AusBonsai

There has been a lot of recent talk about 'Ermington Bonsai' here on AB.C and I would like to clear things up a little. The name of the nursery is actually Oriental Bonsai Nursery and it is run by Mr and Mrs Song. Peter Song is also a member of our forum. The nursery is located at 457 Victoria Road Rydalmere (Not Ermington) and is on the corner of Gammell Street. Click here for a Google map. They have been based here for about 5 years after moving from Eastwood.

Peter has been practicing bonsai for over 40 years since he saw his neighbors collection when he was at University in Korea. They also run a School/Club from their premises that meets monthly. At present the members are all of Korean heritage.

The nursery is also their home and is technically only open on Saturdays however if they are around they will welcome you in at any time. Peter is often out fishing or collecting stock so if you are travelling a distance to see them it might be better to call first on 02 9684 2928.

Peter is a Master at grafting and layering techniques. He regularly layers trees up to 250mm thick. A lot of the mature stock in his front yard has been layered.

I have been working on an interview with Peter for some time now and hope to have it ready for you in the coming weeks. He really is a very interesting and knowledgeable gentleman that will freely offer advice (in broken English ).

Regards,
Steven

Thank you Steven and hello to all ausbonsai members.
I welcome everyone to come and visit our nursery. If you have any problem bonsai you may bring them to me for advice and help. I have over 50 years experience so may be able to offer you some ideas.
We also offer bonsai lessons which are free for pensioners and disabled people. I am also available for demonstrations of my techniques at bonsai clubs.
Please come an visit us any Saturday at any time and if you want to come on other days please phone us first on 9684 2928.
Steven will be helping me to take photos of some of my bonsai so we can share them with you soon.
Nice to meet you!
Peter and Susan Song

Hi Peter and Susan

Can't wait to see some photos of your plants. I will definately come out and visit you on a Saturday sometime soon and probably get a few nice stock plants and even more valuable, some expert advice.

As Peter has mentioned, we will be taking some individual pictures of some of his bonsai (including some for our 360° section) however in the mean time, here are some shots of the nursery.

is that monster stump what I think it is?

Looks like a Jacarandah to me

Thanks Steven, great to have the full drill. I could be escorting an interstater on a nursery crawl and will try to include this. At this stage of the game it sounds a better deal than Riverview. Riverview can't have much good stuff left after being systematically plundered over the last three years by bonsai addicts.

MelaQuin wrote:Thanks Steven, great to have the full drill. I could be escorting an interstater on a nursery crawl and will try to include this. At this stage of the game it sounds a better deal than Riverview. Riverview can't have much good stuff left after being systematically plundered over the last three years by bonsai addicts.

Was at riverview 3 weeks ago and still has Lots of stock
Most quite ratty and potbound, but cheap as.

Ken

Visited Oriental Bonsai today. Odd little nursery. Few things priced so you keep asking. Most plants a bit in need of food and water, particularly food. Condition not drastic but needs to be addressed on most plants you would buy. Some interesting one or two offs of plants you don't get from conventional nurseries. A STUNNING berberis for $450, a far smaller one for $35, an escallonia for $35 with a nice sized trunk [compared to commerical nurseries' offerings!]. I got an aerial layered pyracantha with major styling problems but nothing that a year's work and well placed foliage pads won't cure. If you are an azalea lover, than there is definitely some semi advanced and advanced azalea stock. I did not price them but while they should be cut back hard and new shoots developed, the root and trunk structure was very VERY interesting. Luckily most of the trees I liked were a bit too large for me [and that's not large - tho they do carry some heavy weights].

There are quite a few large girth collected trees. Again, I didn't ask prices on anything I wasn't interested in and big trees I can't manage. But definitely worth a stop. They prefer Saturdays. Sunday is definitely not a goer.

Also went today and picked up a couple of reasonable trees (Pomegranite and a Juniper) but like Melaquin said, in need of a bit of TLC and one was anty. Proces were very good and the only thing that stopped me from buying a few of the bigger Azaleas was the fact that I only had a nudred in cash on me. No cards people...cash only.

I might go back next Saturday and get the one monster Azalea that I really liked.....so I can kill it no doubt. Somebody else go save it from me.

Money? Leave the nursery, take a left and immediately get into the right lane and almost immediately take a right into the next side street. Do a U-turn. Back to Victoria Road in the right lane, at the top of the hill take a right at the lights and another immediate right into Ermington Shopping Strip. Commonwealth Bank with two ATMs. So you CAN have your tree and buy it. It would be a 20 minute round trip max. I was there Saturday at noon and had no trouble finding parking. So no more excuses you only had a hundred in your pocket!!! Unless, of course, you were wise and didn't bring your card with you.

is that monster stump what I think it is?

....looks a little like an old Bougie ??. Some nice stock on offer by the looks of things. Wish I had something like this on offer in my neck of the woods

Cheers!
Anthony

My wife and I visited the Oriental Bonsai nursery today and I have to say that it was well worth the trip from the Central Coast.

I think the best way of summing it up is....beautiful plants, beautiful people - Congratulations Peter and Susan - you have a really nice nursery and some beautiful trees

Techpetal, I saved you the dilemma of one of the Azaleas... maybe not the one you were looking at.

There are three Azaleas which I would have loved to buy but given that the boss was with me, it would have been an instant divorce ...
I did momentarily weigh up our 28 years together vs the beautiful Azaleas...
The three expensive azaleas are still there

Regards
Steve

Wha..............!

I have to get back before any more poachers beat me there to my azaleas...

Went to go today but Minister for War and Finance held me up until 1.00pm so I just made her go to Bonsai South...he he he... (She spent more than I bloody did for gods sake)

Have to wait until next weekend now

techpetal wrote: Went to go today but Minister for War and Finance held me up until 1.00pm so I just made her go to Bonsai South...he he he... (She spent more than I bloody did for gods sake)

That is a good thing. It meant that you were allowed to spend more than what you did.

JayC