Lurch the Larch

But Will.... you have a fine head of hair in your avatar!


Thanks for the virt, Rich. I am kinda thinking along the same lines as Will though. But I tell what I'm going to do later - I'm going to try a virt with your pot suggestion and the tree as it appears in the pic on page 2 where it is at its current planting angle. That might just make a difference.

Hi Fiona,
Just a thought, which I am sure has occured to you and Marco and I expect there is a very good reason why you both dismissed removing the branch.
I feel the tree is unbalanced in the pots, other than in Walter's virtual, which I think works well, but looks very heavy.
To my eye the tree flows go right to left, but visually at present it's mass is the other direction.
What if you remove the right hand branch?
Would the trunk be up to it? Is it powerful enough or is the lower right hand branch hiding something?
Should it be removed, It might mean creating a small hollow / jin which is a shame, but if created sensitively could work.


Just a thought.

Nice one Jerry. Not bad for a baldie eh Fiona

Not bad for a baldie eh Fiona

I like to think of not being so much bald, but just have a 10+ finger forehead.

Definitely nice one Jerry - both the virt and the quip. I like that pot too.

Hmmm. Something to think over.

Actually, Marco's input to this tree was limited to that one session in 2007, and I don't remember the issue of removing that branch being raised far less discounted. So, I'm open to all suggestions and I like what Jerry is proposing but with the one qualm that it could end up losing a fair degree of individuality.

Will have a right good think about it.

Sorry to bring you into this Jerry but we have to stand strong......Brother.

Hi FIONA,
That did occur to me after I sent it.
Ifeel it would be a mistake to lose what you have at present to make a cute, but less individual tree.
Walter's pot in light weight material?

Will,

Being able to hear and feel the first snowflake sizzle on my slightly bald patch makes me a paid up member and proud of it.

fiona wrote:Definitely nice one Jerry - both the virt and the quip. I like that pot too.

Hmmm. Something to think over.

Actually, Marco's input to this tree was limited to that one session in 2007, and I don't remember the issue of removing that branch being raised far less discounted. So, I'm open to all suggestions and I like what Jerry is proposing but with the one qualm that it could end up losing a fair degree of individuality.

Will have a right good think about it.

Fiona. Sometimes, when you've been custodian of a tree for a long time, a suggested change is difficult to see. Try looking at the posts in reverse, through a mirror. It works quite well.

Boys! Boys!


Keep your hair on!

And the original Jerry..and the original!

G'day Fiona...

You are totally on the right track...Lurch is a wonderful Larch...very, very nice work.

Now, don't go too far out with the pot...I know that you are as much aware of this as I am, but, we don't want the pot to command more attention that Lurch...

Top drawer project you have going here, young lady...

Pat…mounted on my trusty stead, riding off wildly in all directions…

Thanks, Pat. Not sure though - think you may need a visit to your opthalmologist if you are seeing my avatar as that of a "young lady". But since it's you, I'll take it as a compliment.

Anyhoo. Been tinkering about again as there's no footie on the telly. Jerry's pot, Lurch at its original planting angle but with a bit shaved off the long branch at the bottom right.

Comments please.

I love this combination Fiona. The pot colour and texture suit the bark quality, depth of the pot is spot on.

Hi Fiona,
If you are keeping the lower right hand branch the pot to my eye will need to flow left to right. As in Walter's rock planting.
A more traditional pot, IMHO, will always be a compromise in the way you position the tree off centre to give the overall balance to pot and tree.
This I feel would be a distraction for this fine Larch. So with the powerful right hand branch a rock pot, slab or the like will balance without off-setting the tree heavily in the pot and allow a finer balance between container and tree.

I feel a consultation trip to young Mr Pitt coming on.

A with and without and new potting angle for comparison.


I think next collecting season I'll be on the lookout for this larch myself.

Hello Jerry. I agree with tour comments regarding Walters rock planting virt but his rock is very stable, having many points of contact. Fionas Lurch as it stands, is unbalanced. This is not a bad thing as long as the tree appears stable. A pot would be my first choice for that visual stability. Your last rocky bowl looks far too unstable to me.

Jeremy wrote:A with and without and new potting angle for comparison.


I think next collecting season I'll be on the lookout for this larch myself.

I think the second virtual is spot on in every way. Well done Jerry

Fiona,
Lovely larch, it needs nothing but fine tuning and a new pot. Some trees require major redesign, yours does NOT!
Keep these lads with their scissor- happy plans the hell away from this precious beauty! Stay on the same road and grow
with your wonderful Bonsai.

Mark

Mark wrote:Fiona,
Lovely larch, it needs nothing but fine tuning and a new pot. Some trees require major redesign, yours does NOT!
Keep these lads with their scissor- happy plans the hell away from this precious beauty! Stay on the same road and grow
with your wonderful Bonsai.

Mark

Scissor happy eh? If you read my posts I have said what a special tree this is, which ever way it ends up!

Will B wrote:
think next collecting season I'll be on the lookout for this larch myself

HAH! I've just bought an extra-secure Abus lock for the gates. And I'll keep the rottweiler hungry for the duration of the collecting season.

Mark: you wouldn't by any chance be poking fun at the thought of being advised on scissor usage by two different 10-finger foreheaded men now would you?

My own current viewpoint is that I do like Jerry's "scissored" virt - it's just that I've seen numerous trees with that outline but not so many with the shape my tree currently has. Also, while I like the pot alternatives, I'm not 100% taken with any of them - again with the exception of the pot in Jerry's virt. It's a difficult call to make, and in the interim I shall seek inspiration from the fabulous potters. I may very well use my next session with Sensei Steve to come to a decision. No point in winning him for a day in raffle and not putting him to good use.

btw - that bottom branch is in fact two branches. Will post a pic later as I am actually going out into the real world for a few hours.

Fiona, my friend...

Lurch keeps looking better and better...

But now, I would like to see Jerry's second (more upright) virtual WITH the bottom "two branches" intact.

Hope you enjoyed your few hours in the real world...

Pat…mounted on my trusty stead, riding off wildly in all directions…

Thanks Pat. The real world is fine - for a short period of time. Had an enjoyable 25 mile hurl (good Scottish word) down the cycle track and back and am pausing to post these pics before disappearing off for a bath with Edward Abbey (arrived while I was out). That's got the rest of them guessing.

I was wrong. It is in fact 3 branches at the bottom right. Well two really but I'm counting the forked one as two as both parts of the fork are fairly substantial.

Fiona,THE tree looks good in the first pic in the pot. please do not take the right branch off. my opion..john