old juniper restyled

[bonsaisensation]

hi everyone
here is a big and old juniper that i bought about 13 years ago. the tree was just as big back then and had nothing done to it until about 3 years ago where it was rewired still as a big tree( couldn't really see anything else from it). couple of days ago, i was asked by the staffs here to work on it. the plan was to just thin it out and followed the last styling. i was never really proud of the tree and after turning it around and around for a good hour or so, saw something that i missed last time.
i have always loved the lower portion of the trunk and the first branch. under all the foliage, it was kind of lost. so i did a quick sketch of a possible remake, using only two branches.

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not sure about the long jins at the moment, can always shorten them as the foliage fill out a bit more.
some branches are not really in the position that i'd like, but couldn't bend them any further this time.

as always, all comments welcome



regards

Tien

[tgward]

excellent outcome --style change from Chinese to Japanese

[Watto]

Good re-style. From the photo its hard to tell if the first long left branch of the main trunk is over the apex of the secondary trunk or not, but visually that part is slightly distracting. That said, its great when you see something in a tree that you have had for a long time and that change really brings new life to the planting.

[kcpoole]

]Nice transformation, and a couple of questions.

why not bend the jins on the right down to imitate the shape of the branching on the rest of the tree?
why did you leave the long upward foliage on the lower left branch

I have a virt with the foliage removed there to show my meaning , but you could just wire it down to achieve the same result.
[attachment=0]Tien_Juniper.jpg[/attachment

Ken

[kcpoole]

then I bent some of the Jins too

Tien_Juniper2.jpg

Ken

[bonsaisensation]

Hi watto
The left branch of the main trunk is positioned towards the back and the second trunk is positioned towards the front. This left branch was initially pointing straight up, but with only two bits of foliage at the ends, it couldn't really be made into the new apex. So it's been brought down for now. If I get back buds closer to the trunk in the coming seasons, it will definitely be shortened.
The restyle was necessary to me because most of the branches have grown too long over the years due to my own negligence. So they became just branches on the tree but not branches that contribute to the design and style of the tree.

Hi Ken
With the first question, those Jins are quite thick, long and straight in the first 15 cm or so. So even if they were brought down, they'd still looked straight. I did consider cutting the straight sections off and attach just the end bits of the Jins where they are a bit more interesting, back onto the trunk. Something to do in the coming years.
With the second suggestion, that'd make the second trunk a branch, not a trunk in my opinion. And it was meant to be positioned outward a bit more according to the drawing I had, I will try that a bit later.

Thanks for the comments gentlemen.

[anthonyW]

Hi Tien

In my observation you have the tree all but spot on.the jins look right to me they are crooked enough,not straightish at all,we must remember the weather nailed the tree from this side taking out branches growing up and also a giving the tree the nice lean to set it up as you have it...the tree as you have it gives a whole picture and story..a fullness with without a ton of foliage if that makes sense.

Now this is just how I see it,when we have branches on the windwood side,with no jins we lie branches down(a lot of the time)...now with jins that you have,as I have said don't touch LOL,we tend to pick the live branching up so it dosen't looked to contrived with the jins reaching up and branching dramatically going the other way,....this could be giving you and others doubt.

So by bringing the branch singled out on the rough sketch up slightly gives the whole picture a different dimention,up to you how far by having a tweak with it,I have just had a slight fiddle.

Now the second apex Ken wants to remove, no..sorry Ken, the tree looks balanced to me with it.

With a slight crisping up of the foliage,your call there, your tree looks spot on to me, the jins will weather in time naturally and add more character...well done

Thanks for letting me comment on your tree Tien

phpYtTsdjPM.jpg

[bonsaisensation]

Thank you Anthony
I can see you point. The branch in question was originally growing straight up. It was brought down enough to have the angle below horizontal. And I was aiming to extend the drop branch further in the coming seasons, but your reasoning and sketch(now that's someone who can draw)make sense.

The tree measures at 80 cm now and I'd be aiming to reduce it a bit more to emphasize the trunk.


Kind regards

Tien

[Andreas]

Nice tree, will keep watching! small note, insert the picture

[treeman]

I understand what Anthony is saying about the right branch not matching the upturned jins but disagree with bringing it up as being the best solution. If we have a tree leaning in one particular direction because of weather hitting it, any branch growing on the windward side is either kept very short (continually shooting and dying back), forced up to an almost vertical position (eventually similar to the trunk line) or, forced to grow sharply down. If the tree was leaning for a reason other than weather, then there would be no more jins on one side than the other. So my approach (take it or leave it of course) would be to reduce the jins on the windward greatly and bring the branch on that side down further OR keep it as is and keep it short. while leaving the jins and branches on the leeward side long. (That's if you're going for a windswept look)
In other words Tien, basically like your first sketch with one extra short branch on the right...

[Andreas]

Interesting point, by not reading it I would not have thought about.

[Gerard]

Treeman has stolen my thunder, I like everything except the extra long jins on the right. The tree moves strongly to the left and evidence that the tree once had significant branches going the other way is not credible. Shorter jins right and longer jins left.

[GavinG]

Firstly, congratulations - you've brought a whole new life to some quite unpromising material. I like the use of the first left branch as a new subsidiary trunk - it works well for me. My only reservations are the first two jins on the right that seem parallel - possibly one could go. And the high first left branch seems straight in the photo - could it bend like the other branches and trunks?

Thanks for posting - it's good to see a whole new idea emerge.

Gavin

[bonsaisensation]

thank you gentlemen, all points noted.

gavin, the branch you referred to, has nothing else but two branchlets at the very end. it is now positioned towards to back, as not to overshadow the second trunk. ideally i'd like to have it shorter, so i'd give it another couple of years to generate backbuds then wire movement into those new growth.

gerard, the jins will be readdressed in the coming season. i agree with the shorter jins on the right side. as i mentioned earlier, i might re-attach only the ourter portion of the jins where it's a bit more interesting, back onto the trunk.

michael, having the first right hand branch downward sharper was the plan. i couldn't push it any further on this occation. i'd like it to drop lower and back to the left to emphasize the wind( not really going for a windswept look, but still create a sense of wind).

i'll keep you all updated with the progress.


kind regards


Tien