Conifers
This collected Eastern White Cedar (Thuja Occidentalis) was purchased from Suthin Sukosolvisit in 2016. It is a wonderful old specimen featured in several articles and publications. It is a small leaf variety with fronds that stay nice and compact. This tree was first exhibited at the 1rst US National Bonsai Exhibition in Rochester, NY 2008.
This species is a native of the Northeast US and highly resistant to pests and disease and is extremely cold hardy. Loves plenty of water and sun. Back buds specially at branch forks with ease. Foliage needs to be thinned frequently to keep interior areas healthy.
This tree stands 23" tall from soil level with a 5" trunk. Potted in a Yamaaki unglazed container.
Please click on the image to enlarge and obtain further information about this tree.
01. Eastern White Cedar
September 1, 2018. The tree photographed a week before it was exhibited at the 6th US National Bonsai Exhibition in Rochester, NY. Custom made display stand made by Austin Heitzman.
Thuja as exhibited at the 6th US National Exhibition.
Perfectly at home under bitter cold and snow.
September 1, 2018. The tree photographed a week before it was exhibited at the 6th US National Bonsai Exhibition in Rochester, NY. Custom made display stand made by Austin Heitzman.
This juniper was collected by Andy Smith. The hallmark of this particular tree is its winding trunk with deadwood all along its entire length. Originally it was a semi-cascade but eventually I changed the planting angle for a more upright design.
The styled tree stood 19" from soil level. It will eventually be repotted into a more appropriately sized container.
Please click on the image to enlarge and obtain further information about this tree.
02. Rocky Mountain Juniper
The first styling work completed.The shari needs to cleaned thoroughly and the deadwood whitened with an application of lime sulphur. I left the tree grow out again and in the spring of 2017 I plan in doing its second styling.
Before the work.
Before and after.
The first styling work completed.The shari needs to cleaned thoroughly and the deadwood whitened with an application of lime sulphur. I left the tree grow out again and in the spring of 2017 I plan in doing its second styling.
03. Rocky Mountain Juniper
Collected in 2008 by Todd Schlafer, this Rocky Mountain juniper sat in my garden for almost ten years before any work was done with it. A simple and understated piece of yamadori without dramatic deadwood required a careful look to tease the most out of this tree. Some areas still need further development as the design settles in and matures.
The styled tree stood 19" from soil level. It will eventually be repotted into a more appropriately sized container.
Please click on the image to enlarge and obtain further information about this tree.
One year progress comparison.
The tree before any work was done in 2017. It had been previously pruned but that was the extent of the work done.
Tree as displayed in the garden.
One year progress comparison.
04. Engelmann Spruce
This Engelmann spruce was collected by Loren Buxton which I then purchased from him in the spring of 2017. The raw material offered a tree with several sub-trunks to potentially create a multi-trunk design. The tree was given its first styling in September 2017. I decided to make a three trunk literati style bonsai with several apexes. It order to do so, I needed to bring up two of its trunks with the aid of guy wires. One of the four original sub trunks was removed in order to simplify the tangle web of trunks and branches of the raw material.
Engelmann spruce native to western North America, make wonderful subjects for bonsai. They have small, soft needles that resemble those of the Japanese Ezo spruce.
After the styling work, this tree is roughly 27" high from soil level. Next spring it will be repotted into an appropriate bonsai pot.
Please click on the image to enlarge and obtain further information about this tree.
Before and after, September 2017.
Tree as it looked before the work.
Detail after the styling.
Before and after, September 2017.
08. Bald Cypress
This bald cypress, one of the few deciduous conifers, was purchased from Martin Sweeny in December 2016. He grew it from a simple cutting. The original material appealed to me because of its excellent radial nebari and small, compact size. I originally styled it as a more traditional informal upright tree. But eventually it was redesigned within the same year into a weeping bonsai with a double apex.
The tree now stands 16" tall from soil level potted in a dark blue glazed Reiho container.
Please click on the image to enlarge and obtain further information about this tree.
This is how the bald cypress appeared when it was purchased in December 2016.
09. Subalpine Fir
This tree was collected by Randy Knight and made its way to Mirai Bonsai. I purchased it in 2016, arriving at my garden the following year. I entrusted its first styling to Bjorn who as usual deftly styled it into a multi-trunk bonsai. We previously discussed on best styling approach and settled into a clump style design with a powerful flaring base. The tree's deadwood is unique in that it features on one side damage from a forest fire while the other side is bleached white from the sun. The tree features a powerful base with lots of interesting deadwood which imparts the tree with great character and age.
The tree now stands 17" tall from soil level and currently grown in a wooden box to assist in its development.
Please click on the image to enlarge and obtain further information about this tree.
Tree right after its first styling. Foliage needs to fill in and the pads more clearly defined. It is full of rugged character!
The tree as it appeared before the work.
The tree as placed in the garden.
Tree right after its first styling. Foliage needs to fill in and the pads more clearly defined. It is full of rugged character!
10. Japanese Red Pine
This Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora) was wild collected as a young plant in Japan. In December 2017 it was purchased from artist and bonsai professional Juan Andrade. Since then it has been further developed focusing on its ramification. In July 2019, the pine was completely wired and styled creating several small tiers of foliage in the process. Thanks to timely decandling, needle size has also decreased significantly to improve the overall scale of the image presented.
The tree now stands 15" tall from soil level and potted in an unsigned Tofukuji unglazed container.
Please click on the image to enlarge and obtain further information about this tree.
July 2019 after it was wired and styled.
Detail after styling work, July 2019.
This photo was taken right when it was purchased from Juan Andrade in December 2017.
July 2019 after it was wired and styled.