John,

I really enjoy this tree.  Going from the feet of the pot, has the front changed?  Are you planning on keeping the left side of the tree tight to show the jin(s) peeking through, or do you think you might all it to grow out more?

I always liked that little tree, but the new styling really sets it off.  Akio did a really nice job.  At the size it is at, it might be really nice accenting a shohin stand.  Not sure what they call the "odd tree out" of a shohin display.  It seems like reducing it to shohin size might end up making the foliage into 1 solid mass, whereas it might stay more broken into pads as a slightly larger tree.

The small twisted Junipers seem to be one of those touch stones, people either love them or hate them depending on if they like stylized trees.  Or to what degree.

Thanks for the pics!

Alex

Huh?

Al,
Actually have been trying to get the foliage tighter and denser- and as I result I "pinched and pruned" the lightly lignified areas too much, pushing it to juvenile. Repotted it the first week in March, I did my usual moderately aggressive repotting and Boon looked at me and said "not enough" I thought I had taken too much off, then he took the tree and started working up under the base, and out (over the next few minutes) came a small pile of decomposed junk and akadama- so the first half (the front) of the clean out is dones, and the second half will happen the next time it is repotted. I thought I had done a pretty good job when repotting two years ago, obviously I hadn't worked it hard enough. So, I believe that the tree has been sparse due to the fact that I hadn't given it the best chance to grow more effectively ("Being happy in the pot"). I imagine that it will be much denser over the next year or two.

I find this kind of paradoxical in a way, because I always work my pines (by the standards of many in american bonsai) fairly aggressively, and even the collected junipers as well. Now, I have a visual reminder to keep after root health at the base of these little fellows as well.
John

I like this style of trees as well and have come up with a term for them that I think fits really well:

"cultured yamadori"

- bob

I personally like the back better. It shows a little more of the deadwood (which I love), doesn't have the large "in your face" coil of live vein that I think creates a bit of reverse taper towards the bottom. But then picking a front is one of the hardest things I struggle with in bonsai and pretty much miss the mark everytime.
I love these twisty junipers and yours is beautiful John.
Mary B.

Oh John, I'm sure it will be more than a "pretty good little tree" in your hands. Can't wait to see it progress.
Mary B.