Copper Beech Raft

[BobbyLane]

This is one of two European Copper Beech picked up from a nursery.
Inspired by the recent Mirai stream of a hornbeam raft i went in search of suitable material.
Ill begin a layer over the next few days..

This is how i would envision the tree to sit on the soil
the layer will be made somewhere in the right bottom corner, at a slant..
there are a load of side branches that could potentially be wired upwards and used...

 

[BonsaiDTLA]

yo, I feck with this idea heavy @BobbyLane

 

[ConorDash]

I second the fecking of this idea, alongside @BonsaiDTLA .

How're you going to do the raft, with such a tall trunk? Usually they would leave the existing roots in place, and then layer around the raft bits but this is so tall.... going to take some inventive solution. Unless you air layer top then wait for good roots and then raft it but I don't think youll want to wait an extra year for that.

 

[BobbyLane]

I second the fecking of this idea, alongside @BonsaiDTLA .

How're you going to do the raft, with such a tall trunk? Usually they would leave the existing roots in place, and then layer around the raft bits but this is so tall.... going to take some inventive solution. Unless you air layer top then wait for good roots and then raft it but I don't think youll want to wait an extra year for that.

the raised bit probably wont be making contact to the soil, the lower bits will. yes the roots from the layer will be the main roots, the layer will be taken in bottom right corner of virt.

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

Very cool! That Mirai raft video was great, Troy is a real craftsman building that two part box.

 

[MACH5]

Opening up the possibilities!!


Look ma, I'm floating!

 

[Colorado]

Nice Bobby! I also went nursery hunting after that stream... I didn’t find any raft material but I left with a quince anyway

Looks like perfect material for this project!

 

[sorce]

Welcome to the @BobbyLane school of eye training!

Sorce

 

[BobbyLane]

Opening up the possibilities!!


Look ma, I'm floating!

View attachment 371433

Thats very interesting. the tree certainly has enough there to try something unique.

 

[BobbyLane]

Welcome to the @BobbyLane school of eye training!

Sorce

"if you can see it in your minds eye, you can achieve it"

 

[BobbyLane]

Nice Bobby! I also went nursery hunting after that stream... I didn’t find any raft material but I left with a quince anyway

Looks like perfect material for this project!

im sure somethin would pop up in the Colorado wilderness

 

[BobbyLane]

The layer is on now, not sure why i ended up making it so long though! there is ample drainage anyway. the ring is actually down below the last branch.

 

[BobbyLane]

the beautiful coppery leaves are out now, over the summer they may turn more purple or they could remain coppery...



3 beech trees, 4 layers going


2 of these have fairly decent nebari...
this is a green beech

has a pot full of fine feeders and i will make something decent out of the base in time

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

the beautiful coppery leaves are out now, over the summer they may turn more purple or they could remain coppery...

View attachment 373679

3 beech trees, 4 layers going
View attachment 373681

2 of these have fairly decent nebari...
this is a green beech
View attachment 373683
has a pot full of fine feeders and i will make something decent out of the base in time

Great job with cutting the layer! I have talked to a few people that had no idea that you can layer on angles to get movement in straight pieces of material. You set yourself well for a nice layer, and a slanted chop for taper underneath the layer!

 

[BobbyLane]

Great job with cutting the layer! I have talked to a few people that had no idea that you can layer on angles to get movement in straight pieces of material. You set yourself well for a nice layer, and a slanted chop for taper underneath the layer!

ah you saw what i did there
i also see the third one, that one as an informal upright, so will use the 3 branches there as potentially sacrificials. in the end possibly keep only one.

 

[BobbyLane]

nice show of coppery leaves on the raft

 

[Johnnyd]

Looking great Bobby! I really like when a raft elevates from the soil level. Definitely adds some drama!

 

[BobbyLane]

how it could look



hi Johnny i like to see a bit of deadwood or a hollow area on a raft too as i feel it tells a story, but i dont think this one will have deadwood. will be more like a tree uprooted and topped over by wind rather than rotting from the base and falling over. maybe coming down a hillslide too

 

[Johnnyd]

how it could look
View attachment 375292


hi Johnny i like to see a bit of deadwood or a hollow area on a raft too as i feel it tells a story, but i dont think this one will have deadwood. will be more like a tree uprooted and topped over by wind rather than rotting from the base and falling over. maybe coming down a hillslide too

On a hillside sounds interesting. I was thinking about this aspect with my raft. Having an uneven soil level would be fun!

 

[penumbra]

Amazing stuff here. You guys (&gals) always continue to amaze and delight me .... and with my favorite tree in the entire world, the Copper Beech. If there were a heaven it would be loaded with these trees.