First styling attempt- juniper chinensjs

[Tomo]

Hi everyone, lurked for a while but this is my first time posting.

I was gifted a nursery stock juniper for my birthday last September (sargent juniper - shimpaku??). I repotted it at that time into a smaller pot but I thought id give a crack at styling it this week.

I have a number of plants in development but this is my first time actually trying to style anything so i'd love any feedback/ critique.

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I tried wiring the branches into a pyrimad but after endless angst I gave up and ended up with the way they are now. The tree is pretty 2D. I dont know if the branches are normally meant to look so ad hoc from above? I think i need to shorten the branches a bit.

I also realised i messed up the wiring by wiring opposite branches from the trunk rather than adjacent ones on the same size. I see people wire the smaller ones, is that necessary at this point?

Thanks!

[melbrackstone]

Check out these videos for some help on wiring junipers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUzNPRfJmuQ Structural wiring

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n2MIkkUlSE Detail wiring

[The other Ryan]

Not a bad start. Try compressing the right side branches a bit more so it gives the impression you have more foliage closer to the trunk. Conifers usually wire “ down and out”

Eisei-en and Mirai on YouTube have good instructional videos and on structural, secondary and pad wiring

Keep us posted

[shibui]

More than just a good start in my opinion. Well done for your first attempt and you already appear to have discovered some things that should help next time.
Wiring opposite branches can work but it becomes frustrating when you bend one down and the opposite branch moves up like a seesaw because the wire is just anchored straight across the trunk. A couple of turns round something solid like the trunk stops that and the neatest way to achieve it is to take the wire to a similar size branch a bit further away but anchoring to something solid on the other side also works an it looks like you have used short stumps of branches as your anchors for most. Wiring is often more efficient when we use both ends of the wires to do work. Rather than wiring to dead stubs use the other end to wire another branch when possible but that depends how faraway the next branch is, how thick it is and what else might be in the way. While some wiring may be technically better and look better I am always satisfied if it achieves the result as I am not usually intending to show trees with lots of wire.
I note that most of the branches here are long and straight. Bends and curves in the trunks usually looks good. Branches are the same. I think your tree would look better if you used all that wiring to actually put some more shape into the branches. Think about 3D movement so that they move up an down as well as back and forth. Bends in branches will also shorten the overall length and produce a more compact tree.
Shortening the ends of branches is also usually necessary. Look for suitable side branches that will become replacement ends to the branches.

I thought the branch placement looks OK. There should probably be some planning to the overall placement which is part of why they are wired. Each branch should have its own space to get good exposure to sun from above and you seem to have achieved that reasonably well.
Most of us tend to keep way more than needed initially. That's OK because more can be removed at any time and it is often better to hasten slowly for the tree's health. As it grows the branches tend to merge again and lose the spaces that are also necessary for design. In bonsai less is often more but it can be easy to get carried away and end up with a poodle cut so take some time when styling juniper in particular.

It is so much easier to discuss bonsai design and techniques in person with an actual tree as an example rather than typing it all out. At this stage you will get much more out of personal help so look for clubs and workshops or see if someone at a bonsai nursery is prepared to offer help.

[tgward]

great beginning-- all I would do is try to exaggerate (maximise) the movement of the trunk and branches early on in the initial design - as the tree develops it will tend to even out

[Tomo]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I was hoping to do a bit more this week, but this rain has been torrential! I will try work a few more bends in. Maybe over winter or next spring I can re-wire and get it right next time.

I should join a club, the nearest one to me meets an hour out of town so I've been a bit lazy. Will keep at it and post an update when there's something to show for it!

Cheers