick? must be rather heavy then.

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I can feel another "I wish that was my tree" moment coming on...
Currently studying BSc Plant Biology at the Universty of Wales, Aberystwyth

Jgs bonsai

Aldesair Wrote
"I think the main tree is a bit too dominating, drawing away from the forest. But that slab is wonderful, i like the way slate breaks into it's layers like that. It looks quite thick? must be rather heavy then."

Good point about the main tree. It may be that the small trees on the left are not pulling their weight and so become overpowered by the main tree. I have been thinking of removeing the two trees on the left or replaceing them with trees that are more simular to the main tree and the others on the right.

The planting is not heavy. The slate relatively thin and the planting area is actually a hollow formed from the broken pieces of the slate that are stacked up like a rock wall. The soil is not heavy since it has pumace and lava rock in it.

Bone-sigh

That is a sweet slab technique. Good job.

Ryan

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Alasdair

ahhhh. Have you used anything to stick the slate pieces together then?

__________________
I can feel another "I wish that was my tree" moment coming on...
Currently studying BSc Plant Biology at the Universty of Wales, Aberystwyth

Will_Heath

He used peat muck between the slab pieces...


Will