Designing A Bonsai Tree
When it comes to designing a Bonsai tree there are certain principles you may want to think about. It is not just the tree that you need to think about, but also the container that the tree will be put into and the relationship between the Bonsai tree and the Bonsai pot. The look of a tree can be ruined by a pot that is not in keeping with the tree.
Nebari
As the roots develop on a tree we try to expose some of these roots so that they can be visible above the soil surface. You are looking for a good spread of roots in all directions,but this does not mean that the root spread needs to be symmetrical. So long as the roots look interesting and well balanced then the tree will look good. It is possible to select which roots will be developed above the ground to compliment the overall flow of the tree. The above tree has exceptional root structure and was created by a Japanese nursery.
When it comes to the trunk of a tree there is no right or wrong style. Some trees will be formal upright whilst others will twist and turn throughout. The overall goal of trunk movement is to get good taper throughout the tree. So we are looking for a fatter base to the trunk that gradually gets thinner throughout the height of the tree.
When it comes to the trunk of a tree there is no right or wrong style. Some trees will be formal upright whilst others will twist and turn throughout. The overall goal of trunk movement is to get good taper throughout the tree. So we are looking for a fatter base to the trunk that gradually gets thinner throughout the height of the tree.
Bonsai Branches
For the branch layout of a Bonsai tree there are no set rules. You are looking for interesting movement throughout the tree and the general idea is to have a spiral staircase of movement going up the tree with the branches getting shorter as you move up. The bottom branch is typically a third of the way up the trunk where the spiral staircase of branches will start however there is not set rule.
Most types of Bonsai tree can be shaped quite dramatically using wiring techniques, so if there is a branch you are unhappy with it can always be re positioned.
It is important to note that as the tree grows and develops, some branches may be lost. This is especially true with white pines where the tree will all of a sudden decide to stop growing a branch which will then die off. This is just part of the nature of bonsai and when this happens careful thought needs to be given to reshaping the tree to bring back balance.
Most types of Bonsai tree can be shaped quite dramatically using wiring techniques, so if there is a branch you are unhappy with it can always be re positioned.
It is important to note that as the tree grows and develops, some branches may be lost. This is especially true with white pines where the tree will all of a sudden decide to stop growing a branch which will then die off. This is just part of the nature of bonsai and when this happens careful thought needs to be given to reshaping the tree to bring back balance.
Azalea Bonsai Tree
A lot of trees like the Azalea pictured above are designed to be conical in shape where the branch length gets shorter as you move up the tree but this is not always the case. The above Azalea Bonsai comes from the famous Kobayashi nursery in Japan and is a great example of the skill the Japanese bring to bonsai.
Mountain Maple Bonsai Tree
The above Mountain Maple Bonsai Tree is a stunning tree and has a more rounded finish to it. This is quite typical for multi trunk Acers.
Trident Maple Bonsai Tree
The above Trident Maple Bonsai has a very traditional bonsai shape where the tree is almost a perfect triangle. The leaves are just starting to come out on this tree, and when they are fully out the triangle shape becomes even more apparent. This tree has exceptional root structure that really compliments the tree. The root structure on this tree makes this a very valuable tree.
Japanese White Pine Bonsai Tree
The above Japanese White Pine bonsai tree has a very simple and elegant design. The taper of this tree is slightly out as you can see the base of the trunk narrows, where is should actually be at its thickest, but overall a very nice bonsai tree. Most of the trunk has been exposed so that you can see the beautiful mature trunk. White pine bonsai trees have very beautiful trunks and they are often shown off to their full potential like the tree above. This tree is around 30 years old and comes from Japan. Maintaining the shape of White Pines can be quite tricky and a few techniques need to be learned like bud shortening and selecting which buds you will keep and which buds will be pinched early in the budding season.
Acer Bonsai Tree
In Japan they quite often make a few 's' bends in the trunk of young trees to add movement throughout the tree, and the branches are then positioned to compliment the flow of the tree. As the Acer Bonsai tree pictured above matures it should make for a very interesting bonsai tree. .
|
|
When considering what pot to use the general advise given is to have a few pots to hand when re-potting the tree. When you re-pot the tree and trim the roots put the tree into one of the new pots and see if it works. Quite often the pot you least expect to work is the best one. A lot of people buy a pot to put their tree into and then realize (once fully re-potted) that it is totally the wrong pot. The problem with this is that once the tree is in it's new pot you do not want to disturb the recently re-potted tree and roots by putting them into another pot as this just stresses the tree out. The Acer pictured above has a lot going on and is a very special tree. The pot that was chosen for this tree is very simple in design and doesn't take any of the attention away from the tree. Many Acers will be planted in white shallow pots but for this tree it just wouldn't work. Just our opinion.
Bonsai From The Front
When a Bonsai tree is in the design phase there is always a preferred viewing angle and this will be the 'front' of the tree. Bonsai trees are generally put onto viewing platforms at a height that compliments the tree and allows the viewer to see into the tree, the trunk and the roots. You want to show as much of the tree as possible without the viewer having to bend down and change angles to see different parts of the tree.
You will want the curve of a trunk moving to the side so that this can easily be seen from the 'front ' view as opposed to the tree leaning towards the viewer. Only the upper third of a tree should have branches that are allowed to grow upwards as this adds a pleasing finish to a tree. As these branches mature and more top branches grow you will need to wire them down.
Back branches are very important to the overall finish of a tree and although they may not be seen from the front view, they will be seen from the side view. A great tree will look fantastic from multiple viewing angles as opposed to just the front viewing angle.
It can not be stressed enough that the roots need to look good from the 'front' viewing angle and because these are hard to change this is often a good place to start. Branches can be wired to change their position but roots can not.
You will want the curve of a trunk moving to the side so that this can easily be seen from the 'front ' view as opposed to the tree leaning towards the viewer. Only the upper third of a tree should have branches that are allowed to grow upwards as this adds a pleasing finish to a tree. As these branches mature and more top branches grow you will need to wire them down.
Back branches are very important to the overall finish of a tree and although they may not be seen from the front view, they will be seen from the side view. A great tree will look fantastic from multiple viewing angles as opposed to just the front viewing angle.
It can not be stressed enough that the roots need to look good from the 'front' viewing angle and because these are hard to change this is often a good place to start. Branches can be wired to change their position but roots can not.