Lilac

[Watto]

Just sharing my Lilac which is currently in flower.
To see a few more photos of it you could go to my blog.
Cheers
Watto

[boom64]

Hi Watto ,
Very cool Tree ,and nice progression on your blog. I presume it is fairly tall. Great timing also as I collected several a few months ago and all are starting to power on. Looks like you are the go to guy for help. . I have some white variety and some blue as well. Interestingly when they popped the blue variety had a distinctly darker grey green tinge in the leaves than the white variety . After a couple of weeks they levelled out to the same green. Funny thing nature....
Cheers John.

[MJL]

Lovely little tree Watto!

Also, somehow I forgot or didn't realise you had a blog.... yeah I am slow! Just went there - good stuff.

Might I also add that I reckon the photos (on your blog) from the Canberra Bonsai show put that show ahead as best overall trees in the shows/photo's I have seen this season.

[melbrackstone]

One day I'd love to be able to see and experience a lilac in real life.

Beaut tree, Watto!

[KIRKY]

Very nice Watto,
Could you please post pic after you have cut back hard? Would like to see just how far you are cutting back.
Scored a few white ones from a garden next door about six weeks ago. Currently very tall and flowering the fragrance in the back yard is delightful as there are about 10 pots of them spread around the yard. I also have a miniature that is in full flower hoping to pot that one come Autumn.
Cheers
Kirky

[Watto]

John - it has only taken me seven years to get a reasonable flowering on this so I may not be the the go to guy, you might need someone who has a quicker success rate?
Mel - you are going to travel south to see any Lilac, quick, on your bike!
Kirky - as soon as the flowers start to look shabby it will be out with the scissors and I'll post a post-cut photo.

[Watto]

Last Friday we had a bad storm in our area, only a little bit of rain but lots of strong wind. The wind broke a branch off a tree (a real one) in my yard and it crashed down onto my Lilac, I'm very disappointed and sad as it took one whole side from the bonsai.
Anyway it was time for the trim and it looks like an opportunity to redesign this bonsai now.
Lilac don't always bud back on old wood so I have my fingers crossed that there will be a few shoots pop.

[melbrackstone]

Oh no! That's a tough way to have to think about a redesign! Hope it buds well, Watto!

[KIRKY]

I share Mel’s sentiment Watto, devastating news. Hopefully it back buds well. So fingers grossed for you. Do you think pushing liquid feed onto it may help push growth?
Of the dozen or so I collected a few weeks ago only one has back budded to half an inch off ground level. The trunk is about 3 feet tall and only about 1/2 inch thick.
Cheers
Kirky

[Watto]

Thanks Mel.
At least you can see how much I cut Lilac back Kirky, well on half the bonsai anyway.

[MJL]

That’s so unlucky and some how you are remaining positive. Bummer! That said, the forced redesign will work too.

What’s the saying? ‘Ya can’t polish a turd!’ On this occasion though ...you started with a piece of gold which I’m sure you refine.


Bonsai teaches me patience.

[Raging Bull]

Hi Kirky,
Don't give up on your lilacs. I remember as a child in Germany there was a thicket of them growing near my grandparents' house, and if memory serves me correct (it was a looooong time ago) they grew as suckers and kept spreading. So the ones you think aren't successful may still have viable roots waiting to shoot out again.
Cheers, Frank.

[KIRKY]

Hi thanks Frank, so far all that were collected are doing well I will leave them for a couple of years to establish in their posts and then start some air layers with the hope of some back budding further down the trunks.
Cheers
Kirky