Just styled twin trunk shimpaku juniper

[Paulkellum]

It's first styling has long way to go but wanted to get light in and get some shape to branches.

 

[Vance Wood]

It's first styling has long way to go but wanted to get light in and get some shape to branches.

You've done a nice job with this tree.

 

[Paulkellum]

You've done a nice job with this tree.

Thanks didn't think it would look this good when I got the material. I think it will look great after some Shari and Jins are started.

 

[bonsaibp]

Looks pretty good a few years and you'll have a really nice tree. I'd like to see it after you incorporate some deadwood.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Agreed, I'd strip the bark off those jinned branches now while it's still easy. Once it dries, a 2 minute task can become a 20 minute chore.

 

[Vance Wood]

Thanks didn't think it would look this good when I got the material. I think it will look great after some Shari and Jins are started.

I would not be in such a great hurry to produce Jin and Shari elements. They look good when they belong, but nothing looks worse, in my opinion, than deadwood elements which are obviously contrived.

 

[october]

You pulled a very nice image out of this material.

Rob

 

[Vance Wood]

You pulled a very nice image out of this material.

Rob

Absolutely that is true. I would not be in such a big hurry to muck it up with meaningless deadwood that may or may not look natural and add a plus to the design. I do see some stubs you left from pruning the tree initially, that you can jin, and the possible linking together with shari is a possibility as well.

 

[Eric Schrader]

refinement

I'm not sure if you are asking for opinions, but I feel compelled to offer these: stylistically I think you should do two things:

The top whip should be bent over - if you leave it vertical the tip stays stronger than the rest of the foliage and continues upward. If you bend it over - in this case toward the minor secondary trunk - then the side branching on it will all grow up more evenly and form a rounded crown. I would do this now if I were you.

Clean off foliage that is hanging down to clean up the branch profiles. You don't have to do this if you think that you've removed a lot already. It's something that you would do on junipers about once per year anyway.

 

[Paulkellum]

Absolutely that is true. I would not be in such a big hurry to muck it up with meaningless deadwood that may or may not look natural and add a plus to the design. I do see some stubs you left from pruning the tree initially, that you can jin, and the possible linking together with shari is a possibility as well.

Thanks I agree. I know for its first every styling it took good shape, but I want to establish a long term goal before the deadwood starts. I did leave the stubs for Jin if they work in or finish them off.