Into the sun

I've been having a bit of fun over the past couple of days with my Tamron 24-70 lens, and getting some interesting results.  And it makes a change from my usual macro, closeup type of image.

When I first saw this in the back of the camera, I was very happy, but now I see it on the screen I'm not so sure.  It was taken looking into the sun, and those tree trunks on the right hand side annoy me.  But on the other hand if they weren't there I think it would be more of a nothing shot.  I do love the light and dark, and those clouds.

Critique please!

This image was taken in another botanic garden not so far from where we live.  Whoever thinks there is nothing to do in Adelaide is so very wrong.  This is the Mt. Lofty Botanic Garden, and is planted with cool climate exotics from all over the Southern Hemisphere.  We don't go there anywhere near enough.

When I was walking around the lake, I was thinking how much I loved growing up in Yorkshire in a fairly remote dale.  At least it was remote in those days - no car, no telephone, no electricity.  And a very long walk on little legs to primary school in the village.

I am certain that my early years in that place bred into me a real love of nature.  Even then I was fascinated by native plants, birds, and the like.  It was a naturalist's paradise. 

I can remember going for long "nature walks" from school, and in those days in autumn we used to collect sacks of rose-hips from the hedgerows and send them in to be made into rose-hip syrup, full of natural vitamin C.

It's a long long way from the Yorkshire Dales in the early 1950's to a Tamron 24-70mm lens in the 2015's.

EDIT:  I've just looked at this in large, and with the black background it does look rather better.

2nd EDIT:  I've just cloned out the skinny branch (on a dare from BB - she didn't know it was a dare, but it was):  Which is best?