Looking back….we can tell a tree’s story…..admire an image…..capture a moment…..remember a special event…..be inspired – to create a memory for tomorrow.
I hope you enjoy this regular peep into some of John’s bonsai history.
Memory Lane – Brief encounters with a few White Pines
Thousands of bonsai have passed through our hands over the years, some you remember, some you forget. Looking through one of my old files the other day I came across some Japanese White Pines we had sold during the earlier years of “the noughties”.
They are quite a mixed bag really but a good random sample of some of the trees it has been our pleasure to meet. Some of the trees have before/after pictures where work was carried out either before or after they were sold.
The first tree pictured above was a huge bonsai that had to be totally wired with many heavy branches also having to be moved using guy wires and turnbuckles.
The first tree pictured above was also a bit of a beast requiring similar severe wiring treatment ……I remember them well! The other pine here was of exceptional quality. A very large mature and dense branch was removed from around the grafted area after much deliberation.
The first pine above is a Zuisho White Pine, a small needle variety. The pictures show the tree after it’s first styling.
The first pine above still visits us from time to time on workshops……it’s nice to keep in touch. The other pine had excellent potential to be styled in the literati form and make a classic Japanese image.
Look carefully at the bark on the first pine above…this tree is much older than you think. People insist on pinching candles early…..not here….just look how strong and healthy these commercial white pines were in picture three.
The first pine above is the most expensive white pine I ever sold. This tree came from a private collector in Japan and was extremely well refined. It was an old tree and also a good size….not too big for us old’uns!…….sometimes wish I still had him. The middle pine was pictured after being styled on a workshop. What an exciting piece of raw material in the final picture.
It’s great to sell trees, it’s what we are here for …..but when you look at the pictures above and think wow….if they were all here today….. but then again as my wife keeps telling me ……”you can’t keep them all!!!”