AusBonsai

Hi all,

visited the collection today and took pic of the leptospermum.

It has grown a bit in the last three years and it was potted into a slightly larger Chinese pot .

I would eventually like to see it in a pot like below. it has earthy tones about it.

Very nice Grant. I would like to see you get in there and expose some of the fine twigs below the foliage. Thoughts?

Around early November ( after some spring growth) I would like to trim it back and thin out at the same time. Normally you would remove some/all of the older inner leaves at the same time.

Is that what you mean?

Grant

Grant Bowie wrote:Around early November ( after some spring growth) I would like to trim it back and thin out at the same time. Normally you would remove some/all of the older inner leaves at the same time.

Is that what you mean?

Grant

Not exactly. I mean rather than trim it back...from the top, trimming from underneath the foliage pads exposing the supporting twig structure. ( along with thinning and trimming top growth when needed of course).

Or is that what you meant?

Thinning out the older leaves and weak inner branches would probably achieve what you have in mind and it would look very good like that on display in the current pot.
I am looking to a slight reduction in overall mass for a repot in the following 6 months so it may be a bit harder than what you had in mind.

Grant

Any updates on this tree?

This tree is possibly the reason why I got into the bonsai hobby. A friend of mine told me it was possible to bonsai native "paperbark" type trees and I was intrigued. After searching native bonsai I found this tree and two years later now, I have a leptospermum laevigatum well on it's why to becoming a bonsai.

I don’t have any new photos but the tree is going from strength to strength; it is seriously muscling up and getting that viney, muscly look on the trunk.

Grant

Hi all, This is the most recent incarnation for this tree.



This year the NBPCA ran a Pot Aquisition Prize to find a perfect pot for this tree. It was donated 7 or 8 years ago and has thrived under the care they provide. I am extremely happy with its progress.

The winner of the aquisition Prize was a pot by Luke parsons from Adelaide. I like it so much I bought one a bit bigger from Luke at the recent Bonsai Reshaped event. I intend to pot a Banksia serrata into it soon.

The pot is a dull glazed , oval pot. The lighter glazed portions reflect the new growth tips and the darker glaze reflects the older leaves. The surface is intentionally uneven(Matches the rough bark). The pot size was perfect, the tree slotted in to the slightly larger pot easily and had some removal of roots from the bottom to sit it lower in the pot. It had mounded up slightly over the years.

Sam will be releasing a video he took of its repotting. The tree had perfect roots and I encouraged them to repot it now, rather than wait till October/November. No foliage seems to have been removed, which is perfect. The tree will thrive and settle in for winter. THe NBPCA has all the right mini climates to look after many types of trees at once. Some trees like full sun and some like shade, some need some winter protection whereas most do not.

Thanks to Leigh and NBPCA for long term care of this tree and new pot, and thanks to Sam for a thoughtful repot and documentation of this tree.

Thanks also to all the potters that participated this year and congratulations to Luke parsons for this years winning pot..

Grant Bowie

The tree seems to rise much more easily from the pot - well done. It seems a more organic combination.

Gavin

The dimensions of the pot by Luke Parsons is…

46cm x 35cm X 9.5cm

That is a beautiful combination Grant. A great tree and a great pot. Very nice mate.

Very nice, indeed, they really do compliment each other.

I like the change in soil surface texture and colour - a much better match for this pot and tree than the dark grey gravel.

I look forward to seeing it "in the bark" when I'm in Canberra.

Jan

The surface treatment is shredded sphagnum and normal moss died, crunched and put through a blender. The two components are blended and sprinkled on the surface. Moss then grows and establishes really quickly and thoroughly.

Grant