![No turning back](https://cdn.magzter.com/1460753617/1661523933/articles/K7rMFDVwl1665382422769/NO-TURNING-BACK.jpg)
David was challenged by a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) that was fully overgrown and so had lost its old character. Less is more sounds a cliché, but was proven to be very true, as he found out during the work.
The design of a bonsai is a complicated matter, in which we are faced with a tree with a multitude of branches. We must decide which branches are going to be useful and which have to be pruned. Perhaps, of all the options, the most drastic and risky is to carry out a styling with only one branch, because if you make a wrong decision, there is no possibility of taking another branch to make a new design.
In the specific case of this pine tree, which was collected in 2006, I had been hesitating for a few years between two different possibilities. The first one kept almost all the branches, but after a couple of times working on this possibility, the tree still did not convince me as it lacked taper and movement at the top.
The other possibility was to eliminate the whole crown and keep only one branch, with good movement, a lot of character and creating good taper in the trunk, but as I said, the problem with this design was that if I made a wrong decision, there was no turning back...
In those years (starting in 2009) in which I worked most on the 'save' option, that is, keeping all the branches. I took the opportunity to plant the tree in a pot and eliminate the old soil for the perfect development of the tree's health. But the tree was gaining maturity and still had the same problem - lack of taper and movement after the first bend. It was time to spring into action and study new and more daring designs.
Looking at a new design
Denne historien er fra September / October 2022-utgaven av Bonsai Focus EN.
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Denne historien er fra September / October 2022-utgaven av Bonsai Focus EN.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
![BETULA](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13159/1051583/vtDGgD4wl1665387379548/BETULA.jpg)
BETULA
The challenge to grow bonsai from scratch
![Refreshing accents](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13159/1051583/YTLJIPPEc1665386936191/REFRESHING-ACCENTS.jpg)
Refreshing accents
Summer accent plants that grow near water
![Cast in Iron](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13159/1051583/GinckOdVD1665386737305/CAST-IN-IRON.jpg)
Cast in Iron
Saad Khayar's naturalistic and detailed tenpai
![BONSAI FROM FRUIT](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13159/1051583/lcoZgILnz1665386304603/BONSAI-FROM-FRUIT.jpg)
BONSAI FROM FRUIT
Propagate by sowing seeds, or taking cuttings to create new bonsai
![THE ROUGH DIAMOND](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13159/1051583/9SIsakEcb1665385905293/THE-ROUGH-DIAMOND.jpg)
THE ROUGH DIAMOND
Bjorn Bjorholm works on a juniper with hidden qualities
![Little, but wild](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13159/1051583/L_pIFG93s1665385410440/LITTLE-BUT-WILD.jpg)
Little, but wild
Bringing out the best from material with many faults
![My victory](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13159/1051583/BvC-wtTlr1665384231439/MY-VICTORY.jpg)
My victory
The bonsai passion of Alfredo Salaccione
![The Azuma pines](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13159/1051583/zbe-jVw_31665382886783/THE-AZUMA-PINES.jpg)
The Azuma pines
Daiki, the third-generation Abe, works on seed-grown pines
![No turning back](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13159/1051583/K7rMFDVwl1665382422769/NO-TURNING-BACK.jpg)
No turning back
David Quintana works on a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)
![Kid's play or pot?](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/13159/1051583/M1qbnE4ni1665381091777/KIDS-PLAY-OR-POT.jpg)
Kid's play or pot?
A (very) young artist creates unconventional pots that are seriously cool