Mountain Hemlock Redesign—
Fronts are personal decisions.
Fronts can also be a reminder of how dumb we were last year. Which relates to the previous statement.
But front choice gives us a chance to highlight what we like about a tree. And this week’s example is one of a changed mind.
For some years I convinced myself—and a fair number of others—that the first front of this Mountain Hemlock was a good one. If you prefer that front, I could hardly disagree. Though this year I am of a different mind.
The owner of this Hemlock gave us the thumbs up to repot it at a new front.
This is the original front for this marvelous Mountain Hemlock owned by a student / client and collected by the great Anton Nijhuis. The tree has both big movement and little movement. For a time, I was convinced that for this tree, big movement was the deal. And from this front, that’s all you see.
The key branch is an annoying pocket branch. Some pocket branches I like, but not this one.
After a few years I tired of this front. It’s just a bit simple.
This is the new front. It has a better base, and I feel the trunk line is less simple, more engaging, and corrects the tricky problem of that pocket branch.
Being a yamadori, often we have no choice but to use old branches if they are the only ones there, and while we can move them, we can’t change where they come from.
It does need some light branch adjustment, but from this front, the pocket branch doesn’t “read” as one. And, the wiggle of the trunk is dancing a bit more.
The first post about this Hemlock—including old photos—shares the back story.
April 2024 Bulletin Board
- The bonsai return to the Portland Japanese Garden this month, on April 17th, featuring several stand-out bonsai leant by the Pacific Bonsai Museum, Dan Robinson, and David DeGroot. If you visit, don’t miss the hidden secret bonsai garden up behind the gift shop building—walk up the stairs and through the glass doors—one of my favorite quiet spots, in a garden full of such places
- Check out the upcoming Aesthetics Course co-taught with Andrew Robson, which has a couple spaces left—really looking forward to this unique class over the weekend of April 27-28th
4 Comments
Hmmm… I like the new front, I wonder about the placement of the first branch though.
Yes, that’s what I meant about branch adjustment. No adjustment has been done so far, and there are a few on the left side that need it too.
The more front is much more engaging, and exciting! Excellent change – so glad the owner agreed with you.
Why not raise the pocket branch up level with the rest of the tree and integrate it into the triangular shape of the apex on the original front?