bonsaiTALK 2006 Article Contest

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A Hobbit Trayscape
by Treebeard - 1st Place
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Assembly.

figure 18

figure 19
The first stage of the assembly was to position the tree. The coarse soil I had previously potted the tree in made root pruning straight forward. After fitting the drainage mesh and tie-wires, a mound of akadama was placed on the slab (figure 18) and the tree was gently worked into it and secured with the wires. Working the roots in like this makes sure there are no air pockets on the underside of the root pad. Next I built a peat/clay 'muck' retaining wall around the outside (figure 19) and backfilled it with soil, working it into all the gaps between the roots. When working the soil into the gaps I use my fingertips, it is quite easy to massage the soil in when you get the hang of it.

figure 20

With the tree firmly wired in place, and some moss sheets positioned temporarily on the new soil, I started working on the big root to the left of the tree. I wanted this root to look like it had grown around the brick doorframe, so I carved a flat back on it to allow the brick front to butt up tight against it. I also removed a couple of other small roots that were getting in the way. All this root work was done in February, a bit early in my climate for root work but I was able to protect the tree adequately in a frost-free environment so I was not unduly worried. Also, experience has shown me that Chinese Elms will take repotting at almost any time of year with good and proper aftercare.

figure 21

figure 22

The next step was to position the brick front. To do this I spread a plastic sheet over the slab, mounded up some quick-dry cement mix and pressed some aluminium tie wires into it. After carefully settling the brick front into position (figure 21) it was left to dry for a hour or so and then carefully removed. While the cement was still 'green', i.e. firm but not quite dry, I trimmed and tidied up the bottom edges. The end result (figure 22) was a neat, wide foot that allowed me to position the brick front very accurately and securely.

figure 23

figure 24
After the brick front was secured I started work on the back. I needed to build up a high mound of soil behind the frontage, even higher that the top of the bricks, and I was having trouble doing so even with a thick muck retaining wall. So I decided to try using florist's Oasis as a filler. It is very light, obviously absorbs lots of water and is easy to cut and shape. It was secured to the back of the brickwork with wire and was then covered over with a thin layer of muck and potting soil. Figures 23 and 24 show the work in progress. The muck wall was also extended around the side and front during this stage.

This building up of the back was the last of the major construction work. A major concern during this phase was for the care of the tree, It was kept moist and sheltered while all of the work was being done and the temporary moss covering helped a lot in keeping the roots moist. Another concern was for the securing of the brick front. The last thing I wanted was for a flimsy construction to move or topple over during any future transport. The cement foot and tie wires have worked very well, everything is rock-solid and secure.
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