Any bonsai nut live near me?

[Bush bunny]

Hi, I live in Armidale Northern Tablelands, and I wonder if anyone lives nearby so I can see their collection. There was one person but he is no longer interested in bonsai.

The main reason I want to speak to someone is the environmental differences, such as when we get plants for sale at Bunnings, they are sometimes most times actually in leaf, while mine are still just dormant. Now putting a plant out here whether it is deciduous or not, when we are getting minus C at night with temps sometimes going up to 17 C during day, can play havoc with a new plant. So I place them in an aquarium with lids and remove the lids during day if it is warmer.
Although the lids have breaks in them, so don't completely keep it sealed like a greenhouse.
I have bought a Chinese elm recently it was in full leaf, and an Osmanthus in flower.

[Bougy Fan]

Unfortunately due to security concerns you may find people reluctant to even tell you where they live, let alone show you their collection. You may have better luck if you are in a club and they get to know you first. I personally would never invite anyone to see my trees who I had not met first.

[Bush bunny]

Hi, I didn't think of that? But they don't have to give the address, etc., they can send emails or pics via this site. I am interested in folks who live a temperate cold area, like Armidale, but they can be else where in some other temperate area in Australia. Yes I appreciate the security issue. I know of the black market in bonsai. I asked my insurance company and they can't cover me for theft or accident involving bonsai. The Armidale bonsai society holds meetings at night, and I don't go out at night. The president actually lost 50 prized specimens while he was away, and the carer didn't check on them, when the automatic sprinkler system failed during the hot weather. He said he would be available again in September, so I will contact him again then.
But in the mean while, maybe I should start a thread about bonsai in temperate regions, eh?

[kcpoole]

Hi Bush Bunny.
The trees at Big B will be greenhouse grown or in a warmer climate, and need not have that much care when you get home. So long as they do not get frosts on them then they should cope OK

At worst they might get burnt, but just defoliate them if you are worried.

Ken

[Bush bunny]

Thanks Ken, I am always careful with newly introduced bonsai as I know they come mainly from Norwood or other Sydney nurseries. It's one of the points I am putting in my thesis. At present our night temps are minus but the day time temps sometime (when not cloudy), are up 17 C. In fact even in summer, I nearly lost a Box and definitely a Port Jackson fig. They gave me credit for the fig though. But this recent lot are quite comfortable under the front porch where they get some afternoon sun, but no rain of course. They get good care here, better than the humans, LOL. And of course clear nights encourage frost but cloudy nights no frost forms. Where I am it doesn't receive as much frost as down in the valley, and my roses have got leaves on still? Mind you we can get bad hail too.

I'll start a new topic. Growing bonsai in temperate frosty micro-climates. By the way, I learned from books altitude can make a difference too. We are 3,500 ft absl.

[kcpoole]

Its Funny, Ray Nesci nursery is about 400 ft higher than me, and gets great colour on deciduous trees but I get very little

He gets down to 0 deg often and frosts and for me minimum of +5 and rarely frosts

Ken

[Bush bunny]

Topography or lay of the land, does have an effect on temps, etc., we have four micro-climates in Armidale, and it does effect the growing of some plants. I'm in the warmest. On Soudan Heights. A ridge that was once used as an orchard before being released for urban development in 1964/65. It's approximately only 150-200 feet higher than down in the valley. I saw a mature lemon tree growing next to a bottle brush just around the corner from me. Armidale has a good amount of deciduous trees more than down in Tamworth. Very green most times. Cold temps will be reduced, like frost, by fences and urban structures, even trees. And the angle to the sun. And of course there are regional micro-climates all over Australia. Like in UK, the Southern counties, Cornwall and Devon have some palm trees growing there, and monkey puzzle trees. And the Scilly Isles benefiting from the Gulf Stream is sub tropical produces early season fruit and flowers. Then you get rain shadows. Terrible things. One farm can get reasonable seasonal rain, and just next door won't get any. It happens here in Armidale my girlfriend lives down in the valley, she will get rain, and me up higher want see a drop, or hail storms will bi pass me and her, and we will get snow and she won't see any much. Urban heat island effect. Anyway, it is time for Ted to get his tummy time. That's my dog.