A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF "THE ELEPHANT" LARCH.

[quote="ybonsai"]Hello Hans,

I really like what you did whit this great larch!
Well done!

Allso great bark, nice nebari and nice cascading movement.


Only a few things that in my opinion would improve the tree.
If you would make the tree a little more compact on the right and a little in front of the trunk , the trunk looks more bigger.
Allso if you place some keto againt the root on the left and the trunk it would help to , you allso can place a fern between it.

What do you think?

Best regards,
Yannick

Hi Yannick,
I see what you mean about the compactness. But now at the end of the growing season the foliage is excessively long and that makes the tree looks real fluffy. And I am afraid that I am going to need that weight of that right branch for balance, when the tree is planted in a much smaller pot. Than the cascading branch will probably pool the tree to the left?! We will see next year when he is hopefully repotted in a nice pot! Than I can always make it shorter! And every new wiring session that is planed for the next couple off years will be aimed towards making all the foliage more compact.
Now about filling up that space under need that left root, were the ground is eroded away. To be honest, I find that one of the main attractions of this tree. It fits the story of the rest of this roots base, were more of those exposed roots can be seen. So I do not consider it a fold that needs to be hidden. It would only draw attention to the fact that I wanted to hide something. But that is my vision and you are perfectly welcome to yours! But I do hope that in the future you will have a look at this tree, so we can compare our thoughts from close up!
Tanks for you comments,
Cheers,
Hans van Meer.

Thanks you guy's for all your virts! It is going to be a real challenge to find a fitting one for this tree! There is a large root clump under need this tree that needs to be dealt with as well! I will keep you all posted!
Cheers,
Hans van Meer.

Hans van Meer. wrote:Now about filling up that space under need that left root, were the ground is eroded away. To be honest, I find that one of the main attractions of this tree. It fits the story of the rest of this roots base, were more of those exposed roots can be seen. So I do not consider it a fold that needs to be hidden. It would only draw attention to the fact that I wanted to hide something. But that is my vision and you are perfectly welcome to yours! But I do hope that in the future you will have a look at this tree, so we can compare our thoughts from close up!

Could you please show us some close-ups of the root base.

Nik Rozman wrote:

Hans van Meer. wrote:Now about filling up that space under need that left root, were the ground is eroded away. To be honest, I find that one of the main attractions of this tree. It fits the story of the rest of this roots base, were more of those exposed roots can be seen. So I do not consider it a fold that needs to be hidden. It would only draw attention to the fact that I wanted to hide something. But that is my vision and you are perfectly welcome to yours! But I do hope that in the future you will have a look at this tree, so we can compare our thoughts from close up!

Could you please show us some close-ups of the root base.

Sure!



Cheers,
Hans van Meer.

Hi Hans

How about something like this -



Cheers

Vic

We will see next year when he is hopefully repotted in a nice pot! Than I can always make it shorter!

Hans,

I see you refer to the Larch as a he (male) As a flowing semi cascade with delicate needles should it be a she (female)? albeit that she's a tough old bird with bark like that

It's funny how we refer to different trees as different genders. I have a Yew I call 'Old Joe', named after an Uncle who passed away. (got tree from his garden) Problem is it's a feminine image and it never seems right to call her Joe

Sorry, Pointless conversation, but one I find amusing

Gwyther wrote:Hi Hans

How about something like this -



Cheers

Vic

OOOOH if only!!! Even if the pot you used was a bit bigger, this one is to small, it would be imposible to fit the large root base in a pot with this shape and size! But your choice of pot sure tickles some boxes with me!
Cheers,
Hans van Meer.

Here a virtual from me

[quote="Hans van Meer."]

ybonsai wrote:Hello Hans,

I really like what you did whit this great larch!
Well done!

Allso great bark, nice nebari and nice cascading movement.


Only a few things that in my opinion would improve the tree.
If you would make the tree a little more compact on the right and a little in front of the trunk , the trunk looks more bigger.
Allso if you place some keto againt the root on the left and the trunk it would help to , you allso can place a fern between it.

What do you think?

Best regards,
Yannick

Hi Yannick,
I see what you mean about the compactness. But now at the end of the growing season the foliage is excessively long and that makes the tree looks real fluffy. And I am afraid that I am going to need that weight of that right branch for balance, when the tree is planted in a much smaller pot. Than the cascading branch will probably pool the tree to the left?! We will see next year when he is hopefully repotted in a nice pot! Than I can always make it shorter! And every new wiring session that is planed for the next couple off years will be aimed towards making all the foliage more compact.
Now about filling up that space under need that left root, were the ground is eroded away. To be honest, I find that one of the main attractions of this tree. It fits the story of the rest of this roots base, were more of those exposed roots can be seen. So I do not consider it a fold that needs to be hidden. It would only draw attention to the fact that I wanted to hide something. But that is my vision and you are perfectly welcome to yours! But I do hope that in the future you will have a look at this tree, so we can compare our thoughts from close up!
Tanks for you comments,
Cheers,
Hans van Meer.

