How did you get started in bonsai?
- Thread starter Adair M
- Start date
Craigm
Mame
Back in 2002 I purchased a small Fig bonsai for my wife, ended up being my downfall because now I am all consumed into this crazy Bonsai thing.
Visited all the Book libraries and read them all even the video's, began researching Trees also.You know all the botanical names, care factors everything I could. Started collecting Trees way back then but they didn't really amount to much, still it all went in as experience.Ended up splitting with the missus and took a couple of years to do other things. In 2010 I decided to go seriously into Bonsai again and found the internet lol. Made alot of mistakes both online and off, met someone who showed me their Bonsai collection(first 1 I ever saw)
and Opened my eyes to what I needed to be doing.
After that I decided to stop playing games and build some decent Trees, mostly from collecting Australian Natives which already where old in character.
For the last 6 years I have been blinded by Bonsai, making it my main goal to be a successful collector of Native species and improving my own collection of Trees. They say looking is learning and online I pay attention to everything people say regardless of species,the online community has been invaluable in that respect.As I have never been fortunate enough to have a teacher some of the journey has been Long but It has afforded me many lessons to which I am grateful.I am constantly learning and seeking to improve at all levels of what I do,I have made a few real good friends along the way and look forward to whatever the future brings to my garden.
cheers
Visited all the Book libraries and read them all even the video's, began researching Trees also.You know all the botanical names, care factors everything I could. Started collecting Trees way back then but they didn't really amount to much, still it all went in as experience.Ended up splitting with the missus and took a couple of years to do other things. In 2010 I decided to go seriously into Bonsai again and found the internet lol. Made alot of mistakes both online and off, met someone who showed me their Bonsai collection(first 1 I ever saw)
and Opened my eyes to what I needed to be doing.
After that I decided to stop playing games and build some decent Trees, mostly from collecting Australian Natives which already where old in character.
For the last 6 years I have been blinded by Bonsai, making it my main goal to be a successful collector of Native species and improving my own collection of Trees. They say looking is learning and online I pay attention to everything people say regardless of species,the online community has been invaluable in that respect.As I have never been fortunate enough to have a teacher some of the journey has been Long but It has afforded me many lessons to which I am grateful.I am constantly learning and seeking to improve at all levels of what I do,I have made a few real good friends along the way and look forward to whatever the future brings to my garden.
cheers
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M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
I'm going to start pretty soon.
These are great stories! Keep 'em coming!
Here's another incident in my bonsai past:
After taking the intro classes with David Cook, I became a regular customer. He moved his location to a location where in addition to the bonsai garden, Larry Williams resided. Larry kept a small portion of of the garden locked, and the fencing was made so that you couldn't see inside at all. Very mysterious.
Larry was the founder of the Atlanta Bonsai Society.
Occasionally, Larry would leave a tree out that he had been working on. I just happened to be there when I saw his Black Olive. Completely wired and styled. Not a leaf was out of place. It was the first time I had ever seen such a refined tree! Totally blew me away.
Eventually, over the years, I earned Larry's trust, and he showed me his "private garden". Mostly all shohin. A couple hundred of them in the space of a master bedroom closet. Stunning!
Larry loved azalea. And many of his shohin were azalea. Which is why the Atlanta show used to be scheduled in May. To show off the Satsuki.
In recent years, the Satsuki haven't been blooming very much during that time. They've been blooming later. Don't know why.
I can still remember seeing that magnificent olive with perfect pads. His azalea were wired just the same.
Here's another incident in my bonsai past:
After taking the intro classes with David Cook, I became a regular customer. He moved his location to a location where in addition to the bonsai garden, Larry Williams resided. Larry kept a small portion of of the garden locked, and the fencing was made so that you couldn't see inside at all. Very mysterious.
Larry was the founder of the Atlanta Bonsai Society.
Occasionally, Larry would leave a tree out that he had been working on. I just happened to be there when I saw his Black Olive. Completely wired and styled. Not a leaf was out of place. It was the first time I had ever seen such a refined tree! Totally blew me away.
