AusBonsai

Hiya,
First post in the community and looking for some advice being new to Bonsai.

The juniper below was a gift to work on and I’ve not had this type before.
I was planning on adding a Shari to the left side and setting in a slanted style.

For the foliage does this type of juniper have its branches sit horizontal or do they stay vertical as they are currently sitting for bonsai?


Appreciate any comments.
Thank you.

Your photo is a little small for me to get a good look at the type but most junipers have very similar habits and requirements.
You should be able to choose how you display the branches. There's no real requirement to follow the tree's individual growth pattern but, having said that, I had one that had such strong, upright growth habit that it just refused to grow with branches spread out. Hope this one is different for you.

There is not really a lot in the live side to style but I expect your plan for a jin on the left is sound. I take it you plan to lean the tree to the left to bring the live part more upright?
It would be worth checking where the surface roots are before making any further plans. Nebari is not vital in juniper bonsai but better rootage does help make the tree look stable and older so should be taken into consideration when styling.

Thank you for the response.