English Elm raft

I HAVE TO SAY AGAIN This tree is great,,I want it bad!! did you see JUN,S murray raft he posted?? good job take care john

I think this one is less blurred.

Thankyou Shohindude, Pavel and John. I will try and get a better pic for you or maybe a bit of vid if I can work it out.

What a find! Congrats with some envy! And good progression too!

Personally I would like less foliage where indicated so that one can see the beautiful trunk better.

Hello Jaco. The reason you cant see the trunk at that point is the amount of new shoots.

Now removed. I grow deciduous trees for their Winter image so the foliage obstructing the trunk is not an issue for me

Hi Will
i'm in love with this tree .having a few elms myself and find they are the best for bonsai .would you happen to have an update on this tree?

Hello Meagi. I have some updates from the end of last year on this tree. The ramification is improving well now but in order to maintain a good image, the trunks and branches need cutting back now and then. This allows you to gain better character, taper and closer budding. I will use wire as little as possible from now on as clip and grow is a far more convincing way to build trees.


As well as promoting back budding, this reduction will also produce some rapid growth through less branches and rapidly add bulk to the newer trunks and apices. Strong growth lower down will be left for a couple of seasons to act as sacrifice branches. This might look like a huge step backwards from the ramification achieved but Elms develop so quickly and with good feed and a leaf prune in May it wont be far off looking like it does in the first two pics.


The back of the tree.

I am very fond of pots by Gordon Duffett and have a few of my Ulmus in his pots. His antique crackle glazes suit the bark colour and texture very well.
I fancied something different though and having met Erik Krizovensky at Burrs last year, put him to the task of designing a pot for the raft. Erik sent me the rough sketch via email and I was bowled over with his concept. The pot is now half way through construction. Can't wait

Very nice Will! I love the vision for the tree, very natural. just a bit longer of the slab to the left will broaden the landscape scene, IMHO that is.


regards,
jun

Hi will
By far the best if not " the best elm raft " in the world .
Only 1 other raft that I know of and that is in the collection in canberra in Australia
Where I live . I have not seen either in person but before i die that is my long life dream to see yours and the one here in Australia google it if have time you will see what I mean his is a 3 feet plus in length .
I'm off to collect elms this winter and only dream I can find one of these
I have turtle back elms . Something the same it's roots of an elm pushed up by a dozer and the tree is actually growing upside down .
Hard to explain but the roots now are shooting little shoots and the top of the tree has formed roots .
Looks the same as this but not near as big will post a pic next .
Cheers

Sorry don't know how to upload pics pm me your email address and I'll send the to u that way
Cheers

I know exactly the tree you talk of and it's stunning. A way to go before mine gets that refined.

Hi will
Yes that is the one . I was fortune enough to buy one of this mans elms a copy of Colin lewis"s mother and child a dead ringer of the one in Colin Lewis book .paid a hefty dollar for it but is by far the best in my collection .
Standing 950 mm in hight it's a gaint .
Will post a pic of it once I figure out how .
Cheers
Ps if you got and more EE not yet posted could you please love EE full stop !

will baddeley wrote:I know exactly the tree you talk of and it's stunning. A way to go before mine gets that refined.

It's too bushy Will! Your illustration/vision is much better IMHO than this. It got no negative space and for a raft with single dome canopy is not good I think because it will not enhance the majestic power of each tree. Playing with space and dominance of individual trunks with each other is much better than having a single entity. That is where the drama can be perceive.


regards,
jun

jun wrote:

will baddeley wrote:I know exactly the tree you talk of and it's stunning. A way to go before mine gets that refined.

It's too bushy Will! Your illustration/vision is much better IMHO than this. It got no negative space and for a raft with single dome canopy is not good I think because it will not enhance the majestic power of each tree. Playing with space and dominance of individual trunks with each other is much better than having a single entity. That is where the drama can be perceive.


regards,
jun

I totally agree with Jun. Will, your tree will be much better than this one. (no offense to its owner)

I love the tree. I you will permit me one slight observation: The second trunk from the right seems to have a branch that moves towards the first trunk and spoils the movement and flow of the tree a little.

Again, I love it anyway!

Hello Jun and Russell. I understand what you mean with the Australian raft and the lack of separation and negative spaces within the apices. I do admire this tree the way it is styled though, for its natural appearance and fantastic rafted and tumbling base. It reminds me of clumps of trees I see locally to me that appear to burst out like mushrooms on a landscape of seemingly endless arable farmland .

Hello Mambo. The "sickle branch"! Yes it is a bit awkward at this angle. I do have a new front for the tree that is more to the left of centre in the first of the pruned pictures. The branch has a whole different dynamic at the new front and this angle also gives separation between the next branch to the right and the one behind it. I will take a picture in the next couple of days.

Hello Meagi. I have a few English Elms in development.I don't know which you have seen as a lot of my posts are no longer under my name . Here are some direct links to my blog showing their progression so far

http://wildwoodbonsai.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/development-of-english-elm_816.html

http://wildwoodbonsai.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/big-ol-elm.html

http://wildwoodbonsai.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/semi-cascade-elm.html

http://wildwoodbonsai.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/english-elm-raft.html

http://wildwoodbonsai.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/steve-harleyrider-jackson.html

will baddeley wrote:
Hello Mambo. The "sickle branch"! Yes it is a bit awkward at this angle. I do have a new front for the tree that is more to the left of centre in the first of the pruned pictures. The branch has a whole different dynamic at the new front and this angle also gives separation between the next branch to the right and the one behind it. I will take a picture in the next couple of days.
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Phew! It's so difficult to say anything negative about such a stunning piece of material, you never know who's going to have a go.
I might just have to fly over to the UK and make you an offer you can't refuse...... You'll have to ask Kevin Willson to explain what I mean by that!!

As promised, this is more like the angle I will be planting at. Some adjustment to the front branches will be needed but I will do this once leaf pruned in May. The reason being that the first flush of growth is usually very strong and any wire will cut in quickly. After leaf pruning the growth will be slower so I tend to wire then.

Love the angle did not think this tree could look any better !
Once again great job !!!!!

This is a bloody masterpiece! I love the massive curly trunk! Absolutely stunning. The new view is fabulous!

will baddeley wrote:As promised, this is more like the angle I will be planting at. Some adjustment to the front branches will be needed but I will do this once leaf pruned in May. The reason being that the first flush of growth is usually very strong and any wire will cut in quickly. After leaf pruning the growth will be slower so I tend to wire then.

YEP!

Heres the tree in the Erik Krizovensky pot at long last. The picture is just a little to the right of front but you get the idea.

Congratulations Will

The pot and tree is a masterpiece...a real piece of art...Thanks for sharing  
With age will it become even better...I would love to see it in an exhibition now, and again and again as the years go by . 

Kind regards Yvonne