Progression of an old Little John
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Progression of an old Little John
G'day,
This Callistemon Little John found me when I was looking at the collection of a bonsai friend, Neville. I loved the roots and aged bark (and the old Pat Kennedy pot which I had never seen one like before). After a bit of a wrestle it found its way back to my garden. Following is how it was looking when I first noticed it on Nevilles bench.
Neville told me that he had been the custodian for about 10 years and that he had purchased it from Ray Nesci (Makes it an X-ray tree ). I asked Ray about it and he remembered purchasing it from a tube stock supplier of his. This one had been their Mother tree and they had been striking cuttings from it for a couple of decades. Ray said it would probably be 30 to 40 years old.
I fed and watered lots over the next year and this is how it was looking a couple of months ago before the Illawarra TOPS weekend.
I took it along to the TOPS to workshop on with Robert Steven. I had thought it would make a pretty dynamic wind/water swept tree like the ones Robert is famous for but I had an open mind. At the beginning of the workshop we were told to find our best 'viewing angle' and explain the reason why we had chosen it. I chose the position that best showed off the exposed roots. Robert agreed and we began to discuss the tree and its future. Robert was familiar with Callistemon and said he had a couple in his collection however they were much younger stock.
After a couple of hours the structure was set and I now have a clear direction of the future for a natural looking tree. Following is how it was looking when it got back to my garden. Love them or hate them, I couldn't resist the little Sulfur Crested Cockatoo figurines which were hand made by Janet Selby.
I let the tree recover for a couple of months after the workshop and last week I repotted it out of one PK pot and into another. The tree was given a trim all over and a bit of additional wire was added to dome secondary branches.
I'm going to train it from here by clip and grow which will hopefully help create a natural looking canopy with plenty of open space for the Cockatoos to fly.
It currently stands 500mm tall x 500mm wide and the root spread is 220mm wide at the soil level.
Regards,
Steven
This Callistemon Little John found me when I was looking at the collection of a bonsai friend, Neville. I loved the roots and aged bark (and the old Pat Kennedy pot which I had never seen one like before). After a bit of a wrestle it found its way back to my garden. Following is how it was looking when I first noticed it on Nevilles bench.
Neville told me that he had been the custodian for about 10 years and that he had purchased it from Ray Nesci (Makes it an X-ray tree ). I asked Ray about it and he remembered purchasing it from a tube stock supplier of his. This one had been their Mother tree and they had been striking cuttings from it for a couple of decades. Ray said it would probably be 30 to 40 years old.
I fed and watered lots over the next year and this is how it was looking a couple of months ago before the Illawarra TOPS weekend.
I took it along to the TOPS to workshop on with Robert Steven. I had thought it would make a pretty dynamic wind/water swept tree like the ones Robert is famous for but I had an open mind. At the beginning of the workshop we were told to find our best 'viewing angle' and explain the reason why we had chosen it. I chose the position that best showed off the exposed roots. Robert agreed and we began to discuss the tree and its future. Robert was familiar with Callistemon and said he had a couple in his collection however they were much younger stock.
After a couple of hours the structure was set and I now have a clear direction of the future for a natural looking tree. Following is how it was looking when it got back to my garden. Love them or hate them, I couldn't resist the little Sulfur Crested Cockatoo figurines which were hand made by Janet Selby.
I let the tree recover for a couple of months after the workshop and last week I repotted it out of one PK pot and into another. The tree was given a trim all over and a bit of additional wire was added to dome secondary branches.
I'm going to train it from here by clip and grow which will hopefully help create a natural looking canopy with plenty of open space for the Cockatoos to fly.
It currently stands 500mm tall x 500mm wide and the root spread is 220mm wide at the soil level.
Regards,
Steven
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Re: Progression of an old Little John
Those roots are amazing! Very nice tree you have there
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Re: Progression of an old Little John
Great tree but I am not a fan of the new pot - I feel the colour of the old pot suited the tree better
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Re: Progression of an old Little John
Great job Steven
I do like the new pot and I think with a bit of weathering on the bench will only improve the combination.
Would probably remove some of the pebbles on top. Prefer to leave the surface natural with a little moss.
Cheers
Fiona
I do like the new pot and I think with a bit of weathering on the bench will only improve the combination.
Would probably remove some of the pebbles on top. Prefer to leave the surface natural with a little moss.
Cheers
Fiona
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Re: Progression of an old Little John
Verrry Interresting, Fearless Leader!!