Eventually, over the years, I earned Larry's trust, and he showed me his "private garden". Mostly all shohin. A couple hundred of them in the space of a master bedroom closet. Stunning!
Larry loved azalea. And many of his shohin were azalea. Which is why the Atlanta show used to be scheduled in May. To show off the Satsuki.
In recent years, the Satsuki haven't been blooming very much during that time. They've been blooming later. Don't know why.
I can still remember seeing that magnificent olive with perfect pads. His azalea were wired just the same.
JohnnyFive
Yamadori
I was talking to my neighboor who has these gigantic juniper bushes. She said her son always wanted to make bonsai out of them because he use to do it in the 80's. I went inside and happened to google the term b/c I didn't know anything about them. I ran into this photo and it literally blew my mind! I instantly wanted to know how to develop something like this. My tastes have changed significantly since running into a picture of this tree, but it still has the same effect on me as it originally did. I hope to start private study soon with the president of our local club so i can take my knowledge up a notch.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
@just.wing.it Congrats on your little girl! She will need more than watering and pruning. Lot's of repotting!
armetisius
Chumono
I managed to keep my first child alive. Probably made more goof ups with him than my trees.
As a middling older man, caring for an elderly father, it seems
to amaze my father that I was paying more attention than he ever
thought. Give it time--just like bonsai. You may be surprised to
find that those "goof ups"/bends and twists are some of his best
memories.
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Lol! Thanks!@just.wing.it Congrats on your little girl! She will need more than watering and pruning. Lot's of repotting!
watchndsky
Chumono
congratulations!
I've been resisting since my story is similar to many others...
Late 80's...1st Karate Kid movie... need to find out more about this BANZAI stuff... Books and roadside vendors eventually led me to Tom Dimig early in 1989. Tom had the first real trees, and pots, that I had seen in person. Sometime in 90 or 91 we formed a local club.
I find it interesting that so many of us bonsai nuts have also maintained aquariums over the years!!
I guess my favorite story about my own development came about while visiting a bonsai business in Pigeon Forge TN very early in my journey. I asked the owner, "what makes a bonsai good?" His reply,"you can have a picnic under a good bonsai!" Of course I took him literally and thought he was just some crazy old coot... Took several years before I really understood that good bonsai is all about what happens in the viewers mind...
Late 80's...1st Karate Kid movie... need to find out more about this BANZAI stuff... Books and roadside vendors eventually led me to Tom Dimig early in 1989. Tom had the first real trees, and pots, that I had seen in person. Sometime in 90 or 91 we formed a local club.
I find it interesting that so many of us bonsai nuts have also maintained aquariums over the years!!
I guess my favorite story about my own development came about while visiting a bonsai business in Pigeon Forge TN very early in my journey. I asked the owner, "what makes a bonsai good?" His reply,"you can have a picnic under a good bonsai!" Of course I took him literally and thought he was just some crazy old coot... Took several years before I really understood that good bonsai is all about what happens in the viewers mind...
aml1014
Masterpiece
Little did the maker of that movie know how much theyd change so many people's lives!
Aaron
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Got interested in bonsai back in the very early 90's when my then-girlfriend (now my wife of almost 25 years) brought back a small juniper bonsai back from the National Arboretum Show and Sale. We were living in a crummy apartment on Wisconsin Ave.in Northwest Washington D.C. at the time. Full of bugs and rodents, but with a spectacular view of the front of the National Cathedral. At the time, the Cathedral hadn't been finished (even after 100 years of work). There were stone carvers making the gargoyles, interior and exterior coping and other finishes for the last of the building's spires. They worked in little huts on the front lawn of the place. They'd let you watch them work and talk about stone carving. That exposure to carving art from natural material also spurred me to get into bonsai, as it was similar, only without the dangers of losing fingers and thumbs to hammer and chisel.
