Gifted Serissa - Help with styling

beesey

Hi all...

Firstly a little intro, I have always loved Bonsai but only recently started getting involved... my situation will likely cause uproar but I live in an apartment currently (hoping to move and have a garden later this year) and have 2 Chinese Elms which are very happy indeed

For my Birthday this year my sister and her family bought me this Serissa you see here... which was a fantastic gift I'm sure you will all agree, great to have family who buy you what you love! haha

Well I'm a little lost as to which way to go with it, so I have 6 images that I hope everyone, from fellow newbies to those with many years experience, in my mind everyones opinion is worth hearing!

Not much info with this tree, this is the front view, the red circle highlight were one of the branches seems to have snapped however it does seem old, though not ideal at all.. in fact its looking a little scrappy and maybe its just me but just doesn't sit right in the pot.

Feedback and ideas really welcome!.... unless they are 'bin it' or 'chop it down to the stump' haha rather not be that drastic

Pics, if the order comes out correctly.

1, The current front
2, Above and to the right
3, the old break thats highlighted in the first pic
4, the back
5, side right
6, Trunk base close up

Ok thats my lot.. I know it needs work.. my inexperience means my mind is not sure which way to go!

Attached Images

	Front highlight.JPG (18.8 KB, 48 views)
	From above.JPG (21.7 KB, 13 views)
	Showing old break.JPG (29.4 KB, 17 views)
	Rear from above.JPG (21.2 KB, 12 views)
	Side view fron right.JPG (16.6 KB, 14 views)
	Trunk base.JPG (23.1 KB, 19 views)

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beesey

Not feeling the love people hahaha

C'mon all.... don't be shy!

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ficusfanatic

not a huge serissa fan, had one much like tis one a yeqar ago. we didn't get along. looks like a bunch of styling work, maybe put in a bigger pot for a while. i kinda like the angles better from the back side. nnot a fan of the 'broken branch' probably a sucker that grew down wards, it's too straight. id cut that off and try to encourage any horizontal growth....

my 2 cents, umm pence

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-chris-

beesey

Chris, I must admit it wouldn't have leapt off the bench at me, however its growing on me (no pun intended) and I've take the easy route with my previous two trees that are fully styled so this is good for the fact that it does need a little something... next step (once a house is moved into) is to get myself on some workshops to learn by actually doing!

Anyway... onto this tree.. I have repotted today and cut back just 2 branches, very little done as don't want to scare it to death!...

Here is the tree now, I think its a much better balanced frontage, let me know any thoughts!

Attached Images

After repot May 2008.JPG (31.0 KB, 18 views)

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beesey

Obviously I am now going to let this grow and see how it develops, however I have really enjoyed seeing the sketches several of you do to determine potential designs for trees... well here my my quick sketch of how i see this tree developing..

please do tell me if this is awful or the wrong way to go.. all opinions very welcome!

Attached Images

Potential.JPG (24.7 KB, 16 views)

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BarbaraM

Much better. Now it is heading toward a more traditional canopy. You are on the right path.

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"What I like about bonsai is that it has a beginning but no end. A bud today becomes a branch tomorrow. It is like searching for the rainbw's end; the farther it is pursued, the farther away it is." John Naka

CScott

Hi Beesey,

I know almost nothing about Serissa care. It does look like you did a good repotting job. It has more space for roots and you planted it so the nebari show nicely.

Once you tilted the tree up your branches are off kilter. The one on the right now drops too abruptly. The small first branch on the left is angled up. I like that the curviness of the trunk is not quite as obvious planted at this angle. You could try some light wiring, but I don't know how brittle serissa is or if it likes to be wired. Tie downs and props with chopsticks are another option.

Sorry, but this is the best I can offer.

Carmen

beesey

Barbara: Thanks for your comment, I actually potted it a different way until I removed the old broken branch... then this view just leapt out

Carmen: I was thinking along the same lines, everything has grown based on its original more slanted position, the lower right branch has had a portion cut off and I agree it seems to be a little to sharp an angle, also the left branch would benefit from angling down in order to help with the design. Its my first Serissa but the branches seem pretty flexible (within reason of course) so I think I will try some wiring of these.

Thanks for the comments

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beesey

Ok, NOW its being left to settle and do its thing... Wired the branches, lower right was dipping to sharply... first on left was just growing straight up.. there was a great branch that was basically growing round the back so I have wired that around to the right side of the trunk and the upper left branch I have wired to give a little space.

I now will be waiting and trimming to fill in some of the negative spaces..

Attached Images

After wiring.JPG (38.0 KB, 16 views)

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