Mountain hemlock, Tsuga mertensiana

摘要

Bob acquired this mountain hemlock about 15 years ago from Anton Nijhuis, a collector located on the northern part of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The initial approach to styling was awkward and missed the dynamic flow highlighting the curves of the trunk and the grounding of the base. After a few years of reflecting on the future of the tree, Bob elicited the help of Michael Hagedorn. Michael suggested turning the tree up and around drawing attention to the nebari and accentuating the curvesof the trunk. To balance this new design, the first branch on the right was brought around to establish a number one branch. This also pulled the foliage closer to the base and added a needed foundation for the movement. This design change was made about three years ago and the tree has responded beautifully. The resulting fusion of traditional Japanese design with a majestic collected tree from the Pacific Northwest has now captured the essence of Bob's vision.