Another Yamadori Hm

Hi folks,
Still laughing at the first one.........if not they I'll add to your mood with another.
The begining; Before - Dec 2008

First restyle - Dec 08 -1/2 way

Dec 2009 - Back - and before the removal last years work to see what happened;

Jan 2010 - Final for now - leave it and let it fill in.....

A long way to go I know....maybe it will never look very good but I'm enjoying the learning experience and not afraid to laugh at my own creations.
Cheers Gman

Gman said "A long way to go I know....maybe it will never look very good but I'm enjoying the learning experience and not afraid to laugh at my own creations."

I love the attitude.
The last picture shows a pretty nice trunk......I'm not sure where you're going with the branching
I think you will have a good tree in a few years.

Thanks for posting.

Do you get a merit badge in knot tying out of these?

Hey Jim,
You bet I did. To get those bends, I was advised to carve a channel along the branch and then inserted a thick wire, then strips of inner tube and then more wire and more wire....pretty crude and doesn't look pretty but it did work and after a year the shape is holding up....however I did guy wire it again to hold it for this year.
Cheers G

Here's a sketch of my vision for the tree.
Cheers G

LOVE THE SKETCH, it isnt me who will look into your'e head though!!

Like the efford taking it the long way, for sure!

grtzz machiel

Hey Folks,
We've had a wet and cold spring (after a long winter) up here in the Pacific Northwest (50th parallel) and the local weather folks have coined a new word to describe it "sprinter"........but its been great for re-potting.
Here's an update on this yamadori “stick in a pot”, it hasn’t given me much grief after the torture I’ve put it through over the years and hopefully it will survive this last one. I’ve anchored it to a large limestone rock.
Over the next few years I’ll remove the soil and exposure the roots that run down (draped over) both sides of the small lower ledge on the front of the rock. I leave it alone this year and re-arrange the branches that wrap around the back and over the top next year.
Cheers G.

Hi Folks,
Here is an update from this weekend. I've removed the first 2 inches off the placstic pot exposing more of the base/shari and upper roots. I'll do this every year or so. The base of this tree shows a really aged look and a story of battling the elements at close to 5000’.
It may look wild to most but I’ll let it run wild with growth so that I know the roots are growing strong and hopefully are adhering to the limestone rock. (p.s. this sucker is heavy - minimum of 4 hands). The lower pot is only a grow pot not the final one.
Comments welcome.
Cheers Graham

Thank you for sharing the progression of this tree. I love the tree and like your idea for the rock. Where did you find the rock?

Todd Ellis wrote:Thank you for sharing the progression of this tree. I love the tree and like your idea for the rock. Where did you find the rock?

Many thanks Todd.
We have a lot of limestone deposits here on Vancouver Island and this chunk came from an area around a small town called Gold River.
I had it as a landscape piece and had always noticed the ledge and like root over rock styles, so when I uncovered the root mass (which was mostly very long healthy roots) I looked for a way of keeping them rather than taking a chance on cutting them all off and perhaps putting the tree under too much stress. I've learned the hard way one has to work on getting them (Yamadori Hemlocks) into a bonsai soil mix slowly.....
Cheers
Graham

This Mountain Hemlock is showing signs (great growth this summer) that it is getting well established after its repot (spring 2011) onto this limestone boulder.  

Some may not like the "wild look" of the foliage pads and they would prefer it with clean refined lines/silhouette (i.e. cut out all the branchlets that hang below the branches, trim the shape to a perfect helmet head – which would be easy with this species)……..however I prefer this look – as it reflects the natural characteristics of Mountain Hemlock and the metaphor of "clouds around a mountain peak" i.e. most clouds having soft undulating edges-with ever changing densities and thin fibrous wisps forming an uneven texture.
I was told many times that one should have a plan (a future image in mind) however as you can see from this thread, I've changed my idea of what I wanted from this tree a few times and it has helped me understand that sometimes you have to go with your gut or as in this case, when inspiration and opportunity presents themselves - go for it  
Comments?
Cheers Graham

Looking good Graham!  

Two years without an update ........... the look is very unconventional - instead of the classic branch arrangement of having all the branch tips pointing skyward so that one sees the underside of all the branches, I've chosen a more wild and wooly look which to me portrays the natural habit of this species and reflects (my metaphor) of clouds around a mountain top.
Sorry for the quality of photos and backdrop but this is a very heavy combination and therefore very difficult to move for a more professional photo
Cheers all friends
Graham

I'd bet it looks great in person. Like a ancient creature from the forest catching sum sun before slipping back into the shadows. And looks like it weighs as much !!!