Development of one of my yews

Hi all,

Up till now I've only been watching this forum and I figured that maybe it's time I'd post some pictures of one of my trees. This is a yew that I have been developing for a number of years now. It started it's life as a bonsai-wannabe during a workshop with Marc Noelanders in july 2002. Here's a before picture:



This is a drawing that Marc made of the trees possible future:



This is the result after the workshop:



The next picture is from april 2004 in a training pot:



October 2004 after a season of growing and pinching:



March 2005 in it's present pot:



March 2007 with more foliage:



September 2008:



March 2009:



Ans the last picture from our club show in may 2009:



It's not quit what Marc predicted but I like it a lot like it is. I hope you do to...



regards, René

Rene Voortwist wrote:
Ands the last picture from our club show in may 2009:

Very nice!

I get stuck when trying to decide how someone would appropriately adjust a tree because ultimately, the one you want to please has already done so much to the tree.

The direction I would go from the last photo would be to open up the bottom 2 thirds, mostly the bottom third, so the viewer can enjoy the movement of the trunk and get the "birds-eye" view through the branches as it moves up the tree. I would remove just enough of the bottom branch on the right (because it hides the movement of the trunk) and one or two places going up the trunk where the foliage hides the seperation of the trunk and the branches. That might be best accomplished through pruning or wiring, it is difficult to decide without running my hands and eyes through the tree.

Other than that, I would pinch it back to highlight and seperate the seperate shapes of the "pillows" of foliage;

and finally, sit back and enjoy your efforts.

Great record of photos.I wish i'd been a bit more vigilant when it came to taking pics. I think Jay is right but more of a gentle thin all over as well, just to lighten it a little. Like the way its got progresively healthier as well, good work.Did cd's work in keeping Blackbirds off your moss?

Yes, it is a nice tree, but you certainly have diverged from the idea expressed in the drawing.

I prefer the final image, looks more like a Yew. The foliage though is too bulky for the size of the trunk maybe?

Is it possible to remove the root crossing over the top on the left side?

Elroy

Hi Rene, wow... you have made great developments with relatively poor material. the final image of the tree is very good indeed. I would define the foliage clouds and make the profile tidier... anything else is a bonus... great tree...I love it

I like what you've done, and the pot complements it well!

Hello René,

I remember this tree from years ago on bonsaitalk

You have done an amazing job with it, I like it a lot. The colour in the last photo is wonderful.

Chris.

Hi All,

Thanks for you replies!!

Jay: I agree that there's to much foliage at the moment. I've been developing the foliage for years and I guess now is the time to start thinning. I have removed all wiring (except some guy wires) and to my surprise most of the branches stay in place. This is a picture I took this morning:



I think in a month or so I'll thin the foliage and do some detailed wiring.
I love your avatar picture by the way. Do you really play these pipes??

Will: There are a lot of cats creeping around my garden and I guess they keep the blackbirds away. If not, the moss wouldn't survive for one day .. I've tried CD's but they didn't help.

Jim: Well, it's more like the tree diverged from the idea.. I sort of followed what it showed me, if that doesn't sound to weird..

Elroy: I don't think so. It has fused with the other roots and the trunk and removing it would involve doing a lot of damage. Besides that, it gives the tree character I think.

Tony: Thanks! I will do that and post another picture in a year or so.

John: Thank you. I remember buying this pot and having to wait for two years before the roots fitted. But now it's in this pot I'm happy I picked it..

Chris: You're right, I posted this on Bonsaitalk a long time ago. Good to "see" you again! How are things? I recently found this picture of you. Remember it?



Best regards, René

Hi René,

I do remember it, there is quite a bit more grey in the beard now though

Good to 'see' you, too.

Chris.