Carpinus orientalis

When I was young kid we used to play ice hockey on our street. Actually, it was only hockey, without ice. We were pretending real hockey on asphalt with old tennis ball. All members of the team were pretending they are somebody else, some former or present Czechoslovak hockey stars. I recall just few, but I will not bother you with names. Due to my level of hockey skill I could chose somebody from second line, tough.

In bonsai art trees pretend a lot, also. They pretend they are older than its actual age mainly, among other things. And many acers and hornbeams pretend they are aged pines, unfortunately.

April 2015 after restyling

This oriental hornbeam was restyled in April this year. It is collected yamadori tree and from design point of view I consider it to be quite challenging. Even after last styling I was not quite sure where we are heading. As tree grow through spring I left it untouched. Time to remove wire was approaching in late May. I removed them and I was planing to cut back fresh growth. As tree was standing on the shelf during late spring, with overgrown shoots, I was looking at it daily.

When asking for help on club meeting have you ever get recommendation to wait “and tree will tell you”? I used it few times, as joke mostly. Trees will not tell you, usually.

As I keep looking on this tree, I stared to have feeling it is trying to tell me something. I had feeling it keep telling me it does not want to be pine. And it was whispering me it wants to be weeping willow. Strange isn't it?

And we are back at pretending. If dozens of acers can pretend they are perfect pines, can my hornbeam pretend it is weeping willow? As it was standing on turntable, after I removed all wires, I had feeling it will be the best option for the tree. Idea is little bit unusual, I know. I'll keep listening what tree will tell me during next seasons and I will see.

I shortened shoots on tree anyway to work on fine ramification. You can see result on the picture.