Another blackthorn

Hi Will (and Bev). That is quite splendid. Many thanks.

It's away from the semi-cascade idea but when I see this, I find myself thinking that isn't such a bad thing.


Now. How much does Bev charge for tuition on Photoshop? I need to get moving on that skill as all I can do is extract outlines and do semi-amusing things like stick the boss's head on top of an elephant and so on.

will baddeley wrote:Someone else will have to sort out a pot...

Anyone care to take him(me) up on this? Lovely potter friends? Photoshop experts?

Pretty please!!!

Come on Lee... We know your there. More the merrier! I'd be interested in your view, as you've studied her in the "flesh", so to speak!!

will baddeley wrote: Come on Lee... I'd be interested in your view

Me too.

will baddeley wrote: as you've studied her in the "flesh", so to speak!!

Just so there is no misunderstanding, he means the tree, dear readers!

Re pot choice, I have always been attracted to the style of pot Jerry used in his wonderful blackthorn ( see it here) but I'm not sure how it would adapt to this particular tree of mine (Will and Bev's styling thereof).

Potting up is of course a long way in the future, and my own feeling is the tree would need to have developed really good nebari to look good in this type of pot. Good nebari seriously lacking at present. Comments?

As much as I dont want to distract from Fionas post. Here's one of my pots, slightly less formal. I apologise for this post but im high on gigabytes.......My hard drive is immense!!!

Yes.... That is me in the background with a full head of hair, shortly before I got involved with computers!!

Have you posted this tree before, Will? I seem to remember the pot anyway. I like the pot a lot, as I do the combination of pot and your tree. But I think using a pot as chunky as that on my tree would not do. IMHO it works because your tree has substantialy more foliage than mine ever will have. I would suspect that that pot would overshadow the tree. Mine needs soemthing a bit more delicate I think.


re the hair: why not get Bev to Photoshop it all back in again! And is it me or is the "you" in that pic not quite a bit younger? Do you have a DeLorean DMC-12?

The reason I posted the pot was more for the texture than the shape. You said you had a semi cascade in mind. Was that what Lee had in mind as well?

The texture on your pot picks up the texture on the bark of your tree wonderfully - in my opinion that is one of the main reasons your tree-pot combination works so well. But, while I can appreciate its contribution to that combination of yours, that particular texture is not really to my taste. I am attracted to the idea of a roughish texture, but not quite like that of your pot. If that makes sense.

Not sure what Lee had in mind. Without putting words into his mouth, I think the issue was there were so many possibilities to choose from. The more I look at your marvellous virt however, the more I am inclined to a more upright upright style.

Thanks again.

Will,

Do you have a picture of this tree without leaves?

I ask because I like it very much and would appreciate the chance to see it's structure.

Regards,
Martin

Hello Martin. I will post a picture of my Sloe's structure but in a seperate thread. Thought more people would have given their opinions, on a way forward for this excellent piece of material. Its not a competition for the best virt, just very interesting to see how different people would treat this multi faceted tree.

Thanks for that Will - it is a good piece of material and I'm looking forward to working with it. Have done my spell of black pines and things furrin and am now coming down more and more on the side of working with Brit trees. Nature gave us a rich treasure trove on our very own doorsteps after all.

re other takers for virts - think it's the weekend syndrome when everyone's got family things to do. Hopefully someone else will take me(us) up on the challenge. And Lee.... we're still waiting!

Well said. I Have been a huge advocate, of our "superb" native species, since the late 90's. For instance, In my opinion, Scots pine,is a better and easier tree than the JBP or JWP,in our environment. Excellent back budding, and more controlled needle length, with the correct feeding/ watering regime.I am lucky enough to have 4 of the truly native caledonian pines! As imports from Asia, have died a death, we need to really start promoting, what is around us!!!

Este es un Ullastre, puede servirte de ejemplo

[quote="Matrix"]Este es un Ullastre, puede servirte de ejemplo

"This is an Olive, it can serve as an example". And a very nice example at that. Thanks for posting.

Indeed it can - it has very similar movement in the trunk to my Blackthorn.

Do you have pictures of it from other sides Matrix?

will baddeley wrote:Well said. I Have been a huge advocate, of our "superb" native species, since the late 90's. As imports from Asia, have died a death, we need to really start promoting, what is around us!!!

Damn right will, European Natives and in particular UK natives are superb for making into bonsai, I have NO imports, the furthest A tree has traveled to get to me is Sicily... and I have yet to over winter the tree.... Its in my workshop out of the wet wet wet Autumn

Tony

will baddeley wrote:Well said. I Have been a huge advocate, of our "superb" native species,

Me too.

I dont really want to jump in on this,seeing as it was one of my babies,and i think once a tree has gone you should let the new owner put there soul into it.
I wouldnt airlayer simply because generally tree's look better with a straight part coming out of the soil and movement further up,at least to my eye anyway.I actually had the pot for this,a ian baillie "kiln disaster" where two turquoise bowls had fell together in the kiln and melted together,the ultimate wabi sabi pot,the beauty of the imperfection is truly a joy.
The tree was going to be a 360 degree tree in a pot with no preferential front(because all are good on both tree and pot).Now for me in normal circumstances tree's must have a front,which they are displayed to the viewer at so with that in mind i was going to persuade doug mudd to make me a rotating turntable.
Because it was going to be a 360 degree tree the foliage would have had to be very simple and BALL like,but i think the joy of the all round movement would have made the simplistic foliage outline forgotten.
The bottom line is though i can do this,i collect my tree's and as such you are not bothered at having oddities in your collection,because there has'nt been a unit of currency exchanged for them other than blood sweat tears(and the odd hernia!)

here is a virt of approx what i'd have done,it would have looked similar all round,this would only have involved one cut to a branch to lower it by 30 degrees and growing on and maybe some thread grafting.

Thanks to Will for translating my words.

I understand Fiona, but I do not have others photos of the tree

Please pardon my writing but I do not speak English and I help myself with a translator

Carved my literati blackthorn today.

Lee Kennedy wrote: here is a virt of approx what i'd have done. It would have looked similar all round,and would only have involved one cut to a branch to lower it by 30 degrees and growing on and maybe some thread grafting.

Very many thanks for that, Lee. I now think the answer lies somewhere between your vision and Will's. As stated way back in the thread, I'm not in a hurry to do any sort of styling and a fair degree of the final style decision will of course be made in light of what happens growth-wise over the next year or so.

Thanks to everone for their contributions. Hope the beggar dosn't go and die on me now!

will baddeley wrote:Yes.... That is me in the background with a full head of hair, shortly before I got involved with computers!!

i can confidently say that when you were that young Will computers were not about and the images would have been in black and white! ha ha nice tree though

Finished the virtual late this afternoon but was called back to work, to take someone to A and E. Hope Peter does'nt mind but I borrowed one of his pots for your tree Fiona. Unfortunatly I seem to have cut the bottom of the pot off... Bugger!!