A bonsai with a "Twist"

The tree in my feature photo is a tree that I bought about two years ago during December 2016. I was on my way home from my in-laws. I drove past a nursery a few times a year to and from my in-laws so I decided to pop in. Was not a big nursery but there where a few plants and trees. Now I don't know if you noticed but small nurseries around suburban areas are closing there doors due to the huge hardware store now adding gardening departments to their stores. These department has trees and plants in bulk and it's in the middle of town so why not grab a tree while you are there shopping for other things. This is killing the small privately owned nurseries.

I always look for these types of nurseries as they have trees of all sizes and more often than not there are great potential in trees as they do not get the attention they need. Most of these nurseries are under staffed so do not expect service with a smile. If you see something you like you will have to haul it to the cashiers counter yourself and load it in you car. I like these types of nurseries as every now and then you see people that are so use to being served that they get frustrated then they have to carry their own plants to the car. As karma would have it there is always something that falls... Smiley face. By this time the guy has had it with this shopping experience and lashes out and blames his partner cause he did not want to stop there in the first place.

Anyway that was a bit off topic. I bought the tree not knowing what I wanted to do with it. I was R50 what a bargain. When I got home I realized that the tree was to tall and that all the branches where far away from the trunk. I then remembered reading in a book long ago that there was a style that was discontinued that was the predecessor for a cross between Literati and Nebikan. Many year before bonsai became popular some artists spend their creativity to style trees in the shape of Japanese characters. Most of these trees where discarded or restyled as it was seen as cruel and did not betray the more natural feel that we now have come to see as the new norm.

If you look at this tree by normal standards it looks like a bad bonsai tree. I have trimmed and wired the tree every year for the pass few years. So it is coming along very well. I trimmed the tree again this morning here is a short time lapse of this process.

The tree is doing great and the foliage is much healthier than the day I bought it. The tree is budding back now so hopefully it will get more growth closer to the trunk so that I can make pads closer to the trunk.

Not every tree has potential as a bonsai when you look at the tree with only the five basic bonsai styles in mind. Spend the winter to brush up on the other styles. As there are way more then informal uprights.

Hope you enjoyed the blog. Please feel free to leave you comments below.

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