Collecting an old Rosemary Bush

[kcpoole]

I had an old rosemary bush in the front garden that has been hacked at in years past that was way to big and di not fit what i want to do the garden so had to come out.
I searched around online to see if they ahve been done as bonsai as i thought it would be good. Only found piddly starters for sale on Evilbay and nothing decent described or photographed so thought I will try to save it.

Dug out today and potted up into a large Foam box, in a mix of Ray Nesci soil and orchid mix ( I have run out of Diatomite).

First post is the collection process.

If anyone knows of decent rosemary as bonsai, then please post the details here.

Ken

[kcpoole]

All potted here.

I do not know what styles wil suit and whether I can get it looking good, but if it survives it transplant I will start to look at it next winter.

Suggestions gladly accepted

Ken

[kvan64]

Rosemary is very flexible. I would carve out the heartwood serverely and bend to style and improve movements. Hummmm I fancy a lamb rack for dinner tonight

[aaron_tas]

awesome

i'm super interested to see how you go with this, i have my eye on a couple in the garden...

[Pup]

The old wood on Rosemary is not pliable, in fact it is very hard to bend.
Ken if you have access to Bonsai focus there are some fine rosemary in them. I will look though mine tomorrow to find a picture if I find it I will let you know as they say nudge nudge
Pup

[stymie]

I have a huge Rosmarinus in the garden which has been used for cullinary purposes by successive resident families over 130 years.
Where I take some off for the kitchen, it never seems to shoot back again. I have heard that new growth is usualy good but that is not my experience. I've had bonsai in mind for it for twenty years but in view of this reluctance to sprout on cut back wood I have left it in the ground.
Could it be like Pinus in that some foliage has to be left on a trimmed branch to avoid the death of the branch? I would still like to try this monster if I find the 'secret'. HELP!

[FlyBri]

If anyone knows of decent rosemary as bonsai, then please post the details here.

Gday Ken!

No experience with Rosemary Bonsai myself, but I thought I'd share a photo of one. This tree was the creation of the dear departed Behr Appleby (aka 'Grampz' on the Interwebs). I believe that the setting is based on a ruined church in the San Antonio area of Texas. I have no idea of the size, age or training history of this tree, but it is the first tree which springs to mind whenever somebody mentions 'Rosemary'.

Grampz_Rosemary.jpg

Enjoy!

Fly.

[Matthew]

Pup is right. Get ahold of that back issue of bonsai focus ( i cant remember which one) there is an entire article devoted to them, pruning, collecting , wiring etc and some VERY impressive ones with twisted trunks

[Jonden]

Mate this loooks like it has great potential as a future bonsai.
I see so many twisted old Rosemaries in gardens, but not many as Bonsai. If anyone out there has the secret to growing them let us all know, as I know they don't even like being transplanted in the garden.
Good luck with this and let us know how it progresses.
Cheers, Jonden

[Greth]

No experience with Rosemary Bonsai, but quite a bit with Rosemary here.
I would do the 'pine thing' and leave a bit of foliage on any branches which are to stay alive. Rosemary is pretty chronic for suddenly allowing a branch to die, especially common in older plants. Don't think they back bud easily at all.
I have about 9 varieties, including a prostrate one, a golden variegated, and a fine leaved version (Benenden Blue) which would work particularly well for bonsai. Happy to send cuttings or potted newly propagated if anyone wants to try. I might try some oversized cuttings and see if I can get a good protobonsai that way too, at least it propagates easily. Time for experiments, when it stops raining.

[kcpoole]

Awesome and thanks everyone

Pup if can find which issue had the article woudl be great,
Fly I remeber this Landscape from Grampz, Awesome and thanks fro reminding me.

Greth, When I dug it i had a good look and there is only 2 branches , stump pitst that had shooted after being cut or broken many months ago, so yes I suspect that backbudding on old wood will ba bit dicey to rely on

Jonden
I have no idea as to whether they liked diggeing as I have never had one before so will make sure it stays moist during recovery. I will do the seasol rinse regularly as well and hope it survives and takes off again.

Stymie, Watch this space as I will update as the tree progresses.

If it recovers well, i will have to experiment on how to bend it if possible ,as the 3 trunks are tall and straight. I suspect i wil have to do the hollow out / carve the heartwood to get any movement at all in the existing growth.

Stay tuned

Ken

[Pup]

Gday all I have just found the article on Rosemary. It in Bonsai Focus number 120 on pages34--37 it goes into the husbandry, re potting soil, feeding, pruning and pinching,
wiring ( a complex operation ) it is like an Azalea .

According to the Author. The pros; are colour contrast between dead and live areas, especially natural looking dead wood generous blooming excellent resistance to pests and diseases foliage pads become dense very quickly.

Cons; are Extremely difficult to root in a pot difficult to wire tends to shed interior and weaker vegetation.

In Bonsai Focus number 115 Peter Adams. A tree guide by Peter Adams on rosemary pages 78--79

He states that the plant can be difficult at the first few transplantings. Use light shade but keep it well lit, and spray the foliage until the plant has settled and is root active. Look for signs of new top growth.
There are a few pics maybe later

[Jonden]

Thanks Pup, I will look that up
Cheers, Jonden

[Watto]

I was at the Canberrs bonsai fair last weekend and there was a Rosemary on display. I'll attach a photo so you can see what is achieveable. Nice looking bonsai but I thought a bit overpotted.

[Greth]

You forgot the biggest pro, the trimmings all go on the lamb roast, hehe. I will be trying some hardwood cuttings from some of my older bushes. I do have a plant about 8 years old which is of no use to me, might think about lifting that one for bonsai, variety unknown for sure, but suspected to be Blue Lagoon (Deep blue flowers and low growth)
I also have a Gallipoli Rosemary, it grows there naturally and somebody brought back some material to Australia. Of course Rosemary is the plant of Remembrance anyway, but still more poignant when it can trace its ancestry to Gallipoli. In appearance this is just like the Common Rosemary, only difference is the history.
Mine came from cuttings sent in the post last year from the eastern states, nearly big enough now to share more cuttings with others. Could make a very special bonsai, or be used in a meaningful setting, for those who are artistic in that direction.