Vision quest

[Maloghurst]

This is a multi trunk boxwood I collected this spring. Most of what you see is new growth. I won't do anything else to it this year. Next year I will do some pruning of branches that I know will not be needed but not much. I'll just let it recover and establish itself in this pot.
Meanwhile I would appreciate some input on designs for this in the future. So I can at least have some idea of where I'm going with it. I have a couple ideas but would love some input.

 

[0soyoung]

I suggest you study your material in the range of the ground up to about the height of your Fuel Defense can. Find what you think is the best view, including the best nebari. For example, from your pix, I like this the best at the moment.



Now, what do you imagine to be on top of this? I see a three trunk clump, but the three trunks probably need to be of different sizes (the heaviest in front). One would like the stems to have some motion (wander around, not be arrow straight). Mmmm, there are possibilities, but it looks like it would mean cutting all the stems down and substantially regrowing them. That will take a lot of time and isn't very 'appetizing'.

So, turn the pot, looking at this low part and find something better. There is at least one view that might make into a nice grouping (mini-forest, and another that might be a raft (a fallen trunk whose branches are now trees). One of them might be more appealing. Again, one doesn't want all the stems to be the same size nor do we want them to all be arrow straight. However, as a forest/group we can get by with relatively little movement if we have different sizes (short and thin in the back = distant; one tallest and thickest in front).

Then, again, maybe there are just too many stems (i.e., maybe it needs to be 'simplified'). Is there a view from which you find yourself saying something to the effect of 'this is cool, if just those weren't there'?; cover those extra things with a cloth so you can better see/visualize what you've got.

Wrestle with it. You'll be glad you did.

 

[defra]

Im with oso many straight trunks indeed
But however i stumbled upon this pic a while ago when looking for multitrunk styles for inspiration

Maybe this is something to think about

 

[sorce]

This is a dope thinker.

Channel that inner @DavidBrasil !

I can't find a trunk to delete that will leave it interesting.
As there is five now.

Keep coming back to this view.


Cuz while the opposite side can utilize this light blue trunk well for depth, it leaves those others dotted straight evenly across the front, leaving the situation where there isn't an easy option for deletion.

So I like this front.
(But have you dug for a different flare?)

So the blue ones are pretty obviously different sizes.

From left to right.
Smallest.

The middle keeper for its slight size difference, and greatest interest of the three.

And the right, what I call the, "drunk uncle trunk", or the "truncle"! Which makes this 6 trunk, which is absolutely fine because the truncle is allowed to break all the rules!

So all you must do then is exploit what differences the other trunks have, and prune to create more.

Leave 3-4 larger branches on the purple one to allow it to dominate, as it already will towering over your smallest tree. Be sure to leave leftward moving branches, upward, and slightly right.

Leave 2-3 on the orange. Also high movement left, low movement right.

Leave 1-3 on the yellow, favoring much heavier rightward movement.

And break some rules with the drunk uncle trunk to fill out that side.

Them red lines aren't pruning spots, but a valid height to end each canopy.

I think you can build plenty of interest to make this a legit clump.

Exploit the obvious differences of the blue trunks.

And treat the three taller ones as they ARE.
The dominating force behind the whole scene.
With subtle differences that will age.

Fun one.

Sorce