How did you get started in bonsai?

[coh]

Interesting thread!

The short (and incomplete) answer - my wife and I had been living in Rochester since 2003, in 2010 we happened to go to a local orchid show (at one time I was into orchids and had about 150). On the way out I saw a flyer for the local bonsai society advertising the upcoming spring show. Did a little research and was shocked to find out I was living in one of the major bonsai hot spots in the country! Went to the club show in May, signed up for a beginner workshop with Bill, was floored when I saw his collection for the first time. I was hooked. Didn't hurt that the 2nd National Exhibition happened a few days after that workshop.

The longer/more detailed answer - I was always interested in plants and gardening. In high school we did a few weeks of study on Japan, and everyone had to do a project. Mine was...bonsai, of course. I butchered some poor evergreen, put some wire on it...it probably looked ridiculous (fortunately there are no surviving photos that I'm aware of). Of course, it died pretty quickly.

I've had a few "false starts" along the way. Got interested when we lived in Virginia (probably after a trip to the National Arboretum), bought a bunch of starter plants (seedling, mainly) that went into the ground. Also bought a Chinese elm from a local bonsai nursery. It was actually a decent starter tree, not the usual "S" shape. But I had no idea what I was doing, the plants languished and we eventually moved up here leaving the starter plants in the ground. In 2007 I got interested again after a trip to California, and purchased some starters from Brent Walston. I fumbled around with those for a few years until that fateful orchid show.

 

[Cadillactaste]

On my first mission trip to Honduras...the guest house in the city has this HUGE massive majestic bougainvillea tree. That summer my son was going into sixth grade and for summer homework he had to do leaf impressions. So he chose to do trees found there...to have his leaf rubbings differ from his classmates. Which had me intrigued with the bracts which then I thought were the flowers at the time.

Came home to his researching more on the cultivars he did the leaf rubbings on. And stumbled across mini trees in pots of bougainvillea...and I was hooked! It sort of escalated from there...but, I have gathered my collection in moderation. Having 16 trees in three years I think is quite reasonable. I don't have any desire for a particular cultivar now...a literati or one with a slight feel of that...in a cultivar that will do well in my cold greenhouse. I'm in no rush...this will be one I prize...and will stumble into my lap when I'm not looking as my neagari did. With no particular cultivar in mind...I think it opens the opportunity to a broader spectrum. I'm fine with waiting years for it...I want the clouds to split...and Angels sing. Lol so as you can see...I am not planning on rushing into it.

The bougainvillea bonsai...represents a significant sentimental meaning. Of what we've accomplished and yet to finish. It will always hold a special place in my heart.

 

[Eric Group]

and who can forget their first time using meth.....am i right???

Oh, ooh, I can! Err... Can't... Orr... What's meth? Shit lost another tooth! What were we talking about?

 

[Stickroot]

L...M....A....O!!

 

[Eric Group]

I got into it because.... Ummmm... Doesn't really make sense in review... But I was always into plants, always into art, got into Asian culture because I was dating an Asian girl for a long time... one day I found a bonsai stand beside the road, pulled over bought a tree, and the rest was history! As in- the TREE was history! Some dumpy little juniper that died of course... So obviously I gave up. Right? Hell no! I was pissed and started studying everything I could about Bonsai to figure out what I did wrong. Eventually learned all sorts of trees could be used for Bonsai.... Next thing I knew there were over 100 in my yard and I have maintained an excessive number of trees ever since. That is a real cliff notes version...

 

[aml1014]

I've always had a green thumb and have loved plants. In December 2011 my fiancé (girlfriend at the time) and I went down to the botanical gardens for the annual "river of lights". Before we left we stopped at the gift shop and looked around. I found the typical little bonsai kits you find anywhere. I'd always been interested in bonsai when I'd seen them and decided to get it.
I spent the next couple months researching and when spring came around, I went crazy!
It was 3 years before I had a job that I could take Saturdays off to actually go to the local club. There I met my current teacher and have progressed much quicker ever since.
I don't have the little seedling from the kit anymore, but I'm way past the point of ever quitting.lol

Aaron

 

[Carol 83]

On my first mission trip to Honduras...the guest house in the city has this HUGE massive majestic bougainvillea tree. That summer my son was going into sixth grade and for summer homework he had to do leaf impressions. So he chose to do trees found there...to have his leaf rubbings differ from his classmates. Which had me intrigued with the bracts which then I thought were the flowers at the time.

