Small Trident Forest

This is a small trident forest that was started from seed about 10 years ago. At present it is 12 inches tall and in a rare Tom Dimig pot, I say rare because unfortunately he does not make pots anymore.
The first picture is from 2004, the second is from last Spring and the third is from today.
Ken

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Hi Ken,

Nice little forest group and a lovely pot.

The table is very nice too, but I feel it looks a little too tall for this particular planting.

Thank You Kev,
After looking at the picture for awhile, I think You are right about the stand, it also seems to be not quite wide enough for the pot. Stands are so hard to come by and finding the right size and style for a tree is not easy.
In the past I have made some stands to fit certain trees although I bought this one, it is from China.
Ken

Kev Bailey wrote:The table is very nice too, but I feel it looks a little too tall for this particular planting.

What would be appropriate for this display table? Has anyone articulated the standards for choosing a display stand?

What would be appropriate for this display table? Has anyone articulated the standards for choosing a display stand?

Good questions Alan.

I rely on my eye. A deeper, heavier looking pot that is not as wide would fit better. This one appears to be just slightly too wide.

There is a little discussion of the principles in Willi Benz's "Bonsai Kusamono Suiseki" and John Naka's Bonsai Techniques II has a short discussion and many helpful illustrations. Pictorial books like"Classic Bonsai of Japan" and the Kokufu Ten albums also help.

Ken, your work is always neat and tasteful. What keeps bringing me back to look again at this particular group planting, however, is the unconventional arrangement of its center. The primary and secondary trees visually overlap in an almost jarring way - I suspect they're not really touching each other, but viewed from the front the two look co-joined. This unique feature is accentuated by the way the trees to either side of them are almost equally spaced and so similar in trunk caliper to each other, at least in the lower third. The combined effect of all this creates a powerful focal point for the composition of your group. I've come back to this post several times in the last few days to see if anyone commented on that aspect of the planting, expecting you'd draw some criticism for doing something so unusual. Personally, I like it.

Without intending to be snarky, did you do this on purpose? I know I've done some things unconsciously that turn out to be useful revelations. In my view, "happy accidents" are always welcome in the creative process. But if you set up that central configuration knowingly, my hat's off to you for taking a chance and making it pay off.

That is a pretty nice pot, too.

Thank You AJ, I think that it is a little of both, I did want the two main trees close together and as the planting matured they fused at the bases and the whole group changed from what it was when first put it together. You may notice that the in the first picture the two main trees are apart some and much smaller. The group was rotated just a little to change the spacing in the last picture and may change some when it is re potted. When I first put this group together 10 years ago all of the trees were very small 1 year old seedlings and the pot was only 5 or 6 inches wide so not a lot of room to get the spacing just right and the trunks were close to the same size. Some of the smaller trees have been added over the years and it has been up-potted at least 4 times.
Thanks again for Your comments.
Ken

[quote="Kev Bailey"]

What would be appropriate for this display table? Has anyone articulated the standards for choosing a display stand?

Good questions Alan.
I rely on my eye. A deeper, heavier looking pot that is not as wide would fit better. This one appears to be just slightly too wide...

Hmm, I dunno...I think if the pot were heavier or deeper it would overshadow the composition. As judged by the thickness of the pot and its design, it already seems as massive as you'd probably want. I am on a new computer and have just ordered a Photoshop upgrade so can't try a virtual.

John, I may be wrong but I think Kev was talking about the pot stand match and not the pot tree match.
Ken

Maybe...at first, I was unsure myself what he was referring to. Nice stand though!

Yep, I was talking about the pot / stand match. I think the forest / pot match is fine.

This is an update on the forest. It was re potted two weeks ago and is just leafing out.
Ken

Ken - Those fresh green leaves look good, but I guess you had to bring it inside with the recent change of weather! This is an anxious time of year. I don't like the cold, but I want it to stay cold for another month or so to keep my plants dormant. Thankfully, none of mine are actively growing at this point. - AJ

Thanks A J, It has been in our garage for almost 3 weeks now, looks like I can put it outside in a few days.
It is going to be nice for a change.
I am looking forward to seeing You this weekend.
Ken

Here's a picture of this planting that I took back in March on a visit to my friend Ken's place. I meant to post it back then but never did.

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What struck me most about this group when I saw it in person is how small it is. As you can see in the photo, it's balancing on one of Ken's fingers.

Actually, posting this picture now is just a convenient way for me to relay belated birthday greetings to Ken Duncan, who turned 61 at the end of last week. Although he doesn't post much here any more, Ken is still very active in bonsai and continues to produce excellent work. He's a good friend, a talented and modest person, and he could easily pass for being 10 years younger than what he is!

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Happy Birthday, Ken!

Happy belated b day ken I need to get together with you some time in the near future and get some styling advice mabye both john's could join us as well??

Arthur and Seth, thank You for the birthday wish.
Ken

Happy belated Birthday Ken...
BTW, that new hammer drill worked great!!

Thank You John.
I am glad to here You got the job done, I bet the neighbors were glad to.
Ken

Ken - Did you happen to get an autumn color shot of the trident group?

Hi Arthur,
No I did not get any pictures of any of my trees in Autumn color this year. It is rare for me to get good Fall color.
Ken

looking at the picture of the tall stand, my main objection is the fact that the stand is not long enough for the pot. Height of a stand depends very much on how the tree is displayed-i.e. tokonoma display with a companion plant or accessory object(stone,figurine etc.) or 2 or 3 point display. If the tree is displayed with a companion plant or accessory item, it is very handy to have a higher stand, such as the one you used, as you can accommodate a companion plant or accessory item better-companion plants and accessory items should not reach higher than the flat surface of the stand-looking at the later foto on the low stand-it would be difficult to properly display a companion plant or stone,figurine etc., as it would most likely be higher than the stand. A few more guidelines-although I would not characterize them as rules: the height of the stand should not be equal to the height of the pot. Likewise the vertical slats should not be equal to the height of the pot. and there is sooo much more about this topic.
Happy belated birthday,Ken

Hi Kora,
Thank You for the Birthday wish and the sharing of your knowledge of using stands in display.
Ken

Here is an update of this little forest. This is how it looks today.
Ken

Nice Ken,
I love maples when they are showing freshly opening foliage. This is a realistic little forest. Like the pot also.