Killed the juniper in a month or so, but discovered the relatively new bonsai exhibit at the National Arb. At that exhibit, I saw bonsai weren't tiny cute little hothouse plants too delicate to live outside. They were large, rugged, tough critters from wild untamed places that were more than used to hard weather and hard times. That wildness appealed to my love of the outdoors. As a kid, I grew up playing in deserts, hunting Appalachian ridges, making apple jack with backwoods New Englanders and Virginians. Bonsai spoke to me on a very visceral level and outdoor lover and long-time, but half-assed, woodsman.
It grabbed me and held on, like good art does. It has opened up a wider world of understanding of the natural world that most people don't, or won't, see.
Killed the juniper in a month or so, but discovered the relatively new bonsai exhibit at the National Arb. At that exhibit, I saw bonsai weren't tiny cute little hothouse plants too delicate to live outside. They were large, rugged, tough critters from wild untamed places that were more than used to hard weather and hard times. That wildness appealed to my love of the outdoors. As a kid, I grew up playing in deserts, hunting Appalachian ridges, making apple jack with backwoods New Englanders and Virginians. Bonsai spoke to me on a very visceral level and outdoor lover and long-time, but half-assed, woodsman.
It grabbed me and held on, like good art does. It has opened up a wider world of understanding of the natural world that most people don't, or won't, see.
namnhi
Masterpiece
Brave! Kids around pots.
Starfox
Masterpiece
My interest came after we brought our first house and I was researching plants as the garden in place was a shocking stone covered Nana garden, it's much worse now but at least it is our mess. I soon came to realise my eyes are much bigger than our garden is and there is no way I could fill the plot with all the trees I wanted but somehow I stumbled across one pic of a Callistemon bonsai in full flower that blew me away. Well I wanted that, needed that so I started looking into bonsai and here I am.
That wasn't even a year ago now so it is debatable that I'm doing bonsai but I'm certainly heading that way, I think I have learnt quite a bit so far but there is also plenty that I am still waiting to try too. Don't rush things, that is one lesson for sure.
It has also sent me down a more broader horticultural path, I will be starting a couple of hort courses this year in an effort to retrain myself with an eye to the future.
Oh and congrats on the nipper JWI.
That wasn't even a year ago now so it is debatable that I'm doing bonsai but I'm certainly heading that way, I think I have learnt quite a bit so far but there is also plenty that I am still waiting to try too. Don't rush things, that is one lesson for sure.
It has also sent me down a more broader horticultural path, I will be starting a couple of hort courses this year in an effort to retrain myself with an eye to the future.
Oh and congrats on the nipper JWI.
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
Yea I have to say, Karate Kid played a roll for me too. I think it's what prompted my sister to get me the first tree.
1) I wonder why?
2) That's the question I was asking myself while reading the 1st part of your post, why not native species?
I've never been to Australia but as I imagine Perth you live in a pretty sweet climate with a pretty harsh desert in your back, you might have amazing yamadori!
Also you guys are known for having a really fun fauna, I bet you have a nice selection of weirdos in your flora also
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Craigm
Mame
1) I wonder why?
2) That's the question I was asking myself while reading the 1st part of your post, why not native species?
I've never been to Australia but as I imagine Perth you live in a pretty sweet climate with a pretty harsh desert in your back, you might have amazing yamadori!
Also you guys are known for having a really fun fauna, I bet you have a nice selection of weirdos in your flora also
haha, closer to the truth than you may think
good times,no regrets.When I started I had NO idea of how to create good Bonsai nevermind how to go about growing an aussie tree for one.
I started out collecting local pines etc and tried once or twice to collect very small paperbark trees. Collecting most species of trees in aus isn't easy
due to growth habits of root systems and it could be said a Juniper from a rock crevice in the mountains would be easier.
Now my endless search for top quality yamadori Australian Trees brings many pleasures. yes we have creepy crawlies too.
cheers
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just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Cute pup!haha, closer to the truth than you may think
When I started I had NO idea of how to create good Bonsai nevermind how to go about growing an aussie tree for one.
I started out collecting local pines etc and tried once or twice to collect very small paperbark trees. Collecting most species of trees in aus isn't easy
due to growth habits of root systems and it could be said a Juniper from a rock crevice in the mountains would be easier.
