I have half a dozen Japanese Hollies (Ilex Crenata) in open soil, all about the size of a balled hand. I plan to shape them into classic Japanese garden ball/mound shapes.

Should I shape and prune them for roundness next year or should I let them grow naturally?

I get the impression that most shrubs would like to make a 'star' shape with stems going in all directions (imagine the naked spokes of an umbrella with it's point in the ground). With an older (more expensive) Ilex I've clipped back these corners to start my squat globe shape.

Should I shape such young plants or should I just let them bush out naturally and start shaping in a few years time? Any opinions?