Rocky Mountain Juniper Progression

[Beng]

Haven't posted anything in a long time so I figured I'd share a tree. Here's a before and after of a Rocky Mountain Juinper for you all, the foliage is about the size of kishu but feathery like itoigawa. My plans for the next few years are to get it to back bud on the lower branch closer to the original trunk, and between the apex and the branch below it, fill in and refine the pads. Then I'll be able to compress it even further and bring the needles into a more harmonious balance with the trunkline. If it doesn't back bud which i'm pretty sure it will then i'll graft RMJ to it. This fall i'll do the deadwood and sand the live vein.

To do the bend I ran 2 aluminum wires parallel down the line of the trunk prior to adding the raffia, on the thicker part of the trunk i double raffia'd it on the thinner part one coat only. Then 2 evenly spaced large copper wires over the raffia. There were no cracks while doing this big bend. I worked on this tree with Matt Reel, it's got a long way to go but I'm happy with its initial styling.

 

[goosetown]

That's pretty excellent. RMJs are notoriously difficult to work with if you're not going for something sparse, IMO, but it looks like you'll get some nice foliage out of that. Well done.

 

[Vin]

Very nice! Looks like you got that little tuft of foliage to go a long way. Great job tightening it up and adding some movement as well.

 

[A Random User]

Nicely done Beng !!! I might remove the branches coming off the bottom
right, seeing that are blocking one's view of the trunk, and when the
foliage begins to fill in it will be even harder to see, but really nice job !

 

[october]

Outstanding work! I doubt you will need to graft anything on this tree.

Rob

 

[Beng]

Nicely done Beng !!! I might remove the branches coming off the bottom
right, seeing that are blocking one's view of the trunk, and when the
foliage begins to fill in it will be even harder to see, but really nice job !

I thought about it. It also will fold in with the pad on the left. But in the end I felt it gave the tree a little something extra when viewed in person. For now I'll leave it, in the future it may be moved left to join that pad or head to the back of the tree.

 

[Rose Mary]

I really like what your have done with this tree. Sure didn't appear to be that much branching or foliage...nice

Rose

 

[Beng]

I really like what your have done with this tree. Sure didn't appear to be that much branching or foliage...nice

Rose

That before picture was taken in Mid march right before I repotted it. The branches all lengthened a bit since then but it's indeed the same tree in the before.

 

[Poink88]

Excellent! Someone is stepping up his game!

Can you take a pic with the tree rotated clockwise a bit? Thanks.

 

[MACH5]

Love the work Beng! Nice vision and transformation. I agree with Rob. You might not need any grafting on this tree.

Great!!!