NATURAL Bonsai Progression Competition

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Dave Sa
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Re: NATURAL Bonsai Progression Competition

Post by Dave Sa »

Thanks for that Kevin, I think I have slotted it in the right place now, thanks again.
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Re: NATURAL Bonsai Progression Competition

Post by melbrackstone »

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I know you're not all on facebook, but this link could be of interest to any of you that might be
https://www.facebook.com/robertbonsai/m ... 544&type=3

Robert Steven has shared a set of photos with info about how he's restyled a Pemphis tropical tree that had originally been set up to look more like a conifer. The foliage was too dense, which was causing die-back and the crown structure was shaped like a fishbone. He really gave it a good working over, and now feels confident that the tree will survive, and grow strongly. PS, I don't know what a Pemphis looks like, but Robert's words are "Make your bonsai to look like tree and not make your tree to look like bonsai with the wrong mindset ! Never use the "rules" as check-list"

My point in sharing this here? I'm keen to get feedback from senior bonsai people who may have some influence on encouraging growers to style their trees to make the most of their attributes, keep them healthy, and hopefully have their own identity, rather than be forced to fit into the JBP shapes... Rory has done a good service to us all by starting this comp, hopefully at the end we'll see some exciting trees that don't look like Japanese bonsai!

If we can spread the word, it might just stick?
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Re: NATURAL Bonsai Progression Competition

Post by anthonyW »

Health is no 1, no one has the right to tell you how to style your tree, and I will leave it at that, with all respect...cheers Anthony
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Re: NATURAL Bonsai Progression Competition

Post by Starfox »

Robert Steven does the same thing with Casuarinas too. It's definitely the predominant style you see in Asia.
Amazing trees but nothing I recognise as a Cas.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/blackscisso ... __tn__=H-R

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q= ... 0casuarina
Last edited by Starfox on January 27th, 2019, 9:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: NATURAL Bonsai Progression Competition

Post by dansai »

I did a little research on Pemphis at it appears that it is found mainly as a shrub along beaches and rocky coast lines. Most images were of either shrubs, flowers or Bonsai. Look at this link for an article discussing its use as Bonsai along with a few shrubs. The article also mentions it grows in the north east of Australia.
In-nature-growing-on-the-rock.jpg
I also found the below picture which is a tree growing on the beach in far north Queensland.
Chilli Beach, Iron Range GPS 1489 RF - Pemphis acidula FN 2106 (33).jpg
So, why have I posted this? Natural styling has been hotly debated on this forum before, along with Australian Style, and always brings up many ideas on what exactly it is. Using Roberts tree you would say from the picture of the shrub that his tree does not look "natural" because it does not look like a shrub. The trunk would have been collected and maybe grown by someone else into the tree in Roberts first photo. Robert has made the trunk much more prominent with his restyle and created a small dramatic foliage area to balance it. Would a Pemphis look like that in the wild? Probably not. Yet it was in the wild the trunk was created.

With the tree on the beach we cannot see the trunk of the tree, and if we could, it would be much thinner what the one on Roberts tree appears to be. However, I feel Robert has captured the flow of the foliage very similarly to how it appears in the tree on the beach. So Robert has used a trunk that has been created by nature, and tried to create a dramatic image to represent the harshness of life on coastal cliffs and beaches. It is definitely styled, and more naturally than the original tree. Is it Natural? I'm sure there are a few different ideas out there.

What I'll be looking for in the trees in this competition is to see inspiration come from nature. It could be a wild looking tree that appears natural or something more stylised that evokes a scene of the bush, the coast, a river.
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Re: NATURAL Bonsai Progression Competition

Post by melbrackstone »