Now my endless search for top quality yamadori Australian Trees brings many pleasures. yes we have creepy crawlies too.
View attachment 115298cheers
He just had to get a sniff during the picture, huh?
eferguson1974
Chumono
I learned a little about gardening with my grandmother. Her front yard in suburban Atlanta was a garden, not grass. And in the summer I helped her, tilling and fert and mulching. She had strawberries, blueberries, and a bunch of veggies.
Years later, one day my wife and I saw a bit about bonsai on tv and I said Id like to try it. Then one day we were waiting on the side of the road by road repair. She saw a little guava tree growing from under the road, stunted and with a cool long curved trunk. So I pulled it out of the ground. Guava trees are like weeds here, so I thought it would live. And for a few months it looked cool in the only bonsai pot I could find, then of course died. I tried a few more guavas and whatever I found, made some cuttings, and it all croaked too. We moved and next to the house was a field with some big trunks grown as posts, and in the crotch of one them I saw a strangler fig with roots I loved. It popped out with all the roots like it wanted to go with me. My wife agreed, it could be a bonsai. But it got stuck in a pot that hung from the wall and forgotten, planted in wood chips with some soil tossed in. It got watered enough to stay alive and nothing more. Then we got wifi and I read some basics and watched videos. Then we split up, freeing up all my time. But wede been gardening too, and Id learned a lot. So a little over a year ago I decided to bonsai my fig, which was cascading from its pot. I read until I thought I had a clue, and cut it way back. I ended up with 3 branches all coming from the end of the trunk. Then I put it in my bonsai pot. And I kept reading and learning. So one day I defoliated it almost all the way and cut off the tips, and chased the branches back til I had little branches lower on the trunk and chopped it a little. And in reading one day I found the nuthouse. The tree is still alive and growing, along with a lot more plants and trees for the yard and/or bonsai or to eat and other useful medicinal plants. I also am addicted to aquaponics, which is awesome for veggies and maybe bonsai stock. Mine are doing well at least. So in the last year Ive come a long way, and my trees are developing. Ive gotten more selective about what I drag home, from learning here and wherever else. Im the only gringo where I live, and one of the only ones with bonsai. So I learn on the web, amd experiance. Thats my story and Im stickin' to it.
Years later, one day my wife and I saw a bit about bonsai on tv and I said Id like to try it. Then one day we were waiting on the side of the road by road repair. She saw a little guava tree growing from under the road, stunted and with a cool long curved trunk. So I pulled it out of the ground. Guava trees are like weeds here, so I thought it would live. And for a few months it looked cool in the only bonsai pot I could find, then of course died. I tried a few more guavas and whatever I found, made some cuttings, and it all croaked too. We moved and next to the house was a field with some big trunks grown as posts, and in the crotch of one them I saw a strangler fig with roots I loved. It popped out with all the roots like it wanted to go with me. My wife agreed, it could be a bonsai. But it got stuck in a pot that hung from the wall and forgotten, planted in wood chips with some soil tossed in. It got watered enough to stay alive and nothing more. Then we got wifi and I read some basics and watched videos. Then we split up, freeing up all my time. But wede been gardening too, and Id learned a lot. So a little over a year ago I decided to bonsai my fig, which was cascading from its pot. I read until I thought I had a clue, and cut it way back. I ended up with 3 branches all coming from the end of the trunk. Then I put it in my bonsai pot. And I kept reading and learning. So one day I defoliated it almost all the way and cut off the tips, and chased the branches back til I had little branches lower on the trunk and chopped it a little. And in reading one day I found the nuthouse. The tree is still alive and growing, along with a lot more plants and trees for the yard and/or bonsai or to eat and other useful medicinal plants. I also am addicted to aquaponics, which is awesome for veggies and maybe bonsai stock. Mine are doing well at least. So in the last year Ive come a long way, and my trees are developing. Ive gotten more selective about what I drag home, from learning here and wherever else. Im the only gringo where I live, and one of the only ones with bonsai. So I learn on the web, amd experiance. Thats my story and Im stickin' to it.
