Taxodium mucronatum group at NBPCA

Seen something in print or on TV? Have a good book to review? Know something others don't? Post here.
Post Reply
User avatar
Grant Bowie
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 3809
Joined: February 18th, 2009, 3:22 pm
Favorite Species: Banksia
Bonsai Age: 52
Bonsai Club: Canberra
Location: Canberra
Been thanked: 346 times

Taxodium mucronatum group at NBPCA

Post by Grant Bowie »

Taxodium mucronatum group.

I have written an article on the genesis of the Taxodium mucronatum group that is now proudly displayed at the entrance to the NBPCA in Canberra. It has been a work in progress for many years and has had input from various people over the years.

The major tree in the group was grown from seed collected by Tom Coogan in 1974 from a tree in the Sydney Royal botanical Gardens. It is the Montezuma cypress with the very long, low branch that is now fenced off from the public, but not the cockatoos. They happily sit up high in the tree and chomp on branches, dropping them and hence seed to the ground.

This seed was given to Max Candy to germinate and germinate them he did. Some years later this tree was sold to Edna Ellison and apon her death there was an auction of her trees with the proceeds going to her disabled son.

I bought the tree in 1988 or thereabouts and then in 1993 decided to collect some more seed from the same tree in the Botanic gardens. My wife and I had to wade through the Cockatoos on the ground and they were not happy that I was taking their food. Anyhow the seed was dried, the cones broken apart and seed planted. Hundreds and hundreds germinated. Some stayed in pots all their life while others went into the ground to fatten up quickly.

I did a demo for Megumi Bennett’s club at some point and did a group of 7 Taxodium mucronatum in that group. I decided to expand that group and bought a huge Chinese pot from Kingston Wang at bonsai environment in preparation for the forthcoming super group of Taxodium m. At this Point I also decided that the big tree on its own was a bit boring so I incorporated it into the group as the main tree.

So, with the help of Chris Alnut in 2004, we assembled the group in its current format and included the main tree, the 7 trees from the previous group, and added a number more of both field grown and pot grown trees. The tree that were added were the “leftovers” after most of the trees had been sold commercially, and many were boring, up and down trees with few lower branches or only one sided branches. The group incorporated all those oddball trees that were nothing special on their own.

I had built a display plinth from Bessa block and also built a turntable heavy enough to take the weight of the pot, soil and trees and never intended to move it again.

However, when I got the gig first as Consultant to the ACT government on the forthcoming National collection and then as Curator of the collection, I happily decided to move to Canberra and to donate the group to the now NBPCA.

It has proved to be popular with the public and a hit with the volunteers as well. Just as well as it takes about 6 people to move or repot the tree.

It has thrived in the hands of the NBPCA and looks as good or better than it ever has and the trimming techniques have been refined with experience of its habits and quirks. It has been found better to let it grow unpinched for a while and then trimmed back hard to encourage lots of back budding. Constant pinching just slows it down but does not add to ramification or refinement.

Grant Bowie
July 20211
83F5F1A2-0DF1-4ABD-ADE4-65CF3E507B2B.jpeg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Phil Rabl
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 163
Joined: June 24th, 2013, 2:58 pm
Bonsai Age: 20
Bonsai Club: Canberra, Ballarat, VNBC
Location: Ballarat
Has thanked: 30 times
Been thanked: 134 times

Re: Taxodium mucronatum group at NBPCA

Post by Phil Rabl »

Thanks for the story, Grant. It is one of my all time favourite bonsai. I have fond memories of a working bee close to a decade ago to re-pot it. This was when the Collection was in Commonwealth Park. As I recall it, after we cut the roots away from the edge of the pot, it took four of us to lift the trees out of the pot. After that, my job was to balance them on the edge of the rootball at an angle of about 90 degrees, first on one side, then on the other, while two others trimmed the roots and two others took the pot out the back to wash it. All supervised by Grant, of course.
User avatar
Grant Bowie
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 3809
Joined: February 18th, 2009, 3:22 pm
Favorite Species: Banksia
Bonsai Age: 52
Bonsai Club: Canberra
Location: Canberra
Been thanked: 346 times

Re: Taxodium mucronatum group at NBPCA

Post by Grant Bowie »

Thanks Phil,

I hope you are settling in down in Victoria and be reunited with your trees soon.

Grant
Phil Rabl
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 163
Joined: June 24th, 2013, 2:58 pm
Bonsai Age: 20
Bonsai Club: Canberra, Ballarat, VNBC
Location: Ballarat
Has thanked: 30 times
Been thanked: 134 times

Re: Taxodium mucronatum group at NBPCA

Post by Phil Rabl »

I was going to return to Canberra this weekend, but have cancelled that plan. I won't be able to collect my trees until the Victoria/NSW border reopens. And goodness knows when that will be. Thank you to the CBS tree-sitters. Aside from that COVID-caused impediment, I'm settling in well.
Grainer
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 197
Joined: July 10th, 2016, 5:16 pm
Bonsai Age: 25
Bonsai Club: BSV
Location: Melbourne
Has thanked: 24 times
Been thanked: 10 times
Contact:

Re: Taxodium mucronatum group at NBPCA

Post by Grainer »

Phil Rabl wrote: July 13th, 2021, 5:34 pm I was going to return to Canberra this weekend, but have cancelled that plan. I won't be able to collect my trees until the Victoria/NSW border reopens. And goodness knows when that will be. Thank you to the CBS tree-sitters. Aside from that COVID-caused impediment, I'm settling in well.
What suburb did you move to?
Freestylebonsai.com - Release the spirit of the tree
Ethical Yamadori Bonsai Australia
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1634059 ... ?ref=br_tf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
Grant Bowie
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 3809
Joined: February 18th, 2009, 3:22 pm
Favorite Species: Banksia
Bonsai Age: 52
Bonsai Club: Canberra
Location: Canberra
Been thanked: 346 times

Re: Taxodium mucronatum group at NBPCA

Post by Grant Bowie »

Phil moved to somewhere near Ballarat, I think.

Grant
Phil Rabl
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 163
Joined: June 24th, 2013, 2:58 pm
Bonsai Age: 20
Bonsai Club: Canberra, Ballarat, VNBC
Location: Ballarat
Has thanked: 30 times
Been thanked: 134 times

Re: Taxodium mucronatum group at NBPCA

Post by Phil Rabl »

I have moved to Ballarat. It's been very welcoming. And I am getting myself involved with the Ballarat Bonsai Society.
Post Reply

Return to “Bonsai in the Media & History of Australian Bonsai”