Design and Progression Thread: California Juniper with grafted Shimpaku

[Malix]

Have had this for many years. Along with the rest of my collection this languished in the yard for around a decade due to various unavoidable reasons. During the beginning of Covid Life finally turned around and I am now able to spend lots of time developing my trees. During those years I kept it alive but by the time I got around to work on it again it needed drastic cutting back due to not placing branches and uncontrolled growth for so long. I basically started over with this one..

This tree has stumped me for the longest time. I think I have stared at it for way too many years and have not been able to settle on a front. it has many interesting features but no front has made itself known. After repotting it a couple of years back and providing it with good growing conditions. it is now gaining vigor. I think one or two more growing seasons and I may be able to begin setting a final design. Will probably take some years to fill the tree's foliage out after that.

Most of my trees have an obvious front or one presents itself eventually. This one has been with me for maybe 15 years. When I bought it the the last of the native foliage had just been taken off. The grafts grew well for many years but then the lost decade happened. Enough time for a front to make itself know, you would think.

I may have to bite the bullet and give this to a pro to set the basic design in motion. Which I have never felt the need to do.

Here are photos after a light trim. I my clean up the undersides of branches a bit more.. but will mostly just let this run another year with a healthy fertilizer and seaweed extract regimen.

Am happy to hear suggestions a front you folks would pick. Thanks.

 

[RJG2]

I think I like the last photo the best.

Don't love that first branch coming off the front in 1 & 2. Don't love the pot belly in 3.

(My numbering starts after the video)

 

[19Mateo83]

I think I like the last photo the best.

Don't love that first branch coming off the front in 1 & 2. Don't love the pot belly in 3.

(My numbering starts after the video)

+1, @Malix that is a beautiful little juniper! Nice tools too!

 

[Crazy Diamond]

Beautiful piece for sure, I like thr front +- with this angle

 

[Dav4]

I'm having trouble identifying the life lines and I'm thinking their location coming out of the soil and movement on the trunk have got to be taken into consideration when choosing a front. Fwiw, I'm thinking the best front will require a change of planting angle.

 

[BonsaiDTLA]

Put a block of wood under it and prop it up at different angles! Then take some photos and post it here for us

 

[bwaynef]

#3. #2's not bad, but I like #3 better. The trunk is more powerful and more of a feature. If the tree were thinner, I'd say to elongate like in #2, but it seems bulky enough as it is that an elongated design seems like it'd be at odds with the bulk.

 

[Njyamadori]

1 and 2 after the video doesn't have much movement. 3 is my favorite without actually diving deep into the thinking process and trade-off features.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Watching the video, I stopped it at :18, which is closest to #4, but perhaps 30 degrees earlier. I believe it is actually what you have as the current front.

Always start with the base and work your way up.

 

[Bu-Jetjet]

checking up on this. Did you get a chance to clean up the deadwood and live vein? I've found it helpful as another factor to consider when it comes to selecting the front.