rockm
Spuds Moyogi
I've been discussing collection via a private conversation with another BNut member. The other member asked what's happened to the Eastern and Southern collectors and why the best native material is coming from Western states now. I have a theory--it might be controversial, or just a mental tick that could be taken care of with a Thorazine drip
Below is my answer to the other member's question:
Funny thing about collecting. Used to be the majority of "professional" collectors were in the East and/or South. Ten or 15 years ago, there were half a dozen collectors in a few eastern states offering all sorts of great things. Louisiana had more than its share, offering alot more than just BC. I visited a guy in St. Francisville (up around Baton Rouge) who collected a ton of stuff, from Willow oak, water elm, American elm, pepperidge (tupelo), BC, live oak, old estate boxwood, and just about anything he thought might work as bonsai. I still have his booklet of offerings and care instructions for 15 species.
Texas is another state that had alot of collectors. Vito Megna, in Austin, was legendary for collecting cedar elm, live oak, and host of other Texas natives. I have two of his trees. The "Big Thicket" area of East Texas and Hill Country further South, hold some of the most majestic oaks and other trees I've ever seen. The majority of species have never been tried as bonsai.
All the stuff these guys were collecting was of extreme quality and age. Ultimately, alot of those collectors either suffered financially, or got too old--Vito had to give up because of chronic back problems.
There is all manner of stunning material in the East that equals anything collected out in the Rockies. It's just not coniferous and therefore isn't "in". For instance, there's an old plantation site near me with boxwood hedging that is over 250 years old (the bill of sales for the plants and shipping manifest is still in Fairfax County's records) I managed to get permission from the caretaker of the property to collect one of the trunks. I managed to kill it over five years, as I was new to the sport at the time. Stuff like that is not uncommon--Ever been out to Gunston Hall and taken a gander at the original "dwarf" boxwood planted hedging there? The 4 to 5 foot tall trunks equal anything I've seen dug out west-the park service has been considering replacing them for years...I keep an eye on local papers about news of its garden renovation plans.
That's just in this area. The Blue Ridge (where I grew up) and the Appalachians beyond, hold endless possibilities--hickory pine, red spruce, alpine species abound in the Highlands out there--including Old Growth dwarfed trees-same as out West. Thing is, permission is very hard, if impossible, to get...If we had BLM land, we too could get things like western collectors do.
Right now, big conifers are in fashion. There's great appeal to the core audience of bonsaiists for "macho" pines (no offense --Walter Pall's and the lesser European artists work (and attitude) with pines has sparked demand for big collected pines here. While I think that's great, America holds vastly more species than Europe and a universe of opportunity that the Euros can't touch.
Below is my answer to the other member's question:Funny thing about collecting. Used to be the majority of "professional" collectors were in the East and/or South. Ten or 15 years ago, there were half a dozen collectors in a few eastern states offering all sorts of great things. Louisiana had more than its share, offering alot more than just BC. I visited a guy in St. Francisville (up around Baton Rouge) who collected a ton of stuff, from Willow oak, water elm, American elm, pepperidge (tupelo), BC, live oak, old estate boxwood, and just about anything he thought might work as bonsai. I still have his booklet of offerings and care instructions for 15 species.
Texas is another state that had alot of collectors. Vito Megna, in Austin, was legendary for collecting cedar elm, live oak, and host of other Texas natives. I have two of his trees. The "Big Thicket" area of East Texas and Hill Country further South, hold some of the most majestic oaks and other trees I've ever seen. The majority of species have never been tried as bonsai.
All the stuff these guys were collecting was of extreme quality and age. Ultimately, alot of those collectors either suffered financially, or got too old--Vito had to give up because of chronic back problems.
There is all manner of stunning material in the East that equals anything collected out in the Rockies. It's just not coniferous and therefore isn't "in". For instance, there's an old plantation site near me with boxwood hedging that is over 250 years old (the bill of sales for the plants and shipping manifest is still in Fairfax County's records) I managed to get permission from the caretaker of the property to collect one of the trunks. I managed to kill it over five years, as I was new to the sport at the time. Stuff like that is not uncommon--Ever been out to Gunston Hall and taken a gander at the original "dwarf" boxwood planted hedging there? The 4 to 5 foot tall trunks equal anything I've seen dug out west-the park service has been considering replacing them for years...I keep an eye on local papers about news of its garden renovation plans.
That's just in this area. The Blue Ridge (where I grew up) and the Appalachians beyond, hold endless possibilities--hickory pine, red spruce, alpine species abound in the Highlands out there--including Old Growth dwarfed trees-same as out West. Thing is, permission is very hard, if impossible, to get...If we had BLM land, we too could get things like western collectors do.
Right now, big conifers are in fashion. There's great appeal to the core audience of bonsaiists for "macho" pines (no offense --Walter Pall's and the lesser European artists work (and attitude) with pines has sparked demand for big collected pines here. While I think that's great, America holds vastly more species than Europe and a universe of opportunity that the Euros can't touch.
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