Came home to his researching more on the cultivars he did the leaf rubbings on. And stumbled across mini trees in pots of bougainvillea...and I was hooked! It sort of escalated from there...but, I have gathered my collection in moderation. Having 16 trees in three years I think is quite reasonable. I don't have any desire for a particular cultivar now...a literati or one with a slight feel of that...in a cultivar that will do well in my cold greenhouse. I'm in no rush...this will be one I prize...and will stumble into my lap when I'm not looking as my neagari did. With no particular cultivar in mind...I think it opens the opportunity to a broader spectrum. I'm fine with waiting years for it...I want the clouds to split...and Angels sing. Lol so as you can see...I am not planning on rushing into it.

The bougainvillea bonsai...represents a significant sentimental meaning. Of what we've accomplished and yet to finish. It will always hold a special place in my heart.

My aunt (a nun) was a missionary in Honduras for years. She got Malaria, Typhoid fever, and broke her arm, but loved every minute!

 

[Adair M]

Very interesting...and makes sense...how many trees do you have if you don't mind my asking?

I dunno... About 25. I just sold one. I'm bringing 3 trees home from California via the National Show. Only one of those trees will be in the show, but I'm taking advantage of the truck! My 25 includes those in California. I have (had) about 8 there.

For someone as obscessed about bonsai as I am, 25 is a pretty low number. The problem is shohin. To do a proper shohin display requires a minimum of 6 trees if you do a formal box stand and one secondary tree. And you need several to choose from to do really do it right. Actually, more than several! Lots! So, about a dozen of my trees are shohin. And, truely, to really do shohin right, I need another dozen. Shohin is all about variety!

For the National show, I'm borrowing two wonderful trees from friends.

At the BIB show each year, members can set up a shohin display they've planned, and they also bring in extra show quality shohin. Daisaku Nomoto then puts together a display using these. There's usually about a dozen for him to work with. Daisaku is on the Board of the Nippon Shohin Association in Japan. So, he explains what he's doing as he does it, and it's fun to watch him swap trees around until he gets the display how he likes it! Fantastic learning experience!

Sorry, too much information. I'm bad that way!

 

[wireme]

I read about it in a book, then started trying to do it.

 

[Shima]

Back in pre-history I wandered into a small club house in a park in Santa Rosa, CA. Mas Imazumi, Kay Urbanski, Ian Price and Ron Kelly were there with a few small trees in pots. I don't think there was even a name to the group. Then at some point John Naka gave a demonstration in the Vets Hall where the shows have been all these years. Then I remember a table of a few bonsai and easing up to a quite impressive pine. I was transfixed by this tree that was almost twice the age of this country! It was a seminal moment that began my bonsai journey. Here's the pine and Mas. Deep gassho.

 

[Coach]

I have always loved trees. I stare in awe at specimens along the road, scores of years in the making, trees in yards and parks (old established zoo's have incredible trees fyi) etc...it's odd but I feel like trees remind me to slow down and accept how the world and it's elements "age" me/us. I love the idea of attempting to replicate this aged look and matching a pot to this look to tell a story...my love for trees has always been there...a few years ago bonsai found me...someday I will have the time to actually give the art the attention it deserves, until then I am practicing on my stock (focusing on keeping it alive!) and admiring yours. Thanks for all that y'all share.

 

[Cadillactaste]

My aunt (a nun) was a missionary in Honduras for years. She got Malaria, Typhoid fever, and broke her arm, but loved every minute!

A young man my husband met his first mission trip there...lost his life to malaria. Bless your aunt...and all the great work she was able to accomplish there!

 

[10-brink]

I started about a year ago. my girlfriend was gifted a little juniper twig in a teacup sized pot. I had been vaguely aware of bonsai before and decided to do some reading. searched online and found out there is a club in my hometown that had an auction coming up! I went and bought two larches and a yew, and was gifted two more trees that didn't sell at the auction. Bought a few more seedlings and managed to keep them all alive through the winter (mild as it was). Joined a club and picked up some more trees.
I've got a few in the ground, and way too many in pots, but I love it.

 

[Lobaeux]

Honestly, I don't have a cool story. I retired and moved to Florida. Passing a bonsai store in Fort Lauderdale, I became intrigued and pulled in. Walked out with a little mini Jade. Been hooked ever since, mainly because it's like a soothing drug. Really calms me and makes me appreciate life.

 

[Paradox]

When I was 14, my older sister bought me a really nice mallsai when she was on a buisness trip in California. There were no internets, and no books about bonsai at the library (I did find two very basic ones at the book store) so I had no idea how to take care of it and I killed it.

Fast forward many years, past high school and college, to when I have a house with a yard and a steady job. I found a sad little mallsai juniper walking through the grocery store. I felt bad for it and bought it.
Brought it too my office and put it on my desk next to the window. Well within about 3-4 months (August), it was starting to die. Did a quick search of the internet and found out it wasnt a indoor plant.

