PICTURE OF A 1 EURO FICUS, BOUGHT AT A SUPERMARKET, SOME 19 YEARS AGO!

Hi everybody,
some 19 years ago, in my early Bonsai years, I bought in our supermarket a less than a pinkie thick small Ficus for less than a Euro. I thought it could neatly grow with his roots over a moon rock that I had bought that afternoon at our local garden center for 5 Euro. Not realy realizing that that process would last almost two decades in our cold climate. Because of our cold nights, even in summer, this Ficus has to spends 8 months indoor, were it stands under a large window in my loft.It is all very unpractical, but it is one of those trees that you just keep on working on for sentimental reasons!
Last week I felt strong enough to lift this heavy combo down into my garden to finally give it it's next styling. I removed all the foliage and than, spread over two day's, wired the whole tree. Were it comes to the main branch placement, I have made some obvius beginners mistakes in those early years of styling. But even though, I do like the deciduous feel and look of this new image. 19 years, I think that this would have taken no more than 4 or 5 years in Thailand or Indonesia! But that is no reason to not try things every now and than!




Above: 1993, two years after planting on the rock.



Above: The year 1999.



Above: The tree today. 75cm/30inch high. I know it took use a long time, but I am glad I kept on going with this one! After all these years it is coming quit near to the image of the temple trees in "Angor Wat" Cambodia that I had in mind when I started this project!





Cheers,
Hans van Meer.

Hello Hans, it's uly boy again!.I take it th Fig has moved elsewhere? It's interesting to swee the relationship between tree and rock change so much in such a short timespan. The rock appears to get smaller.

will baddeley wrote:Hello Hans, it's uly boy again!.I take it th Fig has moved elsewhere? It's interesting to swee the relationship between tree and rock change so much in such a short timespan. The rock appears to get smaller.

Will, I had to chuckle at your Avatar picture. Very clever.... wise old sage.
Salut, Todd

Very impressive progression.
Great work.
Jerry
www.bonsaihunk.us

Hi Hans,

I think this is superb progression, congratulations! A real inspiration given the starting material - time, patience and skill.

Congratiulagtions again.

Jonny.