Tree of the Day - Tuesday, Nov 15, 2005

TreeBay

This week's TOD submission is a small Kingsville box is 5" tall.

Trained in the Spreading Oak style, it is about 8-10 years old.

Attached Images

repot111405.JPG (46.8 KB, 443 views)

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pootsie

What a charming little tree.

As for strengths, I think that the outline of the tree and the over-all design are very successful. The charm of this tiny tree is certainly enhanced by the choice of pot and display stand, IMHO.

The weakness that I would like to address is the incongruity of the center branch, which is more straight than any other. The arrow-straight branch in the middle of the negative space calls attention -- Hey, I'm not fitting in! Yeah, Me, over here!

I'd love for that branch to have a little more FLAVA.

Also, seeing nebari would be nice -- although I know that with this species the roots are generally fibrous and not suited to big maple or ficus type displays of rootage.

2 cents plus some cat hair,
pootsie

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Ian_Homer

Yes, I agree with the slight observations made by the clever Cat

A very nice combination and one I would gladly have in my collection.

Regards,
Ian.

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Carl_Bergstrom

This is a nice effort. The tree is clearly in the good health; I'm impressed to see a boxwood doing so well in the shallow pot (hopefully this is not simply a recent repot; I've seen kingsville killed by repotting too shallow), and I like the care that has been taken with presentation. I do have a couple of suggestions for improvement, too. For me, a spreading oak tells a story of branches twisting for light and battling against gravity . Much as Pootsie said, that straight branch in the center ruins that particular story for me. Similarly, the slightly over-enthusiastic pruning in the front, along the trunk line makes it seem rather like the "visibile man" at the science museum, with its guts opened up for viewing.

A comment on the photography: By shooting from very close with a wide-angle lens, we've got tremendous distortion, making the rectangular surface stand appear almost oval.

Try shooting from much further back, with a longer lens, so that parallel lines in the composition appear parallel, and straight lines appear straight. See http://octavia.zoology.washington.e...aphy/depth.html

Best regards,
Carl

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weeijk

I agree on the very good health of this boxwood, but dont agree about the styling. The styling of this little one is far from finished imho. To me it looks more like a cutting and clipping thing, than a bonsai. But somethings can change rapidly, cause it has a lot of potential dispaith it all.


I've been photoshopping a little, where I've "cut" away the lowest branch on the righthand side, and changed the plantingangle by about 30 degrees. I dont think this last angle changing is possible, but in a virtual everything can be done.

I think that the box now looks more treelike.

regards W

Note: this is only my view about this little tree, offcourse anyone can disagree.

Attached Images

repot111405.jpg (68.6 KB, 72 views)

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John Dixon

First of all, I LOVE when oaks are emulated. Kingsvilles are great for this purpose.

This bonsai has something going for it that Walter and Mike taught me here on bonsaiTALK - that is open branching that shows a lot of trunk and branch structure towards the INTERIOR. I was lacking in that regard with my earlier efforts, but now I recognize the benefit towards design (thanks Walter and Mike).

My opinion is to keep the initial shape but broaden the canopy and show some horizontal height differences between primary and secondary branching. The "split" of the trunk - if I see it correctly - near the primary branch should be highlighted. I think the whole tree should be moved to the off-set right in the pot. Although oaks aren't known for nebari, I would still try to showcase even a slight root structure, as it adds so much to the perceived maturity of the tree. Ever so slightly lower the soil level on the left. This will be even more necessary when the lowest right branch is sustantially shorten - which I feel should happen. It would be critical to bring a little foliage into view - but at the back - that could be seen through that big void in the upper middle of the trunkline. That would add a lot of depth.

My virtual is an attempt to show this.

Good luck to the owner. Keep up the good work.

John

Attached Images

1132145891_image.jpg (65.1 KB, 68 views)

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andrew lenden

hi, all, My wife is ill today, so i,m at home with the kids. i,ve had a quiet 10 minutes so here goes, please bear in mind i,m in the early stages of being able to convey in words why a tree works or not so as a student of bonsai please feel free to critique my critique if you feel the need. first the positives.1. overall convincing tree like image. 2. Nice pot. does not shout SHOHIN because of its subdued colour and shallowness.3 good oak like movement in some branches.3 nice healthy tree. now the negatives. 1. no visable root crown spoils the image a touch. (give it time?) 2. main branch goes to the viewers right whereas the apex leans left which is a problem not resolved for me by the central placement in the pot. 3. more than Carls problem with looking right into the tree like visable man. i feel the problem is that you can look all the way through it and the tree appears to lack depth. some foliage at the rear might help and convey a picture of a much nearer view oak with the viewer looking up into the structure. 4. that straight branch is too low and too straight. Ideally i,d like a strong rear branch at that point with a minor front branch a tad higher. Anyway heres a virtual of what i am thinking, cheers andrew

Attached Images

repot11140405virt.jpg (38.3 KB, 76 views)

Ian_Homer

Hi Andrew,

Thats looks very nice - perhaps something to achieve in the next few seasons.

I particularly like the more "right offset" trunkline in this virtual, where perhaps the original is a little "too centred".

Regards,
Ian.

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mike_p

Andrew is on the right track here. Good job! The tree was too flat and too bare in the front. What Andrew has done virtually, is achieveable in reality, given time and care.
Regarding the question of a shallow pot for Kingsvilles. They grow roots out of proportion to the top growth, so part of the success in maintaining the tree is repotting more often. Don't be afraid to repot oftener than every year. I've done some 3 and 4 times a year. A good soak beforehand to make it well hydrated is important. Another trick to growing in a shallow pot is to keep the pot in a shallow tray with water just touching the bottom of the pot. Kingsvilles don't mind wet feet. In fact, they may enjoy it.

Mike

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