Drjd
Yamadori
Hello everyone! I wanted to see if anyone had some initial styling advice for this medium/large shimpaku juniper pre-bonsai I picked up (yes I have potted it). I’m trying to practice following as many of the formal Japanese rules as possible in terms of styling. I have little issue with styling smaller trees and following the rules but this is the biggest tree I have worked with now. I have a feeling I will need to remove a large portion of the length of the branches because the height is currently much taller than 6x the width of the trunk.
Currently I feel blinded by my bias that all I can make is a informal upright, but the far left branch is the branch I would consider using as the main trunk continuation but given the stiffness bringing the apex back over midline would be quite difficult. To describe some detail that may be lost in the quality of the photo, essentially there are three main branches off the main trunk and the first branch on the right has many very straight branches that can not be bent with wire. I am planing on air rooting them and removing those. The middle large branch is the most likely to fall midline in an informal upright style but I find the shape less interesting. I have also considered a semi-cascade but again I feel I would need to bend the far left branch farther than possible to make the angle that it would need (even with re-potting on its side).
If anyone has any other options they think would work better, or any advice for or against what I have said I would appreciate it. Iv read multiple bonsai books and watched hours of education videos, but I am very new and my actual skill level is obviously novice.
Also, I understand the photo is not excellent, please do not bash me for this. Please trust that currently it’s the best photo I can provide, I understand I need to take better photos in the future for posting. I am really just asking for a general guidance as to where I should start with this tree in terms of shape.I true my appreciate any and all help!
Currently I feel blinded by my bias that all I can make is a informal upright, but the far left branch is the branch I would consider using as the main trunk continuation but given the stiffness bringing the apex back over midline would be quite difficult. To describe some detail that may be lost in the quality of the photo, essentially there are three main branches off the main trunk and the first branch on the right has many very straight branches that can not be bent with wire. I am planing on air rooting them and removing those. The middle large branch is the most likely to fall midline in an informal upright style but I find the shape less interesting. I have also considered a semi-cascade but again I feel I would need to bend the far left branch farther than possible to make the angle that it would need (even with re-potting on its side).
If anyone has any other options they think would work better, or any advice for or against what I have said I would appreciate it. Iv read multiple bonsai books and watched hours of education videos, but I am very new and my actual skill level is obviously novice.
Also, I understand the photo is not excellent, please do not bash me for this. Please trust that currently it’s the best photo I can provide, I understand I need to take better photos in the future for posting. I am really just asking for a general guidance as to where I should start with this tree in terms of shape.I true my appreciate any and all help!