And yet another Kingsville

mike_p

This is the last one for awhile. Pictured is another version of a post from back in September, 05. Below is the link to that post.
http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/showthread.php?t=14329
Sauce made a good critique of the tree at that time.
Hey Sauce, if you like, have at it again

Mike

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soonami

I wonder if you wouldn't let me try a critique and a couple virts.

Pot, good color, but it looks big right now. It is a good fit for the tree so maybe if you grew the tree bigger it would look better together

Roots, raising the soil like and filling in the nebari with soil makes the tree look better anchored and hides the imperfect trunk to root proportion

Trunk, slight inverse taper due to the many branches at the top of the trunk. The many branches with the large roots makes the trunk look weak. If you were to cut one of the bar branches then it would give better taper

Branching, the lower left is a bit bare and thin, but better than before. You can cut the branch shorter and hope for back budding or you could just open up the top to push some energy to the lower trunk. And the 2nd and 3rd bar branching needs to be remedied

Crown, the top right branch looks out of place and disrupts the apex of the tree.

I have two virts, one, which has more done, and the other that keeps the structure of the tree mostly intact

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sauce

Hi Mike, Thanks for inviting me back, I take that as a compliment. I've been studying the new front since you posted it and it certainly looks better IMO. But first I have a question. The original front showed a lower right branch almost as thick as the trunk. Was the new lower left branch hidden behind another branch that was removed? Or are my eyes playing tricks on me? I really like what you have done with the new front especially taking care of the 'C' shaped branch. There appears to be some good backbudding happening. I think if the lower left branch fills in more you could maybe take an inch or so off the end of it. As it is it just looks too long to me. The foilage on the second and third left branches meld together, maybe it would look better if the tip of the third branch could be bent up or the second could be bent down enough to put a little space between them. I think the crown, given time to fill in will look good. The more I look at this new front the more I like the bar branches. It's almost as if they fit this tree. Maybe they add a bit of masculinity to it? I have another thought too. What about removing the lower branch altogether and give it an oak look If it were me I would plant it a little deeper but that is just my personal taste. I still like that pot, alot. Was it made in the states? Or is it Japanese? Thanks for taking the time to listen to and put up with a beginner! BTW I've got a new "Morris Midget" I'll start working on next spring, hopefully you won't mind if I hit you up for some tips and suggestions.

mike_p

Soonami and Sauce, I'm happy to see that you guys, although relatively new to bonsai are posting good critiques and virtuals. Keep up the good work!
Soonami, regarding the crown, it will fill in given time and achieve a long and rounded outline which adds to the mature feeling of the tree. Regarding the roots, there's a difference between nebari and the trunk raised on the roots.
Sauce, regarding the first left branch, I like it long in this case as is appears more dynamic than if it was shorter. The pot is a Tokoname "signature" , and was quite expensive for it's size, 8 3/8" X 5 7/8" X 2".

Mike

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sauce

Deep down I felt that it was probably a very expensiveTokoname. I appreciate your encouragement. Thanks Mike!

bonsaial1

Hi Mike. I like the Kv's you post and was wondering if you could answer a question for me. Did you get these boxwoods from Henderson's some years ago? If you did, I hope they are true Kv's. The new owner of the nursery took over 5 years ago, Chuck Swift, and he died recently.

His son is working the nursery now and uncovered many of the old Kv's that had been grown over by other stock. They have been recently identified as Holman's dwarf. So much like the Kv that it is hard to tell the difference. I though I had all Kv's till mine too were identified as Holman's. I will post a picture of one that I have been working on for a while. In fact if you look thru the TOD recently, I posted the one in the small green flat pot. Oak style that is doing fine and will get a third pruning in two weeks.

As far as the tree you have posted here. I love the shape of the tree and especially the left branch sticking out of the canopy. This reminds me of some of the work the Master's do with Zushio pines. My only critque is why the trunk seems planted so high. The roots seem to have the "claw" effect and could be corrected by planting the tree just a wee bit lower.

See ya in Santa Nella, Al

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mike_p

Hi Al
"buxus microphylla" in all it's variations sure causes confusion among lots of people. The original "Kingsville boxwood" was discovered by nurseryman Sam Appleby in Kingsville. Md. around 1912 as a sport on a Korean boxwood. Appleby propagated these sports as the Kingsville box.
Henry Hohman took over the nursery when Appleby died and continued to propagate both the original and sports. Evidently one sport from the original sport he named "buxus microphylla compacta, Hohmans Dwarf. If I understand the story corectly, what you have has a direct line to the original.

When I was buying and selling Kingsvilles, I bought all my stock from Col. John Hinds, Ret. of Seattle. John was the major propagator and grower of Kingsvilles on the West Coast. He knew Henry Hohman, and that was the source for his original stock. John said that the original stock from which he propagated were decended from the original Kingsville. I have no reason to doubt this, and believe that mine are true Kingsvilles for the most part. I have one sport that's called "Curlylocks" because of the shape of the foliage. It is a decendant of the original.
Some of the reading you can do on this subject will refer to "seedlings". This can't be, as the sports don't flower or produce seed. Rooting cuttings is the only possible way to propagate.

"Kingsville boxwood" seems to have become a generic term for any dwarf variety boxwood, much as "coke" for any cola drink.

Mike

__________________
Bonsai is not a hobby.
Bonsai is a way of life.
MP@BBB Studio

There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way
Gautama Buddha