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    News from The Australian Bonsai Gallery

    What a difference a year makes. 

    This old Kuromatsu has been in the collection since the mid 1980's.  It was field grown for many years.  We have finally had time over the past year to start some serious refining.  It is only now starting to show some results with better branching, bud development and very small needles.  It will be re-potted in the following Spring..... and will require many hands. !!

    large kuro matsu australian bonsai gallery

    Swamp Cypress - Autumn Colour

    This old Swamp Cypress bonsai was developed from 1981 tube stock.  It was field grown for 5 years before transferring to a 'training pot', and finally into the bonsai pot in this image.
    Overall dimensions: H:80cm | W: 70cm | D:65cm. Nebari: 28cm. Trunk: 13cm.  -  Pot: W:58cm | D:47cm | H:10cm.

    It is available for sale HERE.

    swamp cypress 03 autumn 2020

     The Pine Section of the Bonsai Gallery is looking a little more respectable now that the Autumn work is almost complete.  Needle thinning, bud selection, and wiring done; all that is left to do is to make up my Autumn/Winter fertiliser bags.

    australian bonsai gallery autumn pinesAustralian Bonsai Gallery - Pine Area

    As of 1-June-2020
    The Australian Bonsai Gallery will be OPEN !

    australian bonsai gallery opening soon

    It has been very easy to 'self-isolate' here over the past few months.  Bonsai work has a habit of making 'hermits' out of us.! 

    Over the isolation period we have had the opportunity to trial a number of 'ZOOM' Workshops.  I must say that they have been surprisingly successful.  All participants were very satisfied with the content and methodology we had adapted.  It is certainly true that "necessity is the mother of invention".  So, for those who are willing to make the journey to Dorrigo, you are more than welcome to visit the gallery..... For those who may not be able to travel we are keen to continue our ZOOM Workshops.

    Please Contact Us if you would like to visit the gallery, or book a workshop.

    I attracted some 'scathing' criticism last October when I restyled this old Kuromatsu from an Informal Upright to a more 'Literati' style.  Personally, I am sure that I am on the right track with the changes.  Some refinement this Autumn(2020) has made some improvement to the overall style.  

    I will be allowing the tree to 'rest' over the cooler months, fertilising moderately so that I can transfer the tree into a much smaller round pot next Spring... more in keeping with the Literati style.

    This image shows the progress from last October.

    japanese black pine bonsai 04a literati

    Some nice autumn colour starting to show in these Japanese Trident Maples at The Australian Bonsai Gallery.  Updated video clips can be viewed at our YouTube Feed HERE.

    australian bonsai gallery autumn 2020 trident maples

    This old Japanese Black Pine has been in 'rehab' for the last few years.  Last years' fertilising, foliage balancing, and a late Summer 'first flush' cut has see a great response with a healthy, even second flust now matured.  Same process for this Autumn with the addition of some fefinement and finer wiring.  On it's way to becoming a reasonably good bonsai.

    Autumn 2020 - Before and After needle plucking, bud selection and wiring.japanese black pine bonsai 34 before after 2020 04 22 

    Autumn Needle plucking and bud selection is a very time consuming job for the bonsai enthusiast; ... BUT spare a thought for gardeners in Japan who perform these tasks on large, full grown street trees in Kyoto. !!
    I was gob-smacked to see people on ladders in the streets of Kyoto, in 2016, working on such a scale. !!!   I will never complain about this job ever again !!!

    jbp needle plucking Kyoto Autumn 2016

     

    Needle plucked and bud selected, this old white pine is ready for wiring and a little refinement in form......

    ... the joy of self-isolation !!!!!!   Stay Safe all.

    goyo matsu australian bonsai gallery 39

    Japanese White pines can be needle plucked, bud selected, prunes, and wired now that the spring/summer growth has matured.  This one is still in development.

    The Australian Bonsai Gallery has more white pines to work on before the collections' Black and Red Pines are ready for the same treatment.

    japanese white pine 08

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