Large California Juniper

Which image do you prefer?

  • 1st image

    Votes: 4 10.5%
  • 2nd image

    Votes: 34 89.5%

  • Total voters
    38
  • Poll closed .

Mike Page

Mame
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This California Juniper was collected by Harry Hirao around 20 or so years ago. He donated it to the GSBF 2000 convention raffle, and I won it.

I'm posting 2 views and a poll to see which view you folks like best;

Height from soil line is 35 inches. Pot by Sara Rayner.

Mike
 

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PaulH

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I think the second view is far better. the first view has inverse taper and conflicting movement. The second view is much more graceful and balanced.
Paul
 

reddog

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I'm ok with a bit of reverse taper in a collected juniper. But I do believe the second image looks nicer and the movement is better.

I think the second view is far better. the first view has inverse taper and conflicting movement. The second view is much more graceful and balanced.
Paul
 

crhabq

Mame
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Mike,
The inverse taper on the 1st view is distracting, but what I find more visually jarring is the straightness of the live vein going up the trunk. My eye wants to follow that live vein up straight up and down the trunk and this unbalances the tree. The 2nd veiw is far more balanced and dynamic IMO. Have you considered reducing the size of the two jins just under the apex (view 2)? This might give the tree a more tapered look helping to balance the apex and the trunk (maybe?). Anyway, I think that you have a very nice juni here. Thanks for asking the opinion of noobs like me. I may not have presentable trees yet, but I still have eyes and a mind.
Thanks again,
Ray
 

ghues

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First view

At first I liked the second one…..the gentle and graceful lines gave a nice movement.....but the more I studied both of them …… and just looked at the total impression of both…..my decision changed.
The abruptness and almost opposing forces of the first view IMHO is a better reflection of the environmental stresses the tree has succumbed to. To me the vein doesn’t go straight up, as it comes towards the viewer then narrows away and gentle curves to the top providing movement.
This angle may also show a metaphor ……..of a distressed couple and their relationship being held together by their only child.... lol.
 

Bill S

Masterpiece
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Before looking at others comments I chose 2 as well. Not sure why, both sides have thier good and bad points.
 

Emil Brannstrom

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I prefer the first one, it has a lot more potentional but the foliage would be repositioned if this was my tree. The second image is too boring. I'll make a virt later if I got some spare time and you'd like one.

Best regards
Emil
 

JTGJr25

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I like the second view. It makes the live vein look like its spiraling around with the deadwood which gives it great movement. Having the top of the deadwood in the back will also give the composition more depth. You are really going to have to work some magic with that foliage thought to balance it with that heavy deadwood. Or you could reduce the deadwood drastically. Looks like a fun project.

Tom
 

Bonsai Nut

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I like #2. However I would bring the growth down so it reveals the top of the deadwood and is not so horizontal. I would try to achieve a graceful curved or bowing line.
 
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Mike,

Nice Juniper, I believe that pic #1 can be a great choice. However, I think the foliage and the jins compete too much. I've attached a photoshop rendering (that's not very good) of what the tree could look like if you lower the foliage. It appears that #1 shows off the movement in the trunk on the left side the best.

Juniperus Californica
 

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Dwight

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I assume we're looking for a front here. If thats so I'd go with one as I feel it has more potential if the growth can be moved WAY down , even farther than JJ.C. has on his virt. I had a chance to look at a bunch of cal. junies in june and the foilage always looked best , when light like yours , always looked better at least a third of the way down the trunk. Right now eithwr tree looks a kid that just got a bad hair cut. Otherwise the tree is a beaut. BTW , I didn't vote as both views with the foilage lowered would be great resulting in a tree with more than one front..

Of course all the above is just an opinion and is probably worth about what it cost.
 

Mark

Mame
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Mike,
I can not vote for either. I have a feeling that by changing the planting angle and or the front a very interesting tree could develop. Forget the poll, keep looking!

Mark
 

Smoke

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I concur with Mark. There is just too much bulky wood moving vertically. That mass of deadwood needs some taper and a decent canopy.

The good news..I see Casper the ghost in the first image.
 
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greerhw

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Too much deadwood for the foliage, get out the grinder and cut it down to size or wait 15 years for the foliage to catch up with the trunk. Reducing the size of the shari will make a killer tree now.

keep it green,
Harry
 

greerhw

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Just a suggestion to reduce the shari on your juni, I'm sure others would offer a better suggestion, but sometimes less is better.


keep it green,
Harry
 

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Dwight

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I really like the reduced shari and relocated greenery. Killer tree Harry. Now don't you wish you owned it ?
 

greerhw

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I really like the reduced shari and relocated greenery. Killer tree Harry. Now don't you wish you owned it ?


Can't own them all, but I like looking at as many as possible....

keep it green,
Harry
 

Wm Tom Davis

Sapling
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A slight variation...

I like the narrower trunk, especially the jinning done, but from what I've seen, the trunk on the left is partially hidden and I think the jin is a big part of this tree. I think that the busyness of the jin on the left side maybe needs some balance on the right side.

Please excuse the liberty I took to PhotoShop the image and add a bit of what I think is balance to the right side of the tree. From your pictures I don't see a branch where I added one, but with junipers, one could possibly back-bud or graft one as needed. I would also repot it in an oval or rectangular pot for better over all balance of this version.

Please note that I am a beginner who is in the process of learning how to style trees, and I realize I've taken a big liberty here.
I thank you for the opportunity to learn.

Juniperredo.jpg
 
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greerhw

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Nice job Tom !

keep it green,
Harry

PS: I hate people that are good with PhotoShop.............;)
 
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