Advise growing trees to train/shape please?

Hi all,

Today I bought 3 small trees to keep in containers and shape.

I saw on a website I found via google where a guy had designed a Japanese garden and imported a number of mature trees with the beautiful Japanese shapes I want to emulate in my own garden. I'm very limited on funds so thought I would buy some smaller trees and train them in to the shapes I desire.

The trees I got are:-

Juniperus x media 'Pfitzeriana Aurea' Approx 50cm spread.
Juniperus communis 'Repanda' only 15 cm2.
Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Aurea' just 20cm tall.

What I would like some advise about is how I should go about helping the two smaller trees to grow in size and strength without putting them in the ground. I'm not looking to Bonsai these although I do intend to give Bonsai a go not with these. I'd rather they grow but under my control so I can get the shape I like.

Also are there any other trees you would recommend I get hold of to do this with? I want to try with a white/Scottish pine but have not been able to find any one selling them yet.

 

I've done it with acers.

http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/my-acer-exsperement-t29929.html

I guess you could do it with most young trees with a bit of patience.

I've also re-shaped our young Almond tree a bit, in a similar fashion, there were a couple of whippy lower branches which were growing "out," rather than "up."
So I attached some of that padded garden wire to each and secured them to the base of branches further up, pulling them up to the required angle, this was in April.
A week or so ago, I removed the wires and the branches have retained the new angle.

 

That's was my plan, to use Bonsai shaping, pruning principals on trees without reducing the potential growth by restricting the root ball growth much like you did on your acers.

How would you recommend I feed these trees and when should I prune them to stimulate new growth?

I'd pop up a like to the site I saw the white pines done in this fashion but I don't wish to be banned for spam.