A bit of native history

[Elmer]

I have been helping a friend in the rare spare moment and came across these two pieces that really intrigued me.
The first is a newspaper article from The Sun Herald April 20 1969... the first ever exhibition of all native bonsai!

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The second, an exhibition of all figs in 1975!

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Does anyone have any more information or maybe even photos?

[melbrackstone]

Len wrote a book on figs and bonsai

[Jan]

Hi Elmer,

If you're interested in finding a copy of the book Melbrackstone is refering to, it is "From Rainforest to Bonsai", by Len Webber. It also has "Bonsai in Australian Native Plants" and "Mount Annan Botanic Garden Native Plant Series" on the cover and first page. I think mine came from Mount Annan; it was a gift.

ISBN 0 7318 0237 3.
Printed in 1991 by Simon & Shuster, 20 Barcoo Street, East Roseville NSW 2069.

Best of luck,

Jan.

[Elmer]

Thanks Jan,
I was given a copy of Len Webber's book by the friend I was helping, hoping to have a chance to get into it tomorrow. We came across the article and exhibition flyer later in the morning giving, for myself, extra significance to the book.

Of particular interest was the mention in the article about the amount of resistance that came from the early aussie bonsai growers to using native material. We have come a long way in 50 odd years yet when I read posts like Shinui's questioning if some recent heavily cut back natives will back bud it shows how little we really know in comparison to the stalwart species many of those early growers were working with.
Elmer

[Keep Calm and Ramify]

a bit of native history from a BDU publication 1981 - discovering the "G factor"

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[Grant Bowie]

In the early days 1950s and 60s there was lots going on.

The Ryde school of Horticulture had aBonsai stream being run by Mr Len Webber. Various offshoots include the Bonsai study Group and one focusing on azaleas. When Len retired the school of horticulture briefly kept the course going under Maggie Rothery. Eventually it folded and then came an absolute explosion of clubs and interest groups. The main one being the School of Bonsai under Ron Flack and (I have forgotten her name).

The Martin Place exhibition Might have been members of The Bonsai society of Australia (Roseville) and it had quite a few high powered members that worked in the city. The was also a major exhibition at david Jones Chatswood. Ric Roberts at the time worked for DJs in the advertising department.

The Fig show was done by Illawarra bonsai Society, members were Barrington and Elaine Chee, Ric Roberts, Noel SUMMERELL and Max Candy and many, many others. Names that keep popping up from Those times.,

My memory is being stretched here so I hope I am correct