I know the leaves are the same, I know the background is the same, but the camera has somehow coloured them differently. For what it's worth, to me the second pot goes very well with the light parts of the roots, and with the tone of the leaves, but with the different colour cast in the photos I can't be sure. Both pots suit.
Have you considered leaning it further to the right, bending the left branch around the back, and getting a strongly windswept feel? I'm not sure the tree balances as it is, with so little foliage on the left.
It seems with Little John you need quite some time to get something sizeable in the trunk.
Gavin
I know the leaves are the same, I know the background is the same, but the camera has somehow coloured them differently. For what it's worth, to me the second pot goes very well with the light parts of the roots, and with the tone of the leaves, but with the different colour cast in the photos I can't be sure. Both pots suit.
Have you considered leaning it further to the right, bending the left branch around the back, and getting a strongly windswept feel? I'm not sure the tree balances as it is, with so little foliage on the left.
It seems with Little John you need quite some time to get something sizeable in the trunk.
Gavin
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Re: Progression of an old Little John
Love this tree and the birds suit it Imo .
Like the direction it is going in, look forward to seeing it in flower one day.
Like the direction it is going in, look forward to seeing it in flower one day.
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Re: Progression of an old Little John
Great tree Steven. Fantastic root structure and trunk! I too was a fan of the old pot. I cannot explain why but it made the tree look/feel older to me. That could just be the photos though.
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Re: Progression of an old Little John
Yes, the old pot was good but I have another tree for it that deserves it more. Also, as Gavin has said the lighting might be playing tricks as the pot is a deeper colour in real life.
Fae, those pebbles on the surface are actually my growing medium. Moss will grow on the surface on it's own in due course.
Gavin, you didn't read my typing did you I was originally going to style it as a windswept but Robert suggested this instead. He's the Master so I went with his vision.
Thanks for the feedback
Regards,
Steven
Fae, those pebbles on the surface are actually my growing medium. Moss will grow on the surface on it's own in due course.
Gavin, you didn't read my typing did you I was originally going to style it as a windswept but Robert suggested this instead. He's the Master so I went with his vision.
Thanks for the feedback
Regards,
Steven
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Re: Progression of an old Little John
Gee you must be a very good wrestler????
I have said many times I like trees with some movement and so this ticks a few boxes for me. I too have a largish Little John so I will watch this progression with great interest.
As for the pot, I think one a little "rougher" would be more suitable to enhance the bark.
Please keep posting.
I have said many times I like trees with some movement and so this ticks a few boxes for me. I too have a largish Little John so I will watch this progression with great interest.
As for the pot, I think one a little "rougher" would be more suitable to enhance the bark.
Please keep posting.
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Re: Progression of an old Little John
How's this one looking 3 years on Steve?
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- Steven
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Re: Progression of an old Little John
G'day Pearcy,
Unfortunately I didn't get photos a few weeks ago when it was flowering but following is how it is looking today.
Regards,
Steven
Unfortunately I didn't get photos a few weeks ago when it was flowering but following is how it is looking today.
Regards,
Steven
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Re: Progression of an old Little John
Thanks for the updated shot Steven, looks like the apex has filled out nicely.
Shame about no photo of the flowers, they look like they would have been a nice scale for the tree.
Not to worry, there's always next year!
Cheers,
Pearcy.
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Shame about no photo of the flowers, they look like they would have been a nice scale for the tree.
Not to worry, there's always next year!
Cheers,
Pearcy.
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Re: Progression of an old Little John
That's lovely Steven.
For some reason I've never grown a lot of Callistemon but this is lovely mate.
I should grow more but they are too susceptible to myrtle rust around here
Lovely roots and I like what you've done with it.
For some reason I've never grown a lot of Callistemon but this is lovely mate.
I should grow more but they are too susceptible to myrtle rust around here
Lovely roots and I like what you've done with it.
Rory
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How to reduce moss from the trunk without damaging the bark: viewtopic.php?p=295227#p295227
I style Bonsai naturally, just as they would appear in the wild.
Central Coast, NSW
Bonsai: Casuarina Leptospermum Banksia Phebalium Baeckea Melalueca Ficus
Growing Australian natives as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=289480#p289480
Buying and repotting Native nursery material: viewtopic.php?f=78&t=30724
Growing tips for Casuarina as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=244995#p244995
How to reduce moss from the trunk without damaging the bark: viewtopic.php?p=295227#p295227
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Re: Progression of an old Little John
This is a great tree Stephen.
It has come along really well and filled out nicely.
Fantastic progression.
It has come along really well and filled out nicely.
Fantastic progression.
One of the fabulous things about growing bonsai is as you get old and decrepit your trees get old and beautiful