Wow, Cheryl, thanks for that. I never would have known from just one angle, the true shape of the branches. Very helpful!
The easiest way to trim this quite messy branched plant is into a small tree. Blossom will be just as nice, but as HoosierGardener says, display won't be as flattering since most of the blooms will be chest level and above. If you do this, you would take one or two major branches out (right to the central trunk) a year, until only branch #4 (the straight blue one) is left.
Alternatively for more of a bush form, I first need to clarify:
----- To me, the green branch in the second pic, looks like it would be the red one in the third pic. Is this true?
Either way, don't worry about the ugliness of the base with all that knobbiness. That will naturally disappear as the tree grows.
