AusBonsai

Following is my first entry in this section. I think its a shore juniper but I can't be sure (excuse the pun) but it is definately a prostrate type juniper. It was dug from a garden in Goulburn about 4 or 5 years ago and has been in this quality polystyrene box ever since (quality box because it is painted - the wife said I had to so I wouldn't get white muck on all my clothes). Up until this comp was muted I had little idea what I was going to do with it, but this has given me some inspiration.
At the moment it has a far amount of foliage, but what is not needed can come off. I have taken a photo of each side of the tree just because!
As always, open to ideas, suggestions and comments.
Best of luck to all the entrants - Watto

Sorry folks, I should have said its about 920mm tall at the moment.

Guys - thanks for the ID. I used Pup's and Twodale's identification method, and now I think its a sabina. Can't wait to do some cutting, shaping, wiring and bending now I know the perfume?????
I too think there is a bunjingi in there somewhere, its just a matter of teasing it out.

I thought it about time I added a few more photos of my juniper. I have now cleared away a fair bit of the foliage that was not needed in the design and I am now left with the bones that will be developed over the coming months.
There are still a couple of options and a final decision will be made soon.

I had an opportunity to do a bit more work on my juniper today. I started the work that is necessary on the jin's, trimmed off the branch on the lower left side, wired down the now first branch with the help of a little raffia and hopefully started the "hanging branch" look that is typical of bungin. I plan to move down the jin "poking up" on the left hand side in the next few months (if I can't move it I will cut it off, but moving it is the first option).
This is just another progressive photo of the work as it happens. Cheers.

Today the photo background is blue, it started as black, moved to the "timber look", and now it's blue. I think so far blue is best, but what do you think?

Blue it is then. I've got to stick with what the judges like!!!!!!

Hi,
It's been about three weeks since I did any work on this Juniper, so today I moved the apex down a bit, put some structure into the upper branching(I should have taken a photo from the top, next time - trust me) and decided on where the apex will be. It will be a small apex on the left side. This tree has really changed since the first photos were taken, and as has been my plan from the start, I try to do just a little bit every now and then.
After the trimming and the wiring today, I gave it a good water and a bit of fertilizer as a reward.I am hopeing that it will put on a bit of growth before winter, and I also plan to give it some phrostegene (I hope that's how you spell it - too dark to go outside and check now!) between now and the end of Autumn, and that should ensure that it is healthy for the re-pot planned for early to mid spring.
Haven't quiet decided on the pot yet, but I do have a few laying around that are currently being considered!
Watto

A few months have passed since I made a post about this tree. On 22 September I potted it into its new home and did a few small adjustments to the tree itself.
The plan for now is to let the tree recover from the potting process, fertilize well (starting with one high in nitrogen) and gently work on the foliage placement. I know I've only got a few months so I am hoping for a lot more foliage in the next few weeks.

Hi Watto,
Would make a very nice Literati if you took the big curving bit off the top ,leaving enough wood to make jin on top, then using the remaining branch that has a nice angle, wire it in closer to the trunk and create small pads of foliage coming out horizontal.
Cheers, Jonden

Mmmm, good thoughts John. As it is only a little while until the judges make a decision I will need to act fast. Hopefully with a bit of nitrogen fertilizer it will show a bit more green before the competition ends.

Watto wrote:Mmmm, good thoughts John. As it is only a little while until the judges make a decision I will need to act fast. Hopefully with a bit of nitrogen fertilizer it will show a bit more green before the competition ends.

Watto it is only a short time yes, but it is where you are heading also, that will recieve judgment.

Cheers Pup

The little darling is in post potting recovery, but in a couple of weeks I will "put it on the workbench" again and see what happens. Cheers

It is with deep regret that I must inform you that this tree will not be up to the task of judgement.
Kind regards
Watto

Thank you mate that dose make it easy as we can now scratch this one.

Cheers Pup