Bunjin/Literati Bonsai WIP

[vynsane]

Per the Your hobbies, other than LEGO topic, I've finally started working on the ~5 year old juniper originally transplanted from my Brother-in-law's house to my front yard about 4 years ago. Other than a little pinch-pruning here and there, it's grown relatively unencumbered since.

I've always favored the Bunjin/Literati style and intended to sculpt this tree that way. Admittedly, I probably should have paid a bit more attention to the way the branches were growing, but I wanted to see where nature would take it and if it would present a different personality than the one I had prescribed for it. Turns out, it hasn't, really. Along with a lot of back-yard cleanup yesterday, I decided that it was about time I started its training. here's how it looked before and after its first major branch removal:

Before:


Bunjin Bonsai WIP - before first branch removal by vynsane, on Flickr


Bunjin Bonsai WIP - before first branch removal by vynsane, on Flickr


Bunjin Bonsai WIP - before first branch removal by vynsane, on Flickr

After:


Bunjin Bonsai WIP - after first branch removal by vynsane, on Flickr


Bunjin Bonsai WIP - after first branch removal by vynsane, on Flickr


Bunjin Bonsai WIP - after first branch removal by vynsane, on Flickr