Beech and Carpinus trio

Yesterday I spent a great day with an even better company. Gorazd (Gogi), Tomaz and me worked on two trees. Tomaz and Gogi worked on a Beech (Fagus Sylvatica) which Gogi got in exchange for the design of the web page and design of the logo from this year’s EBA convention.

Beech (Fagus Sylvatica)  before the styling

The Beech came in a bundle with Tomaz’s workshop and in a bit more than eight hours they styled a very impressive tree. Gogi has learned more than just the basics of bonsai at this workshop and I hope that he went home with his new tree at least as happy as we ware with his work.

Gogi thinkig

Tomaz at work

Gogi after thinking

Beech (Fagus sylvatica) after styling

The day of course passed by to quick, but very positive. It is especially pleasing when you see how the tree, which you collected from nature and prepared to be ready for the first styling, is making someone else happy. Me like.

While Gogi and Tomaz worked on the beech I was working on my hornbeam. The Hornbeam began, a bit more than two years after collection, to show slowly the outlines of the possible final image.

Caripnus after styling

At this stage I dealt mainly with the positioning of primary and secondary branches. Unfortunately at previous development stages I made some errors, such as for instance the first left branch (marked on the photo below) which is too straight, without any movement. Now it is too thick to bend. An error which is now distracting, which I will not repeat and above all and error I will try to eliminate. For now it will stay like it is.

In the following stages I will start to develop the tertiary branches, define the top and work on additional branch structuring. The direction in which the tree will develop in the future is impossible to describe better that with the virtual image which was drawn today by an IBC bonsai colleague Robert Steven from Indonesia (pictured below right). Robert thanks a lot for this virtual. I really like it and appreciate your effort.

Virtual  by Robert Steven

I think this virtual not only shows the way of development in the future, but how important on deciduou trees it is to focus on building a good branch structure. Except the appex, which at the moment stayed longer that it will thicken faster, Robert Steven used in his virtual all primary and secondary branches of the curent tree. It looks quite good, except the lower left branch of course.