Because you say there is something bothering you with it I came back to look at it a few times. The only thing that I can think of is the apex that is a bit ( in my beginners eyes) a bit too pronounced/ high. Of course I don’t see the tree in 3 d, which makes all the difference.

lucR wrote: Because you say there is something bothering you with it I came back to look at it a few times. The only thing that I can think of is the apex that is a bit ( in my beginners eyes) a bit too pronounced/ high. Of course I don’t see the tree in 3 d, which makes all the difference.

Fully agree, after your comment I looked back to the tree and yes, the top looks a bit like a "pompom" sitting on top

I have a week off (in between jobs) and I guess I will find a day to put a table in the greenhouse and work on the foliage. Trimming and wiring. Focus on the top. Lets see.

leatherback wrote: This tree is slowly developing, yet I am not happy with it. Not sure what is bugging me. Maybe I just need to find a fitting pot to solve it?

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Just giving my unrequested opinion

Your tree is clearly moving to the right.
However, when the eye follows the line of the trunk coming up from the soil, the very first foliage mass, and the "heaviest one" visually, too, is made by those two branches on the left.
At the same(visual) height you also have that other branch on the right, tho; not equally heavy, alone, but the space it's filling kinda connects it -in terms of visual impact- with the foliage at the bottom of the apex.

In the end, -is my opinion- the eye ends up wandering, undecided.

What I would attempt is tilting it a little bit to the right.

That would accentuate the directionality of the tree, and at the same time bring the branch on the right to a lower level compared to the other two on the opposite side.
At the same time, I'd try to open up a negative space between the right branch and the bottom of the apex, in order to highlight the visual distinction between the two, and in the future let the lower branch grow conspicuously, as it will be come the directional branch it it should protrude from the tree figure more than the apex does.

The two on the left side, on the other hand, should remain more compact and closer to the trunk.


Sorry for the wall of text: I'm right in the process of trying to see if I'm managing to "objectivize" these things, and this is good exercise.
Ofc, this is all based on a picture, so I may be completely off (well, I could well be completely off anyways )

I read the post, thought I would offer to take it off your hands, and then lucr beat me too it. Rats!

Ot looks fine to me. Maybe there are some just like it in your collection so it doesn't stand out?

Ivan Mann wrote: I read the post, thought I would offer to take it off your hands, and then lucr beat me too it. Rats!

It looks fine to me. Maybe there are some just like it in your collection so it doesn't stand out?

Lol, I currently have about 30 junipers here, 14 (?) of them ittoigawa. There are a few similar. (I bought a bunch of them from Ginkgo bonsai last year, to train for my NTC finals; Once those are wired & clearly healthy, most of my training trees will be available some for very reasonable prices)