The transformation history of this pine. It came to me ten years ago in a plastic boat and today it is one of the standards of the Olympus

Introduction

First off, with the welcome arrival of the rains and at the same time, the essential drop in temperatures. Because of this, the perfect time to really get to work on pines truly begins. For this particular occasion, also, I’m truly happy to share with you the interesting story of a very special pine, which we call “The Harp.” Indeed, it is, specifically, the captivating story of a pine that I’ve been carefully shaping and looking after for many years. What’s more, as you’ll see, this remarkable tree has gone through several important stages of growth and artistic changes. Now it stands as a truly key piece in my personal collection. As a clear sign of how important it is, I have it proudly placed in what we lovingly call “El Olimpo.” To explain it simply, it’s an exclusive area thoughtfully kept for my most outstanding and treasured trees.

See other video tutorials on the blog
Watch videos on the YouTube channel

The Harp: A Pine’s Story

Introduction

First off, when the helpful rains arrive and at the same time, the necessary drop in temperatures happens. This means that the perfect time to really get to work on our pines truly begins. For this special time, also, I’m really happy to tell you the interesting story of a very special pine, which we call “The Harp.” You see, it is, specifically, the captivating story of a pine that I’ve been carefully shaping and looking after for many years. What’s more, as you’ll soon see, this tree has gone through several stages of growth and artistic changes. Now, it stands as a key piece in my own collection. As a clear sign of how important it is, I have it proudly placed in what we lovingly call “El Olimpo.” This is, to put it simply, a special area kept just for my best and most treasured trees.

What’s more, as you’ll soon see, this amazing tree, which has, in fact, gone through several important stages of growth and artistic changes, now stands as a truly key piece in my own collection. As a clear sign of how important it is, I have it proudly placed in what we lovingly call “El Olimpo,” which is, to put it simply, a special area kept just for my best and most treasured trees.

The Name “The Harp”

Moving on to how it got its name, one of the most interesting things about this pine is, for sure, its special name. Funnily enough, someone in the garden named it “El Arpa” quite suddenly. Amazingly, the name just stuck. So, you could say, it wasn’t a planned name. Rather, it was a charming little idea, just like how nicknames often pop up naturally in old villages. Even so, despite how it started, “The Harp: A Pine’s Story” is, you’d agree, a wonderfully poetic name. It, quite fittingly and beautifully, matches the graceful look and feel of this tree.

How the Pine Grew and Changed

To truly get and appreciate the long journey of “El Arpa,” it’s really important to know how it has changed and grown from when I first got it. To start with, in fact, when I first bought it, the tree was just in a simple plastic pot. It was lying rather untidily and had super long, wild branches. However, over the next few years, it has, step by step, gone through several periods of training and artistic fine-tuning. From the very beginning of its first shaping, I carefully worked on the lines of its branches. By doing so, I made bends and specific shapes inspired by the bunjin style. Importantly, this was done without needing harsh twists. Ultimately, it’s worth noting the goal to keep a balanced and natural-looking top part. At the same time, I made sure it stayed within the desired bonsai size.

However, over the next few years, it has, step by step, gone through several hard periods of training and artistic fine-tuning. From the very beginning of its first shaping, for example, I carefully worked on the complex lines of its branches, and by doing so, I purposely made graceful bends and specific shapes that were mainly inspired by the elegant bunjin style. Importantly, this was done without needing any big, harsh twists.

Ultimately, it’s worth noting that the main goal has always been to keep a beautifully balanced and natural-looking top part, while at the same time making sure it stayed within the right and desired size for a bonsai.

A Special Find

Thinking back to how I got it, buying “El Arpa” was, by all accounts, a particularly interesting story. Believe it or not, and quite surprisingly, I got it for an amazingly low price. Actually, the seller seemed unsure if they had, looking back, made a good deal. In the end, though, it became clear that we were both pleased with the trade. As a result, “El Arpa: Historia de un pino” was born. This was with what I call “good feelings.” Since that key day, about ten important years have passed. As you can plainly see, its change has been nothing short of truly amazing.

Key Features

As for its most striking and distinct features, one of the things that most strongly drew me to this pine was, without a doubt, its unique hollowed shari. Indeed, this is a feature that is, remarkably, quite rare in Scots pines. So, its inherent shape, when thoughtfully combined with the shaping technique used, has, therefore, given it a balanced look, as shown in “The Harp: A Pine’s Story.” What’s more, throughout these years, I have consistently and on purpose avoided using too much fertilizer. This was done specifically to stop the trunk from becoming thick. Thereby allowing the tree to grow at its own speed.

Getting Ready for the Show

Right now, and excitingly, “The Harp” is almost ready to be shown to more people. Significantly, its honored spot on “Olympus” is, by itself, a sign of how important it is to my collection. Indeed, as a great example, this tree serves as an illustration of how dedicated effort and respect for nature can, in the end, lead to a truly breathtaking piece of living art.

Conclusion

To wrap things up, and with sincere thanks, I hope you enjoyed learning the story of “The Harp.” If you found this story interesting, please subscribe to the channel and give us a like. Looking ahead, you can be sure we’ll keep sharing compelling stories under “The Harp: A Pine’s Story.” Along with these, we’ll offer “Insights into the Art of Tree Shaping.” Until then, I look forward to seeing you in the next video!