Health is no 1, no one has the right to tell you how to style your tree, and I will leave it at that, with all respect...cheers Anthony
Excellent point, Anthony, and one I'll keep in mind when trying to encourage a different styling to trees than we're all used to seeing. Living in the sub tropics, as I do, I don't see trees with snow load weighing down their branches, so I'm hoping to be able to emulate, to a point, the local trees as much as possible. :)
Amazing trees but nothing I recognise as a Cas.
Another good point, Starfox. I suspect that Robert is also evolving with his view on how to style trees to suit the climate. I've seen many many Casuarina trees styled like black pines, and I am sure that the people who did them, did that because they only had Japanese styles to go on. I'm hoping that as bonsai thinking evolves further, we can all look more closely at our own trees for ideas, rather than just keeping on with Japanese styling. (Which evolved because of the way their trees grow!) Many many Asian countries are adding their own touches to differentiate their trees, hopefully we can do the same.
What I'll be looking for in the trees in this competition is to see inspiration come from nature. It could be a wild looking tree that appears natural or something more stylised that evokes a scene of the bush, the coast, a river.
I agree completely, dansai, that we will all be looking at these trees with a view to evoking a feel of Australia, one way or another.

Thanks for your input!
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Re: NATURAL Bonsai Progression Competition

Post by Beano »

I can’t decide what my last entry should be. Port Jackson pine Callitris rhomboidea with new growth occurring but an owner with no knowledge of pines and not sure I like their natural shape in nature as a bonsai, or my unknown tree that might be a leptospermum with possibly the start of some buds but not sure and also with an owner who knows nothing about leptos.

If it is a lepto, I think I’d find it more interesting as a bonsai. But it’s been slow to respond to my harsh root prune...
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NATURAL Bonsai Progression Competition

Post by MJL »

MJL wrote:More options that may not survive until 31 Jan ...

Hakea, Blackwood and acacia.
IMG_5967.jpg
The Hakea Ulicina 3 - with rugged rock submerged- root over rock attempt.

The Blackwood Group .... nothing but homage to my guitar! Blackwood back and sides....


The Acacia Mearnsii - more group wedged in rock crevices - whatever that might be called. [WINKING FACE]
IMG_5964.jpg
An update on these .... only one of the Hakea survived, five of the six Blackwood are thriving, three of the Acacia survived ... but I’ve decided that I won’t enter any of these. Loving the fact that I now have a heap of different natives to keep tending though.

So what does that leave for the competition .... time to poo or get off the potty .... as the saying goes.


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Last edited by MJL on January 28th, 2019, 11:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: NATURAL Bonsai Progression Competition

Post by Rory »

Reminder to submit your entries guys.
January 31st is fast approaching.
Rory
I style Bonsai naturally, just as they would appear in the wild.
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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: NATURAL Bonsai Progression Competition

Post by MJL »

Rory wrote:Reminder to submit your entries guys.
January 31st is fast approaching.
Rory’s reminder to so much simpler than ‘poo or get off the potty’ ...but they mean something similar - for all those folk still waiting ... go on ... submit a tree - a lot to learn and nothin’ to lose.


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Re: NATURAL Bonsai Progression Competition

Post by MJL »

Rory wrote:Reminder to submit your entries guys.
January 31st is fast approaching.
Rory’s reminder to so much simpler than ‘poo or get off the potty’ ...but they mean something similar - for all those folk still waiting ... go on ... submit a tree - a lot to learn and nothin’ to lose.


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Re: NATURAL Bonsai Progression Competition

Post by MJL »

Rory wrote:Reminder to submit your entries guys.
January 31st is fast approaching.
Rory’s reminder to so much simpler than ‘poo or get off the potty’ ...but they mean something similar! For all those folk still waiting ... go on ... submit a tree - a lot to learn and nothin’ to lose.


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Re: NATURAL Bonsai Progression Competition

Post by Beano »

Submit by 31st, I’m assuming I have all day and night tomorrow to submit my last entry? I can’t decide which one to enter!
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Re: NATURAL Bonsai Progression Competition

Post by Rory »

Beano wrote:Submit by 31st, I’m assuming I have all day and night tomorrow to submit my last entry? I can’t decide which one to enter!
That’s right. :yes:
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I style Bonsai naturally, just as they would appear in the wild.
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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: NATURAL Bonsai Progression Competition

Post by Kevin »

Hello Rory,

So many dead entries already and we haven't even passed the starting line yet.
How are you keeping up with all the administrative tasks?
You'll either need a magic wand or a very helpful Moderator (or two).

Good luck,
Kevin
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