RESTYLING MY JAPANESE BLACK PINE YAMADORI (FINALY).

Hi, everybody,

Today I finally started the first real styling of this Japanese Black Pine Yamadori. This tree is in my collection for many years now. When I bought it all those years ago from my birthday money, I could not for see all the mishap that would happened to this sweat little cascading Pine. The tree had all the character of a Yamadori, beautiful old bark and a natural Shari running down most of the trunk line. But it also had some major design problem in store for me to solve or incorporate. It had strange looking spider like exposed roots and the base of the tree was much thinner than the rest of the trunk. So I decided to let the tree grow freely for a view seasons and only work on growth to thicken the base of the trunk. Since that decision, the tree spent a few weeks laying, half frozen, on the bottom of my pond, was blown over 2 times in a storm and just 3 years ago, lost all its needles in mid Summer! And every time it recuperated from its ordeals, showing a immense live force and will to live!

And now finally, after all this, the tree looks healthy again and the base of the tree had thickened enough, for me, to now finally start styling this tree. in a way this little wonder deserves! A decade too late…but here we go anyway! 🙂

Above picture: Frontside before styling.

Left picture: Close up of the natural “Shari” that runs down the trunk line.

Right picture: Backside before styling. The blocks are there to hold the tree firm into place, while I am wiring it.

Left picture: After plucking the old needles, I carefully started to wire the branches, making sure not to damage the beautiful bark on these old branches! Because this old body armour shows the truly wild nature and spirit, that is so exclusive to a Yamadori tree. Therefore it should be protected at all cost! I try to build my design around these natural features, even the ugly ones, trying to incorporate and envisage them. I just love Yamadori!

Today, in lovely sunny weather, I finished the styling of this Pine. The blocks are removed from under need the tree, so now you can actually see, the “see through” between the trunk and the soil surface. You can clearly see that this tree is just barely hanging on too the ground and live, with only some exposed and battered roots. I like the image this little tree evokes with me, trough all her struggles, she has become beautiful! I hope you like her too? 🙂

Regards,

Hans van Meer.

Info: karamottobonsai@hotmail.com

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