Piggy Back Juniper

bonsaial1

I really went way out there on this one. I had the juniper in the crater pot for sometime now. The plant on its own is OK, but not that dynamic, nor large enough to do the pot justice IMO.

So... I took the plant that was to be the centerpiece for the windswept grove that I was going to do on the rocky mountain. I had abandoned that idea, but decided to keep the larger tree for other use. I would sell the others at the show next month.

I repotted the former juniper that was in the pot a little lower in the pot. I tied it in and then threw in another layer of soil. I parted the root ball and placed it piggyback over the other juniper. I styled it so that the whole effect is that of a windswept pair of plants growing close together on a cliff somewhere.

There is lots of deadwood, and I also made some more on the plant. You can tell the older from the newer.

The plant layered out pretty well and will only get better with time. Let me know what you guys think on this one? I'm still not sure how it flies in the modern bonsai convention.

Al

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Carl_Bergstrom

Al,

Right down to the deadwood it bears an almost uncanny resemblence to a big old three-trunk mountain hemlock that I styled last week at a Dave DeGroot workshop last week. The plan is to put it into a crater pot like that one - the problem is that I'm going to have to commission it because the size is unusual. In the meantime, I want to make sure the tree takes - I'm a bit worried about the needle color.

In any event, I'll try to get some pictures to share soon. Dave had a really good idea, by the way - he wouldn't let me leave any jin that didn't flow with the tree. These were removed or bent (with heat or wired while still fresh) into flowing curves that matched the rest of the movement. There are a few jin that could benefit from similar treatment on your tree.


Best regards,
Old Mister

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DavidN

I like the result Al.

jemmick

Wonderfull effect. Imho it is well thought out and seems to indeed be better with both trees togather than seperately. Do you have pictures of both trees seperate. I do humbly agree with OMC's observation about the deadwood. Keep us posted as to it's progress.
Regards,
Jonathan

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Jonathan

Treebeard

I think it looks great Al. It would look greater if the jins harmonised as OMC said.

I wonder if you would consider losing the lowest sweeping branch? It would create a vastly different look, but I'm not sure if it would actually be an improvement... just a thought.

Regards,

TB

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Jay

Al, I agree that it might look better with the jins in one direction or removed. Of course, with only a two D image I might change my mind when seeing the tree in person. I have attempted to do a vert of what i might see for the tree. I only removed the jins...

Jay

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bonsaial1

Jay, I agree that the two on the left will have to go or be shortened waaayyyy back. I think the top one has to stay though. I like the virt, but what I don't like is the unnatural bend that top branch takes after the leader jin is removed. If you did one with the top on, That may make a differance. I think we would have something then.

BTW, I have left all the flaws and jins on for the sake of future study. I will contemplate, work the forum over, and take it to a few study groups to get a majority concensus about what people think has to happen. Thats what is cool about the capability of the internet, you get so many ideas in a short amount of time, and can make rational decisions to the stock with out potentionaly ruining it.

Thanks Bonsai-al

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