Last Saturday four enthusiasts joined me for a day spent looking at the use of created deadwood in our bonsai design.
We started as we usually do with a bit of theory.
With a limit of only four participants there is enough time in the day to cover some of the aims and objectives of deadwood creation and still have time to get through a fair bit of practical application.
Inevitably machines to make sawdust will play a part in the day and we have plenty of them !
Then a quick look at some of the trees brought along that will require the application of the some various techniques in order for them to develop as bonsai.
Finally to the business of making some of that sawdust.
By far the most frequently met use of deadwood is in the ” naturalisation ” of scars caused by major pruning.
Being able to create an acceptable image from an otherwise ugly pruning scar allows the use of potential bonsai material that might otherwise be passed over due to the obvious ‘ hand of man ‘ in the reduction of larger trees.
Most participants require the main outline of wood removal to be carried out before embarking upon a refinement exercise usually using the smaller more manageable machines like Dremels.
Norma doing just that with her interesting Hazel potential bonsai.
It is not always either necessary or a good idea to use machines, sometimes a bit of splitting produces a more ” natural ” effect.
Penny checks the notes she has made during the course of the day. I enjoyed the day and I hope that the participants did also as well as find it valuable in terms of increasing their knowledge and experience of bonsai creation. We have another couple of days lined up over the next few weeks where we look at deadwood creation in this way.
