AusBonsai

I took this juniper to the Friday workshop with Hiro in Melbourne for some expert design advice. The tree started as an upright prickly blue leaved tree. I tried to tame it but couldn't manage to make decent branches. The base of the trunk was worth keeping so I started to graft shimpaku on to any useful looking branches. It took a few years to get the technique right and to get enough successful grafts in place.

Here's what Hiro designed. Did not have enough time to complete the job at the workshop but here's what it looked like at the end of the session after a little bit of pruning and a lot of wiring. A bit more wiring, thinning and bending after I got home and it is getting a bit closer.

Well on its way to being a stunning tree Shibui It is always amazing what we see and what others see it could be. I couldnt attend any workshops with Hiro this year and looking at the designs coming out of the workshops am starting to regret the decision.

Great tree Shibui with a great future.

Like Bohdi I agree that there have been some excellent designs coming out of the Hiro workshops. Just wish I was closer to where these things happen.

There's been a lot of patient work done to get it even to this stage, from the look of it. The complex of trunks is very rich in detail, and I imagine the foliage will always be secondary to the trunks. I like the way the foliage is not too formal, in keeping with the wildness of the trunks and the tough conditions that the shari trunks suggest. My only quibble is that there seems to be a bit of a hole in the middle - the two sides don't relate closely, at least at the moment. Do you have ideas on how the foliage will be grown from here on?

It's a very fine core, and the foliage complements it well. Thanks for posting.

Gavin

I have found a couple of photos showing the approach grafts I used to change this juniper. Gavin, There is a back trunk in there. Doesn't have much foliage at the moment but I think when its branches fill out a bit that might fill in that bare area - maybe
I'm not sure about all the very long jins. I had expected him to reduce most or all to shorter stubs and I did not get time to ask why so they will stay for now. I can easily shorten them later but far harder to bring them back once cut.

Hiro made the point several times that this tree has 5 heads on 5 trunks. The trunk on the right is very horizontal but he has bent the tip up to make a head there. The leftmost trunk starts well up the tree. He did not seem concerned that multi trunks started well above ground level.

Hi Shibui, This tree is off to a great start. I can see where it is going and Hiro has done a good job with the sketch of it's future design. As he seems to show, the driftwood needs to be the prominent feature here and the foliage pads compact and minimal. Great stock, you have done well, this will be a stunning bonsai, look forward to seeing future photo's. Michael.

Hi Shibui,
This is going to be one to follow. The effort with the grafting is impressive and it looks like it's going to be worth it. I can visualise this will be a wonderful plant of note
Cheers Rod

How's this one going shibui 9 months on..?

It has continued to grow well thanks Dan. I've pruned a bit and pinched a couple of times but looks like it is overdue for another pinching now. I also reduced some of the taller jins that seemed to be conflicting with each other. Some time over the winter I will do some more detailed wiring of smaller branches then see if I can find a suitable pot next spring.

Glad its growing well. Should make a great and interesting tree when more refined.

Are you planning to stick to Hiro's design of minimal foliage?

. I love it! The grafting process amazes me. You should be proud of that...

Are you planning to stick to Hiro's design of minimal foliage?

I guess a tree with this much dead wood should be reasonably open. At this stage I'll just see how it looks as it develops.

I think the scale created by the minimal foliage in Hiro's sketch makes a very grand tree.

A question on grafting, is the bark similar? Or is the grafting visible? I ask because I mainly have junipers with needle foliage and some are quite coarse.

I've just been searching for examples of grafted trees as bonsai for a talk for Wauchope Bonsai group in a couple of weeks. Took the opportunity to take a photo and update this thread.
Apologies for missing your question Dansai. may be too late but here are a couple of closer photos that may answer your questions
In this one the wound where the graft was cut off the donor plant ahs not healed up yet so it is easier to make out the rootstock and the scion. There are 3 grafts in this photo. Can you pick any of them?

This is coming along nicely Shibui!
Very well done!