Prunus spinosa

I am planning next styling of this yamadori either later this year or in the course of next one.  I will be happy for any comments/styling ideas. ( except the one like "send it on  address below ...   ).

Nice tree, I'd prune the length of the branches and develop the secondary growth. Maybe pot on into a bigger container after cutting back the trunk and creating the start of a new tapered apex.

That's definitely an option. Not many branches there though. Need to take a break for a while, I guess.
Thank you for your time, John.

Vlad wrote:... ...Not many branches there though... ...

I wouldn't say that, Vadimir.
Anyway, all the existing branches are very well placed, don't you think?
I believe they need to gain some more girth so that they are in better proportion to the trunk.
For this reason and if I was in your shoes, I would select my secondaries (I see there are a lot of them on the main branches) and let the whole thing grow free for this season. Next season select a suitable bud or existing shoot to change the direction of the branch and cut back to it.
I would also work with the new apex.
In my opinion, the base of the tree looks at its best in the first photo.

HI Alexandra,
thank you for your suggestions.   It makes two ( work on existing stucture ) against one ( me - REDO).    

One of the options I have in mind is a slanting tree.  Tree on the first picture, a tilt to the right  30-45°, cut of the first branch from the bottom, reduction of the height - removal of the top section of the tree till the fourth branch.  Styling new apex from the branch No four while the other two branches will help to get  the depth and the volume.

I think that this option will help to gain more visual appeal.  
- removal of the top section that is quite dull...
- removal of the first branch - better visibility of the lower section of the trunk  ( with a possibility to create a jin and/or an uro there )
- better utilisation of existing branches - more compact crown
- new angle
                 a) make more sense of the thick " anchoring"  root on the left ( the right one will be less noticable - burried under the soil at least partially )
                 b) makes the composition more dramatic

Hi Vlad.
That's a fine material.
..
I choose this to be the front.

As for styling
..maybe..
Since the tree has a heavy tilt/movement/ slant to the right, to balance the tree
maybe grow..
More thicker branches/foliage/rammification on left side.
Tilting the pot may be an option too.
good luck.

Not as dramatic but here's mine ;

@Tony Thank you for taking time to make the drawing and suggestions.

Oh my, that makes three to one...

I will try to put my views on a piece of paper during the weekend for future discussion.

Interesting point re balance. I am happy with either way ie growing branches as a "counterbalance" or growing stronger braches is the same direction as the trunk goes. My decision making is just based on my feelings and ability to "see" story behind the movement. In this case the trunk moves to the right in the "effort " to get more light for its branches. With this logic more foliage would grow on the side with more light ie right side in this case. This is one of the reasons I would like to make a change as indicated in my previous post.

@John Lovely kazari or better to say display. Much closer to our European hearts/soul. The tree looks pretty good for me. Its design reflects very well how the trees of this genus grow in Nature. From this perspective my blackthorn as it is styled now will never ever achieve this. It will always look like a different genus ( possibly maple? ).

Blackthorn is seen sometimes as a European apricot, food for thought!

High season for blackthorns...

john blanchard wrote:Blackthorn is seen sometimes as a European apricot, food for thought!

I've got about 7 blackthorns but my heart is ailing for ume...    
Well, yes prunus spinosa looks great too.  
This one looks "empty", though.  It would need 3-4 additional branches to fill the gaps and make good primary structure.  

A much recent piccy.

@john Beautiful

Something like this...

@ R3x   Thank you  for taking your time to make this virt.    Frankly I doubt I can rebuild the fence as suggested.   No idea how to connect the boards and insert the small square of boards  in the middle ( just above the end of the stump ). Also I do not have enough time and patience to carve all these knots  



Your suggestion is quite dramatic and frankly not realistic for a person who try to make his tree in a bit more traditional and perhaps old fashioned way.   From this perspective it would take ages to make a reasonable transition between the new part and the old one.    

I am realy happy about the slightly curved trunk - so it should stay more or less as it is.   The challenge is that there are not enough branches to  make a believable upright tree.  Not sure about thread/approach grafts.  I have tested it only once on a blackthorn and after 3 years it doesn't look well connected...

Because of this I am going to tilt the trunk even more to the right and try to make the best from existing branches. We will see in two years time how it goes.

Vlad,

well you have to try with the fence ;-)

I knew my proposal would be too radical to accept. The transition can be eased with carving. Some free growing of the top can make it thicker and look more natural.

@ R3x I really appreciate your effort and time spent on this virt. Even though I am not going this way it is an option. Thank you.