My first bonsai - still going

[Matt S]

I bought my first bonsai about (counts fingers) (crikey) 33 years ago at a local nursery after reading about bonsai at the library (!). It was the first tree I trimmed and root pruned, and despite my efforts and a trail of failed trees it survived. It was the first tree I took to a workshop 15 years later when I finally joined a bonsai club and realised it needed a thorough restyling. It also has the first bespoke pot I bought from Luke Parsons. It's undergone numerous dramatic changes in style, direction and pot, each time I thought "that looks better" before getting dissatisfied and coming up with another idea as my knowledge grew. Poor thing, it's put up with my initial naivety and subsequent indecisions, but it keeps on growing and doing it's own thing and takes everything I throw at it in its stride. Today I did another repot with another change of direction and another branch removal. Maybe it will stay like this for a while?

first juniper Mar 20.JPG

...and here are some previous versions.

first juniper 2006.JPG

first juniper 2015.JPG

[pureheart]

Very nice well done!


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[MJL]

Apart from the fact that’s it a cool tree - just reflect on the fact that you’ve kept it alive and thriving for 33 years! Just ace!


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[boom64]

Good looking tree Matt ,you better slow down or you will run out of branches....Cheers john.

[bki]

after 33 years of bending, you'll start neglecting the lower branches John .

[Ryceman3]

Pretty sure the majority of people can't say they still have their first bonsai alive, let alone in great condition and looking that good ... and after 33 years!
Congrats.


PS : I gotta ask ... is the shot with the green background from the 90's??!?

[Alex_B]

I definetly like current deisng you have Matt, very nice work. Hopefully I can manage to keep my first few Bonsai alive for 33 years and in as good nick as yours.