Yamadori Sabina Juniper

[SgtPilko]

This sabina juniper was collected in Spain a few years ago, the previous owner did some preliminary work to bend the canopy and create jins. I have had it a few months, super happy to take it to the next stage hopefully. I'll do a progression of sorts, but all advice welcome!

I dont have a clear vision yet of where I want to go, but it has grown well this season, now it is looking lush and healthy. In autumn I may thin and wire the canopy but let some of the extended growth run, in the hope of having some thicker, longer branches to give more depth, eventually tuck it in and around the deadwood so the pads are not so one dimensional. Good idea?

I love the deadwood but the live vein can only be seen entering the soil from a few angles restricting the front choices. I need to properly experiment with a few wedges and potting angles as well.

Cheers nutters!

 

[Colorado]

Sweet juniper! Definitely looks like it is ready for some wiring work. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it.

 

[Hartinez]

Oh man. A beauty. I think right now is as good a time as any to wire, and it clearly already had a pretty clear direction. You just need to thin, wire and place pads for layer texture and form.

 

[jimib]

That’s awesome

 

[Srt8madness]

I have a Sabina that I'm not sure what to do with, will be watching closely. Beautiful tree. I can see a lot of character in it.

 

[SgtPilko]

Bjorn appears to be watching and giving out inspiration this just posted

Bunjin Shimpaku Juniper Bonsai

JOIN BONSAI-Uhttps://bjornbjorholm.com/bonsai-u-membership/INTENSIVE SCHOOLhttps://bjornbjorholm.com/school/VISIT EISEI-ENhttps://bjornbjorholm.com/contact/N...

youtube.com

 

[SgtPilko]

Minor thin out and wiring in this early spring season, missed the autumn window due to crazy life and work stuff. Next step trim some tips and try to compact the foliage, I see some buds forming, think a smaller foliage mass shows off the trunk better, i just want a couple of branches from the top-right area to add depth and work 'behind' the deadwood. I think there is probably a better, more radical styling option and will discuss at my next workshop. Heading in the right direction so far!

 

[Japonicus]

You have a difficult selection to make
Each angle has it's advantages.
I will say, in the Bjorn photo he displays the trunk pretty much in its entirety
which looks to be the easiest to accomplish in the last photo.
1st photo mid ways on the left side is a branch that appears to make a number 7 or 90º
like it shoots up then out. I lose that perspective in the following pictures.
Is that just a trick of the eye? If not, it may not be a necessary element in that branch or design.
Last photo mid ways on right appears to be another 90º angle pointing towards and over the camera.

 

[FreshAirSunshine]

To me I almost want all the branches moving towards the left of the trunk and almost hugging the form of it. Something similar to picture #2 of your original post, but with more of a canopy shape with the first Jin below the live branch visible and pointing towards the foliage mass. I’m thinking of like half a narrow umbrella shape on the left or even that crossed with something more cascading outwards to accentuate the movement of the trunk up and right before fading down and left.

 

[FreshAirSunshine]

Bjorns design is different because the branch curves towards the foliage mass to cradle it underneath and give more of a sense of stillness/stability. For yours I almost want to accentuate the movement up and right against foliage down and left to have more the feel of a cascade crossed with literati.

 

[Japonicus]

Just an idea.
You're going in a good direction, and this is just one idea.
I wish I had a trunk as nice on a juniper.

 

[SgtPilko]

You have a difficult selection to make
Each angle has it's advantages.
I will say, in the Bjorn photo he displays the trunk pretty much in its entirety
which looks to be the easiest to accomplish in the last photo.
1st photo mid ways on the left side is a branch that appears to make a number 7 or 90º
like it shoots up then out. I lose that perspective in the following pictures.
Is that just a trick of the eye? If not, it may not be a necessary element in that branch or design.
Last photo mid ways on right appears to be another 90º angle pointing towards and over the camera.

Thanks! Yes by trying to have a fuller canopy (and being indecisive) it means if you just move a little in any direction you can have an eye-poker or weird looking branchlet. Im not going to work towards Bjorn's really of course, it just popped up when i was on the hunt for inspiration. Actually a lot of bunjin type junipers have a similar feel.

 

[SgtPilko]

Thanks for sharing! Going to just stare at it some more. A while back I had a bit of an aha moment when i got the angle juuust right, however literally a few mm off and either the trunk loses width, something gets hidden or whatever. Fun though!

View attachment 477866
Just an idea.
You're going in a good direction, and this is just one idea.
I wish I had a trunk as nice on a juniper.

 

[SgtPilko]

Bjorns design is different because the branch curves towards the foliage mass to cradle it underneath and give more of a sense of stillness/stability. For yours I almost want to accentuate the movement up and right against foliage down and left to have more the feel of a cascade crossed with literati.

Thanks, yeah I am kinda caught in two minds whether having all the foliage going in the same direction makes it feel dynamic and showing the full trunk movement, or really disconnected from the trunk rather than interplaying with it - theres something I like where there is a bit of hide and seek with the deadwood, more 3D, not all immediately on show.

Interesting that Bjorn's exhibits more stability, as the apex is way off centre and outside the pot.

Perhaps going all in on trunk and keeping foliage dangling is the best option, get it compact and maybe a drop branch for the surprise element. Seen some amazing Mirai trees in the same vein.

 

[FreshAirSunshine]

I think Bjorns design feels stable in the same fashion that a carpenter-style desk lamp might which frankly is similar to the trunk (arm) vs foliage (lamp) arrangement. The foliage mass is suspended somewhat underneath a strong trunk angled towards the foliage and that trunk is grounded in a base more massive than the foliage itself, assisted by the trunk widening towards the base. This grounds the whole design into the pot base for me. For your tree the trunk apex points away from the foliage which makes it seem like the weight of the foliage mass is hanging off of the branch rather than supported through the main trunk to me so it doesn’t give that same grounded feel. In addition, the taper of Bjorns tree at the base makes it feel weighty, while your trunk first widens from the base to the initial bend making it feel less grounded to the pot. These things make me look at your tree as being somewhat more dynamic and less still/stable. Of course this is just some random person on the internets opinion, but figured I could give a better idea of what I’m seeing.

 

[FreshAirSunshine]

Man I wish I had your design problem right now though. I’m going to go back to my sticks in pots

 

[JoBalz]

Man, you have a beautiful tree to work with. Great trunk. Looking at the photos, you are off to a good start. Look forward to progress photos!

 

[JoBalz]

Man I wish I had your design problem right now though. I’m going to go back to my sticks in pots

Know what you mean! I live in an area of southern pines and red cedar trees. I find myself scanning the landscape when I go out in hopes of something interesting. I sure miss living in a mountainous area! The closest area where I suspect some good specimans could be collected is 150-200 miles to the north and would require some serious climbing, which I doubt my cardiologist would recommend as I'm two months out of major surgery. Just have to live vicariously through others!

 

[SgtPilko]

Some minor adjustments to the styling last week at a workshop. The different layers of pads come out better in person I think, can't quite get the angle right