scots pine progress, whats next?

What to do with this pine? Its current styling is kind of boring....I am open to hearing new ideas. Thanks for looking.

I found this large scots pine last June from a friend who could no longer manage its size (45 inches tall/114cm).. It was very shaggy & had not been pruned and thinned for a few years. It is also in desperate need of repotting. The tree had one strong side (the back), as it faced south. The tree had not been rotated in a couple of years.

First, Here it is as I purchased it. I pruned the strong new shoots back to stubs, and pruned 50% of the length of the interior weaker shoots. I was rewarded with huge numbers of back buds. This fall/winter I cut 2&3 year old needles in the strong zones & I removed the center dominant buds throughout the tree (except the weakest lower branch).

The plan is to sort out the roots & repot this spring into a box, then wire and style next winter.
June 2010:


Today front:



Rear:


Bark & Apex

Neil, you are one lucky dog!

Thanks Russell.

I am thinking of removing the lower right branch. Any thoughts on that?

Hey Neil,
Impressive tree, a delight to get something like that in to you garden.
If i see it right on your image, the removing of the lower right branch, would leave you with a first left branch
in the middle of the tree, which is not that fine in the mutual proportions of the whole tree.
The lower right branch shows a fork in its base, is it possible to remove the upper one and start new growth to fill the backside?
Or is it possible to wire it down a bit?
In spite of the fact that it is well settled, after repotting with root corrections i would leave the tree a year to recover,
(as you mentioned already), it gives you the time to consider various options and to find the unique character.
regards, Sunip

Neil,

I think Sunip's advice is spot on. If it were mine, I'd style it with every major branch then decide later which can/should be removed unless you are sure you see something wonderful. Nothing wrong with taking it slow, more branches = more options. No turning back once that branch is gone.

Everything is there for you to end up with a very quiet and elegant pine. Good luck!