26th AABC National Bonsai Convention - 2013 Canberra

[Webos]

I think that the nbpca should have the option to offer a tree at every aabc convention. Doing so can only improve our greatest free public bonsai resource.

[lackhand]

I'm glad to see that Ryan got a chance to work with some Aus natives. I saw at least one casuarina on that table. Were there any others? I'm curious about his thoughts on those, and the ones that were on display.

Thanks again for the pictures, Steven.

[Steven]

Ryan said that he was disappointed that he didn't get to work on any other natives. He had spent time researching our natives, their growth habits and style before he came and while he was here.

During his critique he said that he really liked the natives in the exhibition. In particular, one of the trees he took up on stage with him was Grant Bowie's Banksia (the one in his avatar). Ryan made a strong point in saying that it was a world class bonsai and would hold its own in any of the big shows/exhibitions/competitions!

The Casuarina in the workshop was mine and he said that he really enjoyed the experience. Called it 'stellar material' too.

I felt bad for him that he didn't get more of a chance to work with our natives.

Regards,
Steven

[Chris H]

Other than your Cas...
What would you have liked him to work on?

What would make good demo stock and is native. ?

[lackhand]

Ryan said that he was disappointed that he didn't get to work on any other natives. He had spent time researching our natives, their growth habits and style before he came and while he was here.

During his critique he said that he really liked the natives in the exhibition. In particular, one of the trees he took up on stage with him was Grant Bowie's Banksia (the one in his avatar). Ryan made a strong point in saying that it was a world class bonsai and would hold its own in any of the big shows/exhibitions/competitions!

The Casuarina in the workshop was mine and he said that he really enjoyed the experience. Called it 'stellar material' too.

I felt bad for him that he didn't get more of a chance to work with our natives.

Regards,
Steven

This confirms some of my thoughts - Aus natives have world class potential, and the Australian bonsai community has some world class talent. I see it all the time right here.

I'm impressed that Ryan took the time to research the natives. Makes me wonder if he's been lurking on here, since this is the best source I've found . . .

Steven, I should have known that Cas would be yours! It does look like great material. I've discovered that these have been introduced to Florida and become an invasive weed. I know there is at least one person that grows them as bonsai down there, and I'm going to try to see if I can get a collected one to work on since I can't find them here. If nothing else, I'll be starting some seeds next year and grow for the long haul.

Other than your Cas...
What would you have liked him to work on?

What would make good demo stock and is native. ?

I would love to have seen him work a collected melaleuca or eucalyptus. Leptospermum laevigatum would be cool too.

[Grant Bowie]

Here is the banksia in its new pot,

Grant

March 30th 2013.JPG

[eddieperth]

Top tree Grant!!
and great to hear Ryan has some appreciation for what is happening down here!

This could be an obvious newbie thing to say, but I wonder how trees like Mals do as 'demo' plants.

I would think a person doing a demo wants material that they can dramatically alter in short work. The few natives I have worked with are pretty brittle and must be worked over time, whereas alot of the stuff Ryan prefers to work with are quite bendy.

Is that a fair statement or no?

Anyway, thanks for all the pics and would be happy to gaze at more! Wish I could've been there!

[Steven]

This could be an obvious newbie thing to say, but I wonder how trees like Mals do as 'demo' plants.

I would think a person doing a demo wants material that they can dramatically alter in short work. The few natives I have worked with are pretty brittle and must be worked over time, whereas alot of the stuff Ryan prefers to work with are quite bendy.

The Red Pine that Ryan worked on was very old and VERY brittle.

