AusBonsai

I was just looking for some feed back and suggestions on what to do with this juniper I recently bought from bonsai south.

I have already given it a good trimming to expose the trunk. I just need some guidance to finalise the design.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Here it is after the trim.
And here it from the nursery.
Here is a short video of an attempted 360* more like a bumpy 270*!!

https://vimeo.com/130170230

I also bought a similar style juniper from bonsai South a few months ago, although mine leans quite a lot to the left... I'd be really interested to hear opinions because like you other than cleaning it up I'm not sure what to do...


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I'll start with a disclaimer that I'm new to this.

Your tree has many fine qualities.With time I think you will have a nice informal upright tree.

I like the trunk and like the branches options.It seems you have good branch placement.with time I see the branches thickening and the pads filling out.

I take it the top of the trunk/the top branch is being left to help fatten the trunk??

Thanks Daluke - there are two main branches on the top of the tree. The one on the right that droops down I was thinking of leaving on and maybe wiring it to the front.

The other one on the left I'm not sure yet.



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I really like the way the top of the tree crosses over itself in the first pic. It looks very natural from this angle and I'd like to see this aspect incorporated into the design. I would be inclined to remove the lower branches and develop a litterati from this material. Perhaps you could add more movement to the downward sweeping apex and make this the main focal point of the tree with a simple rounded crown and a few short branches here and there to give depth.

I like Treemans suggestion. Its what I was thinking too.

It would take some courage to remove all the lower branches, but in my mind that, shortening the back main branch (using the first pic as the front), wiring the top into a rounded crown (as treeman said) and putting movement into the sweeping branch in the front (again as freeman said) would give a great dynamic tree.

Love the suggestions guys.

The dilemma I have is that I love the movement of the trunk but to use the potential of the right hand drooping branch on the right and see a whole through the loop the trunk movement is not visible.

Maybe I could try to bend that branch around but it's very thick.


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Hi Homer,

I feel a literati coming on...

For me the trunk is too thin and lacking taper for an informal upright, so unless you want to spend the next couple of years thickening up the base of the trunk a literati could be the go. It also allows you to show off the loop at the top rather than hiding it.
At first I thought some foliage at the top of the tree would balance the design but I couldn't reconcile it with the loop. Here's a rough (very rough) sketch of how it could look: Not much foliage but it's a very dramatic composition. If you could put some bends in the lower trunk even better.

Here's what I was playing around with initially but like I said I don't think it works with the loop. Anyway, these are just ideas. Have fun.
Matt.

In your video, I like the view at the 6-10 second mark. It has the most movement in the trunkand it also allows you to use some of the foliage up the top as well as the tail in a literati.

If you go for literati, don't cut of any often lower branches. Let em grow and rather jin them later when the tree is closer to "finished".

I do not know if it is Doable with the lower trunk but,
tilt pic #1 about 120 deg to the left and make a semi cascade out of it. May be able to bend the lower trunk to assist too in getting the angle required

Ken

Matt S wrote:Hi Homer,

I feel a literati coming on...

For me the trunk is too thin and lacking taper for an informal upright, so unless you want to spend the next couple of years thickening up the base of the trunk a literati could be the go. It also allows you to show off the loop at the top rather than hiding it.
At first I thought some foliage at the top of the tree would balance the design but I couldn't reconcile it with the loop. Here's a rough (very rough) sketch of how it could look:

image.jpg

Not much foliage but it's a very dramatic composition. If you could put some bends in the lower trunk even better.

Here's what I was playing around with initially but like I said I don't think it works with the loop.

image.jpg

Anyway, these are just ideas. Have fun.
Matt.

Cheers Matt, some great ideas. Never thought of literati style, interesting.

Not my favourite style but definitely an option.

Bit scared of trimming the rest of the lower branches[GRINNING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

Jarad - I like this front too. I think it's the best angle for movement.

Good idea Andrew on the Jin. Might just do that.

Km - think it's a little too this to try a sever bend. Would be an interesting cascade though.

If do some shari up the trunk too. If you do it right, it will accentuate the curves.

I attacked mine today. Thought you might like to see a pic, I've gone the literati route... Still a work in progress, I've left a top branch because I'm thinking it might make a better Jin than the one I picked....