That's true.
I would like to have a look at your tree in the future and compare our thoughts!

Best regards,
Yannick

Ian Young wrote:

We will see next year when he is hopefully repotted in a nice pot! Than I can always make it shorter!

Hans,

I see you refer to the Larch as a he (male) As a flowing semi cascade with delicate needles should it be a she (female)? albeit that she's a tough old bird with bark like that

It's funny how we refer to different trees as different genders. I have a Yew I call 'Old Joe', named after an Uncle who passed away. (got tree from his garden) Problem is it's a feminine image and it never seems right to call her Joe

Sorry, Pointless conversation, but one I find amusing

I know,
I have some realy silly names for some of my trees as well! I probably call this one a he because I named it the "Elephant" because of the large tusks and the trunk like cascading branch. And I think that I associate a Large elephant more with a he than a she?!
Cheers,
Hans van Meer.

Virt
Greetings Ed

Ed van der Reek wrote:Virt
Greetings Ed

ED, are you on some kind of medication that I dont know off ? If so, could you get me some!
Cheers,
Hans van Meer.

Yes I do,I am on experimental German medicine's
Greetz Ed

Great virtual Ed....Keep taking the Palls.....I mean pills.

I think Gwyther was on the right track...Although it might be impossible due to the size of the root base, it's still ok to dream

Hi everybody,
yesterday I made a picture of the Elephant in it's Autumn colors. I raised the soil level to were it will be when the tree is placed in it's future pot and than placed a test piece of rock in between the two exposed frond roots to see how that would look. I still belief that the exposed roots on this tree are such a important part of what this tree is. A tree that lives high up a mountain side. Its branches forced down wards from the heavy snow and its mighty roots exposed by the eroding ground, that is washed away every year when the snow melts. I realy believe that his roots are the soul and proof of this tree struggle and I always felt that i should try to style the tree wit these roots exposed! And its looks so much better in real live than it those in any picture! But I do know that the root base will look more powerful and wide with that hole in between those root closed. But I still feel that I would be trying to hide a fold or mistake, were I feel there is non! But any way I tried it.
This small rock is just a piece that fitted more or less in the opening. I just want to get a idea of how it looks!


What do you think?
Cheers,
Hans van Meer.

Hi Hans,

The Elephant is looking good! I think that with a well-fitting rock in the gap it will enhance the feeling you are trying to create, and add stability to the root base. The tree is growing on a rocky hillside and as the soil erodes away the roots are exposed, and this root is growing around a rock that has been there forever.

Roger

Hans, this is a great bonsai, no doubt. It has this certain feeling that I do not have the words fore. And that makes its special.
The stone solution in the gap between the roots will be fine with a darker stone maybe, that blends in with the bark colour.

Another solution is to let the gap be open, not hiding the "fault". Maybe the tree looses some of its character without this "fault", that is an important part of the Japanese wabi sabi approach in bonsai; imperfectness adds the natural detail to the picture. Placing the stone low in the soil in the gab, leaving open space above the stone, may explain why the roots are growing above it as soil has eroded over time, leaving the gap and the stone in the ground.

Best regards
Morten

Hi Hans,
the elephant is coming along nicely
Why a stone in the gap, leave it or maybe fill it with some soil and plant a small accent in the gap, maybe a fern would look nice.

Peter

Often a stone between the roots is seen as a stopgap to hide a fault. But i think it isn`t, especially trees in the high mountains often have these stones. And related to bonsai a stone can give a good advice to the origin of a tree and can make a bonsai look more natural and evocative.
In this case i would set another very discreet looking stone behind the roots. So it might look like the roots have grown over a bigger stone and not like a little stone stuffed into a hole.

A real "Killer Tree"

regards,
Marco

Hello Hans. Filling in the gap with a stone improves the power of this already very powerful tree in my opinion. The stone improves the anchorage and enhances the buttress. Great work dude.

I do understand the view "without the stone", but I take stone too. If "with stone", I think Marco Merschel hit the nail on the head.

I would prefer Peter's idea of moss and possibly a fern. Personal taste.
I would really prefer it if it was my tree and my choice to make I would to own this beautiful tree.

OMFG!

How have I missed seeing this stunning tree before now? Hans, if I hated you before for the stunning material you have, I absolutely despise you now! Quite simply the best Larch I have seen to date, and beautifully styled. On the stone/no stone issue, my preference is for no stone. I agree with you when you say that the exposed roots help to tell the story of this tree's battle against the elements. If anything, I think a small fern or unusual moss would be enough, as long as it didn't obscure the gaps too much.

Excellent work on excellent material, Hans. As usual.

To be honest Hans, I like the strange suspended root. The base is already very thick; if you add a fern or a rock to the gap, in my opinion it would 'overpower' the tree.