Juniperus procumbens

Hello, here's a little topic from Paris France.
I had a profile here a long time ago, but it seems that it has disappear, or that i can't remember my login and email adress.
Anyway i registered again and i'm glad to post in this forum where many peopole from around the world come and give good advices.

So here's this Procumbens that i have for four or five years, who almost die at the beginning, and that ends up to be (now that he seems in good health) more and more bare, in the literati style.

First photo four years ago, second and third one year ago, lasts just now.

Thanks...

I love literati and particularly like the trunk on this tree! ITs good that you were able to save it from the wood pile.
Salut, Todd

look more carecter now!... I like this.

Quatrefi,
hi.
personally, i like the first photo, with just some foliage mass reduction will do if it were my tree, that is. the last development got so much individual small foliage mass and the first and second branch provide distraction against the nice flow of the trunk. the first pot is also better for literati.
anyway its just a matter of personal taste.

regards,
jun

Hello thanks for your compliments.

Jun i understand your point of view. For the pot i had to change it for the tree to recover strengh, i'll soon try a smaller one.
For the foliage, i liked it as it was first, but it was not stable with so much foliage i had to fix the pot constantly. I think literatis need a minimalistic foliage fo being quite "dramatic" like this example taken from an old "bonsaï today" That's Kimura and the tree is a procumbens too. I'd like mine to look lile this a lot of work to do especially for each little branch!!!



An other thing is that procumbens are so fast for densifying their foliage that it never last bare long !

Anyway after these remarks my question would be :

Do you think the front should be with the tree from profile like this new picture?[img][/img]

I feel that the first photo is great and the fourth one looks good too...but i would personally go with the fourth photo and bring the second branch on the left out a little more to make it more balance the tree... very nice tree!

Hi.
IMHO-the last photo you posted is perfect. if you were inspired by the series of photos from "bonsai today" thats good. if you would observe the movement of the trunk its being complemented by the branches -long branches moving outside and not stealing attention away from the trunk. (i hope you wont be offended) -your series of photos shows your tree with a nice trunk movement being cramped by your long branches, thats why the gentle flow of your tree trunk were not enhanced and appears restricted by the branches. for me a good literati is like a chinese caligraphy free flowing yet gentle...again this is just an opinion from a honest friend.

regards,
jun

Jie---Thanks, i think that this last photo could be the good choice.
Jun---thanks for your remarks it's very interesting, i had this kimura's work in mind, but as i loooked back at the pictures i realised how he placed the branches a real subtile way.
Do you think that the movement of the second branch on the left is excessive? The first on the right seems more like kimura's work to me.
And for exemple the tip of the branches is very flat (on Kimura's tree) and that's very beautiful. I'll try to go in this direction by wiring each little branch later...

Hi.

every tree is unique...this is one of the reasons why i love the art of bonsai. paintings, sculptures, architecture, music...all of these branches of art can be duplicated, even to the smallest detail visible to the human eye. but in bonsai it is impossible to duplicate. the longest time that it can be duplicated is a day or two, then after that the two seemingly lookalike trees will be different again in the following days to come...so may i say, love your tree as it is. it is more beautiful than any other trees from your references.
again this is just a humble pinion from an honest friend.

regards,
jun

How 'bouth this?

nik rozman's pic looks cool! it gives the bun jin feel after all bunjin style does not traditionally have many branches or low branches or too much foliage^^

I'd have to agree with Jun that the first pic was by far the best option - if taken as a start point rather than as a finished item. IMHO the only other thing that was needed apart from a foliage reduction was making the trunk a bit mre upright. That would have solved your toppling over problem. It would also - again IMHO - have been more in keeping with most literati, including the Kimura one shown. I can't see the tree having the grace and elegance associated with literati until the trunk is a bit more upright.

However, you've obviously now got the issue that it can never return to the "original" because you've jinned the long branch. I'd be tempted to let this one grow unchecked for a year or so and see what other options present themsleves.


Just MHO.

hi,
i likr the first picture,if your afraid of the weakening of plants,take ouy some more foilage and cut back some more,the flow of branches are harmonious,sometimes simplicity are the best,but whatever design your happy just go for it,bonsai is individual expression.
regards,
alex a.k.a ogie

Hello, thanks for your contribution.

Nik, that could be a possibility, but i'm so afraid that the head would die that i can't get rid of this first branch that would give an alternative to another tree.

Fiona, of course making the trunk more upright is the right thing to do, i'll do it when i'll be repotting.
I didn't make a jin with the branch, it died... i was forced to do without it, my plan is to have long branches coming from the top next year to "inmitate" kimura's styling.

Hello, here are some news, of this procumbens.
I did restyle it this week-end.
I think he looks better now, more in the literati style....
I've got those two options for the front.

Wow.. Both option dispaly a classic literati...The tree is quite visually stunning now. I am torn between the 2 options. I think I might like the second one better. However, it is very close.

Thanks Rob.
On the first one the back branch gives a little more more depth, but yes it's very close.

Quatrefi
Great job, you approach the soul of classic Chinese painting!

Thanks, Lo.
I've go your book and it's great inspiration!