I think the new pot is a great match Grant. Much better than the old ones. Your tree doesn't ever look anywhere near as good in photos as it does in real life. Superb bonsai

Regards,
Steven

[shibui]

While I agree that Aussie natives do have heaps of potential as bonsai I believe that Ryan's intention was to encourage all bonsai growers, wherever they live, to use their local native species for bonsai, rather than slavishly using the same traditional Japanese species to the exclusion of others.
He made the point that the Japanese use their native species for bonsai. The Europeans have moved to using many of their native species and encouraged us to make more use of our natives for bonsai. - not sure where that leaves you Lackhand (I'm sure he did not just mean us to only use natives)

[lackhand]

While I agree that Aussie natives do have heaps of potential as bonsai I believe that Ryan's intention was to encourage all bonsai growers, wherever they live, to use their local native species for bonsai, rather than slavishly using the same traditional Japanese species to the exclusion of others.
He made the point that the Japanese use their native species for bonsai. The Europeans have moved to using many of their native species and encouraged us to make more use of our natives for bonsai. - not sure where that leaves you Lackhand (I'm sure he did not just mean us to only use natives)

I've definitely thought of this Neil. I do have some natives (of my area) I'm working with, and I'm on the hunt for more. Ironically, local government has passed laws to protect them, and so they're harder to find and more expensive. On a limited budget, it's hard to pay $25 for a pencil thin twig in a pot when I can buy a nice callistemon with a 5 cm trunk for the same price. Once school relents a bit, I'm hoping to get in on some collecting trips with the local club, so that should help.

The climate here is fairly unique for the US too, being so hot and dry. The natives to this area won't do well in most parts of the country, so a lot of them are fairly unexplored for bonsai since only the locals have much chance of doing anything with them. I plan on planting a bunch of native seeds next year, hopefully if I can help supply material it will encourage others to work with the natives.

Grant, thanks for sharing the photo, that's a great tree. Steven any chance we can get a 360 of this? Or is there one already that I haven't noticed?

[cre8ivbonsai]

Thanks Steven for giving us quite a generous taste A gallery is a great idea

Feedback from a member at our club meeting last night was that "Ryan Neil's demonstrations were the best that (he) had seen from any AABC Convention that (he) had been to" congrats CBS and co.

I'm interested to know what the QR codes on the tree descriptor signs in the Exhibition actually linked to?

Not sure who could answer this one but ... I see a video camera at Ryan's demo, is that footage going to be made available at some point?

[hugh grant]

Just wanted to see if anybody managed to get some video of the events? I know Hugh said he was planning on it. From the photos I've seen, it looks like it was a great weekend!

Me and my mate did a some video if the majority or Ryan's demos , will let you all know once I work it al out.

I'm also very interested to know if the footage taken for the screens at the convention is going to be released ???!

[Grant Bowie]

This could be an obvious newbie thing to say, but I wonder how trees like Mals do as 'demo' plants.

I would think a person doing a demo wants material that they can dramatically alter in short work. The few natives I have worked with are pretty brittle and must be worked over time, whereas alot of the stuff Ryan prefers to work with are quite bendy.

The Red Pine that Ryan worked on was very old and VERY brittle.

I think the new pot is a great match Grant. Much better than the old ones. Your tree doesn't ever look anywhere near as good in photos as it does in real life. Superb bonsai

Regards,
Steven

I am not sure about the "brittle" thing as he did say this one was doing OK.

I have been working on a Red pine for many years and it is not brittle in the least.[attachment=0]15 Repotted, short needles and rewired.JPG/attachment]

I did ask him if he thought the red pine was OK as in Australia it would grow more lushly then when he lives or Japan and he said "no it was just this one individual Red pine was not as brittle".

Well I now know of 3 red pines that are not brittle.

[Grant Bowie]

IMG_5131 - Copy.JPG

Here is another. Rics old Red pine from 1965. I started overhauling it yesterday with Rics permission of course.

It was bent extremely severely by Ric, myself and oh yes Hiro Saito in the early 1990s.

Grant

[Jow]

Hi Grant,

I only have the one red pine and it is not brittle either. Perhaps our climate or lack of a long cold winter has something to do with it? Or perhaps the gene pool in Australia has stemmed from non brittle parents?

Joe