How to Turn a Scraggly Shrub into a Fine Bonsai
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This is a barberry obtained from a landscaping renovation. Barberry is an evergreen small shrub with small leaves, dense branching, thorns, tolerance for pruning, and strong sprouting ability, making it great material for bonsai. However, its healing ability is poor, so the large wounds left by trunk chopping usually struggle to heal. This had to be taken into account during the initial design.
▲Back side
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Three months later, buds appeared. The styling design was still being worked out. The initial idea was to make a multi-trunk bonsai, but considering that the trunks were stiff, lacked taper, and were rather messy in distribution, a multi-trunk form was not a good choice.
▲Second year, spring
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In the second year, I finally made up my mind to make it a single-trunk bonsai. Cutting away seven or eight trunks and leaving only one did indeed take some courage. After careful consideration, I chose the thicker trunk with branches, and sawed off all the others. As shown in the photo above, the cut has not yet been treated.
▲Second year, summer
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Less than a year after collection, it was growing quite vigorously. I had already thinned the buds several times before.
▲Second year, summer
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After smoothing the cut at the base, I did some preliminary wiring and styling. I chose this side as the front because it has better movement and taper, and it can conceal the large wound area at the base.
▲Details of cut treatment
▲Second year, winter
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After leaf drop, I wired the new branches of that year once again.
▲Third year, summer
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A full two years after collection, this barberry began to show some results. Its growth was extremely vigorous, requiring frequent pruning to maintain the shape.
▲Fourth year, spring
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First repotting. People rely on clothes, and bonsai relies on its pot. The uneven surface of the pot and the mottled bark complement each other beautifully.
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Because the cut is difficult to heal, it was properly carved and refined to reduce artificial traces.
▲Fourth year, summer
▲Late autumn of the fourth year, the autumn leaves were a brilliant mix of red and yellow, dazzling to the eye.