Another rmj

I love the spikey sharp aged feel it has to it. The foliage is pretty coerce but I feel it works here.
 
Giga said:
I love the spikey sharp aged feel it has to it. The foliage is pretty coerce but I feel it works here.
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Thanks, maybe I can coerce it into being less coarse someday!

Seriously though, I don't feel the foliage is very coarse on this tree, it could be laid out nicer and it will hopefully fill out more in time.
It's growing very slowly, if you look back to the pics a couple years ago when I did the first style work and today. I have barely touched the tree since then, pruned some crotch growth and thinned a bit of the top is all.
I think I need to change up some horticultural habits.
 
So this one is doing ok but a couple things have had me thinking health is not quite what it should be. Decided I better have a root peek to be sure. Mostly looking for root aphids. No sign of them. This is what I saw. I don't see any problems there, pretty sure I should just up the ferts. Plonked it back into the pot untouched of course. Maybe I could slip pot up a hair if it seems needed I guess. Just thought of that while typing.
Would have updated the tree but memory space all filled up. image.jpgimage.jpg
 
Removed all the wires this morning while family slept in. Thought I'd get them out of the way, clear the path for a new set when opportunity arises. I feel like it's really only marginally ready for wiring out again but I most likely will. Repot next year for sure. image.jpg
 
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Wire off, wire on, little bit. Half hr this am, most of the lowest left branch wired. I wish I could afford to spend all day sitting around wrapping her up but that's how it is. Even a little bit makes a difference though. I'm excited to get to more of it, there is a look that I want to get and hopefully I can now come close. . I'll try not to update every twig:).image.jpg
 
Poking along, I've been busy. Not busy with the tree, other stuff. But a few small differences here. Even if I do get to every twig it'll need a bit more development time to get what I'm after but the general feel of it is coming along. image.jpg
 
Coming along very nicely! Really like this tree. The only thing I would do if it were mine is create a couple of larger negative areas to make it more asymmetrical. Perhaps this is already in your development plans?
 
MACH5 said:
Coming along very nicely! Really like this tree. The only thing I would do if it were mine is create a couple of larger negative areas to make it more asymmetrical. Perhaps this is already in your development plans?
Click to expand...

Thanks and thanks for the styling tip.

I'll try to spend more time pondering negative spaces, it doesn't really come naturally to me. I spend far more time thinking about where bits should be than where bits shouldn't be.
It is kind of in the plans though. This tree has been a long process of reducing the number of shoots/branches and strengthening the ones left. There's still a few older longer branches that I don't want to keep but am holding on to while I wait for the interior shoots to gain some strength. I'm positioning them the best I can but I'd rather they were just gone. Maybe when they've been removed there will be a bit more defined negative space. Just tonight looking at the pic I was thinking of removing the second foliage clump up on the left hand side. That's one of the spots with a skinny long bare awkward branch and small interior shoots. Maybe I don't need any of it.
 
Alrighty, finally, here she is. Done for now.

Well obviously could still spend ages tweaking, trimming or cleaning little bits here and there but I'm not entering a show or anything here. I'm quite satisfied for now, on to something else. Comments, criticism, advice, all welcome.image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg
 
Many RMJs, and for that matter junipers in general, are designed more abstractly and not necessarily reflecting much on how they grow in mature. They are indeed wonderful if amazing examples of bonsai. This juniper is unique in that it references nature more closely. As much as I love those abstract trees, I have a real soft spot for bonsai that look like trees in nature.

Again, I think if you can eventually add some larger negative areas it will make your tree look even older.
 
MACH5 said:
Many RMJs, and for that matter junipers in general, are designed more abstractly and not necessarily reflecting much on how they grow in mature. They are indeed wonderful if amazing examples of bonsai. This juniper is unique in that it references nature more closely. As much as I love those abstract trees, I have a real soft spot for bonsai that look like trees in nature.

Again, I think if you can eventually add some larger negative areas it will make your tree look even older.
Click to expand...

Thanks Mach, I will keep that in mind and see what I can do. This trees health hasn't been great so I'm keeping removal to a minimum now. It does seem to be improving vigour wise. I'm not sure why but the last two or three years tree vigour in general in my yard seemed to go downhill a bit, not terrible but noticeable. This year is looking like things are back on track across the board again.
I didn't want to ask until I had done my thing here but how big of negative spaces or you thinking? Both sides, more on one side?
 
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