I guess I'll be the contrarian. I like the first version better. I think it has more graphic impact and gives it a level of abstraction that got watered down in the second version. If your goal was to produce a nice botanical representation then, yes, I would agree that #2 is better. But for me, the first one aspires to be more than that. I also think that the first one might be better appreciated as a print rather than on screen. I'd love to see it printed by a top-of-the-line inkjet on high quality paper. I think it would be stunning.