Took it home and trimmed all the brown stuff off and put it on my deck. Low and behold, it lived! I still have it.

2011


2014 (sorry I dont have an updated pic and its too late and dark to go get one).


I know its not a spectacular tree and it never will be, but its the first one Ive kept alive and we have been through alot of learning together.

 

[Alain]

Actually I always wanted to grow trees.

When I was a kid I lived close to the public garden of my city and there were always oaks and stuffs growing from acorns in the pile of compost against the cemetery's wall.
I wanted to take one and get a hundredth year old oak, in my mum's yard at this time. But as the only solution I knew was to wait an hundred years I forgot about and jumped on some other things to do.
Then when I was a student - around 30 years ago -I bought a bonsai as a Christmas 's gift for my girlfriend, to become my 1st wife later.
Funny story.
I already loved bonsai somehow because I remembered that I didn't want to buy the equivalent of a Walmart's Juniper. So I might have looked around because I found a very nice little maple. Not from a specialized nursery - I don't think there was one actually - but very nice tree nonetheless. It's trunk was rather straight and cylindrical but with a nice bark and scars and deadwood and it was leaning on a vertical rock with sharp and hard angles so it was already incorporated it in its trunk and the branches and foliage were really cool and small. I don't know what type, a Trident possibly. It had cost me around $25 in Francs, which wasn't small at this time, and the week before Christmas, in a conversation with a couple of friends, I don't know what was the topics but at one point my girlfriend declared:
- Oh for me plants are not a Christmas gift anyway.
I offered us the tree I guess after having bought another gift, a real one this time, in emergency. I remembered loving the tree against the kitchen window, inside, above the radiator, but I don't remember what the tree became.
It died, for sure, but I don't remember it dying.
Anyway, time passed then 3 years ago my wife, the present one , my daughter and I spent a day picnicking at the Chicago botanical garden and I saw the bonsai.
We just had moved in our house with a yard in Niles and I had started to grow things, tomatoes and cucumbers mainly, for the 1st time in my life and I was loving it. I remembered how much I loved bonsai while looking at those trees and for the 1st time I thought about growing them, now that I knew the Art was to make it faster than 100 year

I need a oak.

 

[justBonsai]

I was surf fishing in the summer a few years back--not much luck catching fish but instead catching a new hobby. I saw this big bulge in the white water of the receding waves and went to check it out. It was a large rock with lots of character reminiscent of a mountain. Immediately I though it would look cool if trees were growing on it. Did some net surfing back home and found bonsai. Immediately was intrigued and completely hooked. Now its an obsession and life hobby.

 

[Anthony]

My brother-in-law was my friend over the fence, and though we went to rival schools, we still chatted in the evenings
and weekends.
He discovered Bonsai at around 15, looking at a great Samaan tree, during P.E. and talking to a 1/2 Irish friend whose
Irish mum was a very knowledgeable woman. The word Bonsai was mentioned and he looked it up in an encyclopaedia.
BUT he didn't actually anything until around 17 or so.

Showed me a Poui in a pot of clay soil and the rest is history. I didn't start cleaning weeds, transplanting until I was
about 25, had too much else to do. Though I was around and did dabble somewhat.
I have absolutely no Artistic anything, even after Art Appreciation classes.

In the UK, Bromage tried to sell him a Bougainvillea, the one shrub, he cannot grow and has a black thumb with.
I gave him the J.B,pine seeds from the UK seed company.

Together we did a buying trip in 93 or so. Red Sun Bonsai and Mr.Ming, all are still alive. Stock plants of various Chinese
elms, sageretias and Fukien teas.
Plant Quarantine on our side will not allow soil, and Pines in. So conifers, save for junipers have to enter by seed.

I find tending to trees ---------- relaxing and allowing my mind to think creatively.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Random Usr]

I was devastated going through a divorce. I love my children and couldn't bear not living under the same roof with them. To try filling the void I cultivated a couple of 'pen friends'. One day (out of the clear blue) there arrived by post a paper-back book, sent to me by my pen friend from Holland. “The Pip Book':

In it, is a tiny chapter about bonsai …….. and just round the corner from my house was an Özen Allfrukt grocer:

The rest is history - 25 years of it.

 

[sorce]

I was doing a Google search for Dudes in Sexy pink thongs, I was led to this site and have been hooked ever since!
Now I have a purple pair, yellow, blue, I killed some candy ones I got from a roadside vendor. You can't trust them roadside vendors....

Seriously....

I found a braided ficus at work and found Bonsai reading about its care.

Sorce