Aussie Bonsai

My sister who lives in Australia knows what a bonsai nut I am, in fact it was her that bought me my first tree back in 1993. She made the effort to visit a local bonsai exhibition over in Perth and took some photos for me. I thought I’d share them here as well. A real mix of trees and I really like the idea of working on bougainvillea. A few very nice accents in there too, she’s obviously figured out from my blog that I’m addicted in that area too 🙂 The display was put on by Bonsai Workshop Inc, and was supported by a local business, The Bonsai Emporium.

Thanks sis.

 

Ben’s Kew Visit

A gallery of snaps from Ben’s visit to Kew Gardens this weekend. Tree top walkway, alpine garden , orchids and of course bonsai 🙂

Future Accents

Rhodohypoxis Oragami

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Polygonatum Hookerii

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Butterwort Accent

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Just Acquired – Berberis

Just acquired this Berberis Clump. Ben collected this beauty from a garden and a little deal was struck. I’m really looking forward to playing with this one next year. Bigger than you think, check out the coke tin. Some great bark and trunk movement.

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Aquilegia

 

Dwarf Aquilegia

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Result

I have been looking for a Magnesium additive for a few of my trees that I think have an issue. I have a maple in a garden pot  and a Fuji cherry bonsai that last year had a yellowing of the leaves.  A wise man once told me that feeding won’t necessarily help the tree. The tree needs magnesium to help it break down the fertiliser.

I searched the local garden centres for the old En-Mag product with no joy. I had actually given up when I went into a very local, pokey family plant and paint shop and found Chempak’s Magnesium product and, to make it even better, their Trace elements one as well! I’m not sure they make these any more, haven’t seen them for a long time, perhaps old stock, but they’ll do me.

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Ben’s Abode

After our visit to Timpany Ben invited us down to his home for a look around his trees. I hope he was ok with the fact that Stephen and I spent more time looking at his garden that at the bonsai! Nothing wrong with his fast growing collection of bonsai, it’s just that I had seen most of them before, but this was a first time in his garden. And what a garden it is. He has only been in the house for 5 years and has created this from scratch (With a lot of help from Emily 😉 ) I think you can tell that he’s a Gardener by trade, obviously a good one! The Alpine rock garden was fantastic, especially with the water feature. Some amazing plants in his beds, oh, and a few nice bonsai too 🙂

Video

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Bugger all to do with bonsai but worth 5 minutes on your social browsing time!