ulmus parvifolia trained as a juniper...restyle

Hi Evan

You have a good point. I will think about it...have to

Kind regards Yvonne

Thanks to Darios reply, did the topic wake up, out of the current dormancy
I recived some usefull design suggestion for the future crown, witch gave me food for thoughts.
I have pruned the tree for the winter

As you can see, am I keeping my tall slender tree design, at least for now...the apex is still like a round ball... but the first and second branches was now strong enough to be given a direction, the same as the roots....doing my best, not to make a windswept tree.

to remove the 2 branches in the top, and only keep the first 3, is a very good suggestion, and it may be the future design, as the apex in the futuret will be quit fragile in strong wind.

To prepare, am I growing the orange branches on third branch stronger, they  can later take ower as apex, or just just be a part of the design as it is now.


the backside

Kind regards Yvonne

On another thread, I mentioned consistency in a theme- in that case, 'struggle' also. While someone made the point that a tree can recover from a period of struggle (hope that's true for all of us ), it is obvious in your tree that the shari is a major focus and that a lush tree that has recovered begins to hide its scars under the growth. One or the other- struggle or recovery- will dominate. All that blathering is to say that I agree with Evan about continuing the theme of struggle in the foliage as well, because I like this great shari that has so much to say.

David

Many thanks for your input David

I also like the short version with the jin running through the crown,but to keep it a struggling tree is not easy, as it then only have 3 Places from were branches grow, and to keep theese branches short and open, will make the tree struggle for real, and not only in the design....and if I keep the branches low and dense, will it again be the same kind of tree I started up with, and the headline will then again, say what it is...

I feel more and more for the short version, and during winter or next year, do I think I take the step, also because I am beginning to feel inspired to make something nice out of the jin in the top....but it will be a recovering tree I make...hopefully open and natural, not a bonsai-bonsai...will try to keep it to the struggleside, and not tall .

Kind regards Yvonne

Yvonne, Ive been following this trees progression, I like your projects

I was interested to know, after you did the initial carving on this tree, did you treat it with anything, did you use a burner to harden the wood?
and finally, have you been treating the deadwood since its started to callus over? Ive been doing some carving work on a Chinese elm and was just interested, thanks..

Hi Bobbylane

I am happy you enjoy the progression of the tree...I do too, I like the challenge...one thing is to find a goal, and the next thing is to carry it out...it is online progression, not a look back on a project I allready knew succeded...

I used a burner to smoothen the wood, and to remove toolsmarks, if it hardens the wood, do I not know of this, and it is something new to me...have not yet treated the wood, as I want it to decae into something older I like before treating it with woodhardener.
The tree happily throw out callus now, but I dont know if it will stop doing so, if the wood is treated, and just grow thicker insteadt...My Juniper does that, but this is a another specie, with other growinghabits.

Maybe someone can give the information

Kind regards Yvonne

Thanks Yvonne, well your tree seems to be healing over quite well, this gives me more optimism for my freshly carved Chinese elm, ive just carved and burnt the wood and ordered some natural deadwood preserver. but, after reading this, i wont use the preserver just yet, ill let the tree weather naturally, but will keep it out of the flow of rain on my balcony for now. actually, ive ordered this natural wood preserver from kaizen and he recommends to use the product on seasoned deadwood in the spring and summer months when the wood is completely dry. so ill wait

Hi again, i was wrong, the burning doesnt so much harden the wood but oxidises, gives it the weathered look and helps to remove tool marks as you already know.

I think the wood will sooner look old, and still have "healthy" deadwood just underneath the surface, if you water it on regular basis....and there by will the wood sooner be ready for treating with woodpreserver.

Just like a beef...cook it hard, and it will very fast have a finished surface, and be completely raw inside....cook it slowly, and the beef will cook/ brake dawn all the way through.

From suiseki I learned water is the most important ingredience for ageing the surface of the stone...mutch more important than sun....a winter with a lot of rain, and no frost age more than a summer with full sun...it is the same with wood.

I learned this is what the first samurais found out...regular watering aged the stone...could it be this is why suiseki ( waterstone) became the name in the first place?...and later did the philosophi taker ower...not unlikely, as many names comes from the doing in the first place.

Kind regards Yvonne

Hi Yvonne thanks,
So basically, dont be afraid to let the newly carved wood get wet? My trees are on my balcony, but i took this particular tree out of the flow of rain, for fear of the water rotting the wood, the wood on Chinese elm isnt as tough as other deciduous trees, ive seen some carved Chinese elm online, but not many. Ill take your word for it though as your tree has healed up well

Yvonne, I recently attended a bonsai display, and thought of you and your tree when I saw the following:
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I understand the stance that a conifer looks rough-hewn and desirable with deadwood while a deciduous tree is considered to be diseased, dying. This tree might challenge that a little bit. I think your concern of health for your tree in the long haul is valid, however, and I personally would tend to that first.

Regards, David

Hi David

Yes Health comes first....no Health, no tree to work on, simple

It is a interesting tree you show us ... with a lot of movement to it...looks nice.
In the big picture I see a connifer of some kind with the branching and deadwood...getting close, it is a broadleaf, and I....
A lot of deadwood may not really belong on a broadleaf, and the way the branches grow up, makes a diffrence.
If I end up keeping  a ten-jin and only 3 branches on my tree, will the crown owergrow it with time...

I am planning to add a little carving to the deadwood during winter, ( make it more interestin), but the deadwood may end up, as something you will have to look for in the tree, no matter witch model I use...3 or 5 branches.

Kind regards Yvonne

A year has gone....the tree is doing well, the backside has become quit pretty and treelike, now the branches is growing more into becomming a apex...it will take a Little longer in the front, but the right side is getting there, the left side is slower

Now, just pruned...the tree need to have some green in the front, I may know what to do...but ideas are welcome


A year ago

Kind regards Yvonne