Australian Native bonsai. Thoughts, opinions and experience.

[Djs19992]

Hi all,
You may have noticed I have disappeared of late... I´ve got a good reason (I promise!).
I live in Chile, South America right now (my collection is safely planted in my parents garden to ground grow until i return).
As part of my final assesments for university over here I am required to address around 80 academics on an aspect of Australian culture they may not be familiar with.
I am speaking about Australian Bonsai and want to specifically focus on Australian Native Bonsai. I would love to hear your experiences with this form of bonsai. Why do you bother with Australian Natives? What place does it have in wider Bonsai culture? What does it mean to you as an Australia?
Additionally I would love to include photos of your bonsais if you´d like to post them also!
Thanks very much in advance. I´m looking forward to teaching some South Americans a little about the way we do Bonsai!

Deborah

[ashana]

I am no expert but I grow a few Tasmanian natives as bonsai because they are just as beautiful as any exotic or conifer and not difficult to grow. One of my favorites is the Huon pine. Here in Tasmania we also have strict quarantine regulations which restricts the importation of trees into our state (but not exportation of trees to the other states unless you are in WA ), this does affect the supply of trees to chose from somewhat! We are fortunate here in Hobart to have two bonsai nurseries close to the city, one of which actually specializes in Tasmanian native species. There is of course the ongoing debate here at my local club about the styling of a native tree species, as to which is best the traditional Japanese Bonsai style or the naturalistic "Australian" style. If you are interested in talking to someone who knows more about Tasmanian and also Australian natives as Bonsai may I suggest that you contact Will Fletcher who runs Island Bonsai and specializes in Tasmanian natives His email site is willfletcher@islandbonsai.com.au