For "Advanced" Bonsaist's only please.

[Grant Bowie]

Here is my oldest Bonsai stick in a pot.

Golden cedar 1.jpg

Golden cedar 15.JPG

Grant

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi,

This is my first My first Port Jackson (Ficus Rubiginosa) Fig

Best regards.

[SteveT]

Great idea for a thread. Mine doesn't have as long a history as some of the trees presented here. It's an Arizona Cypress, a species that I wouldn't really recommend as the foliage is quite coarse. I love the smell of the foliage when it's pinched though.

It is not a great tree but it was the first tree that I styled in my second coming (first was as a kid ... before girls and amber liquids became more interesting).


Steve

[Pat093]

pardon me but why cant novice people look at this?
wtf.
oh your a novice no no no dont lookm you have no say, wat the hell?

[Ash]

pardon me but why cant novice people look at this? oh your a novice no no no dont lookm you have no say, wat the hell?

I am pretty sure it is tongue in cheek Pat. It actually makes more people look



Ash

[Chris]

so glad to see other sticks like my sticks

[Pat093]

righto,

[Tony Bebb]

Great idea Bodhi

Unfortunately I don't have any pics of my first trees, nor do I have the trees. Some I regret immensely, but most I was happy to move on. In my first full year of Bonsai I planted some seeds of JBP and still have one of those that is my 'Baby' as I call it. Not many early pics as they were all on film. (No digital then(man that makes me feel old )) Spent the first part of its life in a yoghurt tub.

bonsai 008.jpg

Bonsai 004.jpg

IMG_0505_Ready.jpg

Still only 7 inches tall and 26 years old. Mine forever. I get more joy out of working on this little tree than any.

Tony

[MattA]

Still only 7 inches tall and 26 years old. Mine forever. I get more joy out of working on this little tree than any.

Tony

OMG... i read th ebit about yoghurt tub & thought oh it didnt grow much in the early years

I opened up the first pic & there is no sense of scale and it looks much taller, until...... That has to be the best mame JBP I have seen Now how do I get put in your will

I wish I had something that nice to show for all my years with sticks. This is another photo I found of my Jaccy in about 2004, the first branch is what has now become the trunkline...20yrs a stick.. becoming more because of the great trees and ideas I constantly find on Ausbonsai.

jaccy2004.jpg

Matt

Edit: forgot photo.. oops

[SteveT]

Tony,
I love that little pine and I am amazed at the tiny needles every time I see it. What's your technique?



Steve

[bodhidharma]

What fantastic contributions People. It is so nice that people still have a certain sentimentality about their original trees. Shows me the passion that comes along with our Art form. Wonderful trees. I love what we do. Thanks Ash for pointing out the tongue in cheek in the heading. It was said earlier that people would not be able to help themselves. Hope you are not offended Pat, Bonsai helps us all to lighten up a little and enjoy a bit of fun together

[kcpoole]

Here is mine
The first tree I ever styled

Juniper Procumbens in 2005. I still have the tree but is now in a grow pot trying to do a root graft on it
Have not got any updated photos sorry

[alpineart]

Bodhi these are my Atlas Cedar sticks in pots at 15-16 years old .They were my first seed grown plants , 1 was placed in the ground for 12 months the other was pot grown and both have been together in a 3 group planting .Yes still sticks in pots but i intend to place them in the ground for 2 years and fatten them up as pre- trainers .No serious work has ever been done and it shows , basic hook and hold wiring only and that was for 1-2 seasons

100_6907.jpg

The difference in growth is very evident between large area growing and bonsai pot growing .This by the way was done on purpose , i use these to show newbies the difference 1 year of ground growing makes over Bonsai pot growing

These are Father and Son Chinese Elms ,The tree was a garden plant back in the late 90's that was damaged after the "Boys In Blue" chased a scrambler through my yard and he hit the tree and snapped the top off .When i dug it the main stay root had grown up against a rock in the terrace and created a large swelling , this was used to create the broom trainer originally 12 long the trunk section has had numerous chops down to the 120mm it is now .It has had several tops and is still in serious training for a new twin top, sacrafice at the rear .The main tree was my first big chop top 2 man tree thanks to CR 250 and an un-licenced rider under the influence of gods knows what . Pre styled and has been trained by clip and grow method , rarely wired again 1-2 seasons and minimal at most . Iused to trim this with hedge trimmers or large scissors , yes a hacker from day one .

100_6911.jpg

I will over the next year or two get serious and take these from Trainers and finally style these into Bonsai along with several hundred others kicking around the yard .Cheers Alpine

[bodhidharma]

Hey K.C are you allowed on this thread at only 6 years of age Seriously, thanks for sharing the procumbens with us. Thanks for the story Alpine. I havent heard dirt bikes called Scramblers for a long time. Brought back memories of my childhood.

[Graeme]

Don't have any of my first trees (or attempts at trees ), living in 4 States and having two wives in the same Bonsai period (not at the same time tho' ) makes it hard to hang onto trees, but I think I have some photos somewhere. After Christmas I'll have a dig around and see what I can find. Should give you guys a bit of a laugh me thinks.
Great idea for a thread.