Eastern helmlock forest planting

Design
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Hello, I collected a few Eastern helmlocks (Tsuga canadensis) last year in a forest near Montreal area. I intend to plant those in a few years in a forest composition, with trunk diameter ranging from 1/4 inch to 1 inch. I wired some of the trees this spring with a somewhat alpine downward angle, and did not yet wire the larger one.

I feel from my observation that Eastern Helmlock is not growing like an alpine species, such as the Mountain helmlock displayed in the recent stream from Ryan. Instead, if you watch their branch arrangement in the forest they are almost horizontal with quite an erratic behaviour. Some branches grow slightly upwards, some downwards, and their branch tips drop delicately. To me they seem more to follow the pattern of Thuya occidentalis or even Thuya plicata displayed in a recent stream as well (with branches going up then curbing down).

What do you think ? Should I aim for a more alpine or continental forest look given the species ?

I attach some pictures of Eastern helmlock forrests.

helmlock1
helmlock1814×1000 515 KB
helmlock2

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I would think that creating the feeling of a forest with a limited number of trees is just that: a feeling. An artists interpretation. If you are trying to replicate a certain forests esthetic than go for that. I you are trying to invoke a feeling of a forest than go with that. I also think that if you are creating a forest with a limited number of trees there has to be some specific treatment to the outer trees, i.e. reaching for the light, trunks leaning outward. The picture above in is the center of the forest. Just my opinion… you are the artist!

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