Sometimes I work on nursery trees, sometimes I work on client’s trees……and sometimes if I’ve been a really good boy I get to work on my own trees. Hopefully these regular visits will give you an insight into what goes on behind closed doors……….
Studio Stories – Newstead Four Demo Tree
This Pinus Sylvestris was originally collected on the Alps. In September 2010 Danny Use selected this tree as part of his demonstration material for the Newstead Four Bonsai Extravaganza.
The tree was originally very tall and straight. Danny used raffia and aluminium wire to seriously reduce it’s height to make a more compact tree by introducing some very tight bends in the tall straight trunk.
During the past four years the tree has been encouraged to grow strongly but then pruned back to create back budding and a more compact denser foliage canopy. The first picture above was taken in October 2013 whilst the second two pictures were taken in December 2014.
The wire had been removed from the branches but the original raffia and wire still remained on the trunk. This raffia and wire was now removed. A remaining straight section of trunk was made into a jin. The foliage canopy was pulled in tighter to the trunk by a short guy wire.
Some branches and older needles were removed. The tree was then totally rewired. The branches are then repositioned to create a neat taller triangular canopy in harmony with the trunk.
This tree has developed well over the years and hopefully is heading towards the image Danny had in his mind when he made the original styling. With judicious pruning in the seasons to come we should be able to make the canopy even more dense and compact.