Largish shimpaku juniper -- first styling

[gjones_42]

I've been going over a possible design for this tree since I bought it. Last night, while drifting off to sleep, I realized that the smaller, left branch kept creeping into my mind as not "belonging". This morning, I put the tree on the turntable turned it round and round with and without a towel over the offending branch. 10 minutes of this and "the Line" hit me. Out came the tools and this is the result. MUCH better to my eye. The cut-off branch was not a good candidate for air layering. It still needs to grow out and be shaped more and the long bottom branches shortened, but I feel I have a better start on the final design. Quite a transformation from the bush on the tailgate of the truck.


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Maybe it's a trick of the eye, but what you call the back (first photo) seems like a more interesting front as the center trunk doesn't look so ramrod straight. The movement looks better and it leans forwards in that orientation, which also helps. Either way, removing that big branch was a good call!

Could you wire up the side trunk and start moving it upwards (and therefore closer to the center to tighten the composition) now just to play with that design idea? Can't see the gauge of the side trunk at the first fork with all that foliage.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Maybe it's a trick of the eye, but what you call the back (first photo) seems like a more interesting front as the center trunk doesn't look so ramrod straight. The movement looks better and it leans forwards in that orientation, which also helps. Either way, removing that big branch was a good call!

Could you wire up the side trunk and start moving it upwards (and therefore closer to the center to tighten the composition) now just to play with that design idea? Can't see the gauge of the side trunk at the first fork with all that foliage.

Both suggestions are definitely worth considering. I did look at the original back as a front. There are a lot of branches there that would have to be pruned and/or wired differently. Not a big deal. Bending up the side trunk/branch was always an option. It's pretty thick and stiff, but it could be done and it would benefit the design. My design style is to gradually let the tree dictate what to do after a lot of looking and thinking. It sometimes takes weeks or even months. No way I could design and style a tree in an afternoon like some of the top bonsai experts.

 

[gjones_42]

Both suggestions are definitely worth considering. I did look at the original back as a front. There are a lot of branches there that would have to be pruned and/or wired differently. Not a big deal. Bending up the side trunk/branch was always an option. It's pretty thick and stiff, but it could be done and it would benefit the design. My design style is to gradually let the tree dictate what to do after a lot of looking and thinking. It sometimes takes weeks or even months. No way I could design and style a tree in an afternoon like some of the top bonsai experts.

It's pretty wild seeing the one day design sessions! Something we can all aspire to.

 

[Joe Dupre']

It's pretty wild seeing the one day design sessions! Something we can all aspire to.

My suggestion is to invest in a few cheap procumbens nana and just experiment. Cut some way too much, some way too little, bend branches until they break, chop some roots. Some will be failures. Failure is also a learning experience.

 

[snowman04]

My suggestion is to invest in a few cheap procumbens nana and just experiment. Cut some way too much, some way too little, bend branches until they break, chop some roots. Some will be failures. Failure is also a learning experience.

Real-life learning! I love it...

 

[Joe Dupre']

Real-life learning! I love it...

Reminds me of a video of Kimura working on a juniper. Reading the subtitles, the reporter asked how did he know how far to bend a branch. He answered with a completely straight face "You bend it until it almost breaks." Stone cold!

 

[Joe Dupre']

Trying something new after watching amazing branch-bending videos on YouTube. I used cheap jute twine, soaked in water, to wrap the area to be bent. 4 pieces of 4mm wire was JUST enough to hold most of the bend. I backed them up with a tourniquet of 2.5mm wire to hold the bend. Note: a padded pipe wrench does a yeoman's job for a branch bender in a pinch.

The branch now looks like it's part of the tree instead of some tacked-on afterthought. All the smaller branches on the big branch will now have to be re-positioned for the best image.

This technique has given me the courage to look at some of my other trees which may need improvement. It wasn't hard at all. Probably took all of a half hour.

Now, does anyone have an idea how long the wire should be left on in my climate?

 

[Ruddigger]

With all that twine it’s not going to bite in for a long time. I’d leave it for a year and see if it stays.

 

[Joe Dupre']

I went back and looked at the first pic of the thread. Quite a transformation.

 

[Joe Dupre']

The bent branch now looks more like a secondary trunk. I'll probably style it to mimic the lines of the main trunk.......... a kind of mother/daughter effect.

 

[Joe Dupre']

I've been studying this tree every day, waiting for a styling inspiration to hit me. I originally went with the idea of the classic pointed apex and traditional triangular shape. That just wasn't doing it for me or for the basic structure of the tree. Yesterday, this design popped into my head. It's not necessarily of traditional shape and style, but neither are many of my other trees. Here is the latest design concept. The new concept has the added benefit of reducing the height of the tree. The tree will be left to grow this summer in preparation for next spring's repotting and re-styling.

 

[Laddo]

The bent branch now looks more like a secondary trunk. I'll probably style it to mimic the lines of the main trunk.......... a kind of mother/daughter effect.

Off topic but I live in Mandeville. Are you a member of the NOLA Bonsai group?

 

[Joe Dupre']

Off topic but I live in Mandeville. Are you a member of the NOLA Bonsai group?

No, Laddo. I'm a member of Baton Rouge's LBS.

Hey, Underhill Bonsai Nursery is having a big blowout show with lectures and demonstrations this coming Saturday , March 30th. If you've never been, Underhill is a fantastic nursery. It's not really a far ride from Mandeville. Guy Guidry and Mike Lane are putting on workshops.

A couple of friends and I are going. I plan on buying a trident maple. Underhill has TONS of ground and container grown trees. Quite literally tons of ground grown bald cypress.

 

[Laddo]

No, Laddo. I'm a member of Baton Rouge's LBS.

Hey, Underhill Bonsai Nursery is having a big blowout show with lectures and demonstrations this coming Saturday , March 30th. If you've never been, Underhill is a fantastic nursery. It's not really a far ride from Mandeville. Guy Guidry and Mike Lane are putting on workshops.

A couple of friends and I are going. I plan on buying a trident maple. Underhill has TONS of ground and container grown trees. Quite literally tons of ground grown bald cypress.

Yea i go to Underhill almost every week and spend more money than i should haha. My wife and I will be at C'est Bonsai this weekend. Im doing Guy's workshop!

 

[Joe Dupre']

Hope to see you there, Laddo.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Anyone have an idea on how long to leave those wires on for this big bend? I was planning on leaving it on until next spring. We have a long growing season here, so that may be too long.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Update:
I made another executive decision when I saw a new line from a different angle. I ran the idea over with couple of friends and they agreed that it was a better design. The big bend on the second trunk has been in place for a while and I had wired the other branches to reflect the new design. All wires are now removed. I lengthened and lime sulphured the shari. I cut out the leader and turned up a new one from a lower branch. Moving the second trunk to the back gave a better line and more prominence to the main trunk. All that is needed is for the tree to fill in a bit more.