Greetings from New Zealand - Newbie thread :)

[BubblePopScott]

Hello everyone, my name is scott from new zealand (last i heard there was only one scott here). Thankfully bonsai is very unknown here and the gardening ban did not quite make it to bonsai! https://thespinoff.co.nz/media/18-0...akes-us-the-laughing-stock-of-the-internet-2/ don't even ask about this crazy law!

I've recently been given a conifer (on the hush hush), unsure what conifer exactly, by my neighbour. It's quite a big tree and i am wondering if its suitable to bonsai or not? I love bonsai, but I have no clue. I'm assuming this board would get alot of these types of posts, so if you could point me in the direction of a guide to follow that would be suitable for a tree this size that would be swell.

I have tried to bonsai about 10 years ago, but i failed hard. I think mainly i need someone to show me, as I don't seem to be able to follow the guides to well?

Thanks for all your help,

Scott, from NZ.

 

[LeeInBama]

Hi BubblePoopScott. Greetings from Alabama, USA! That looks a bit like a blue point juniper, but don’t take my word as definitive, I’m only a seedling in this arena. Junipers make great bonsai probably because they’re very hardy and easy to shape. Ask some of the really experienced people like Mellow Mullet and Leo in N E Illinois. Nice guys and very helpful. Much more help than me.
Welcome to Bonsai! I hope you love it!
As an aside, New Zealand is a place I have wanted to see for the last 40 years or so. My wife is in love with both Australia and New Zealand. Maybe at some point after a lottery win or something equally miraculous I’ll get to see it.

 

[LeeInBama]

Sorry, BubblePopScott. My apologies

 

[Tieball]

Sorry, BubblePopScott. My apologies

BubblePoop was funny though...Ha!....got me to grin from a long ways away.

 

[BubblePopScott]

hahah that was funny. I recommend coming down to little new Zealand - its a nice little place. Im wanting to head over to the states sometime as well, only question is which state?

 

[LeeInBama]

Alabama, if you like anything from sugar white beaches in gulf shores to rock climbing and spelunking in north central to northeastern Alabama. Great hunting and fishing everywhere. I may be a bit biased.

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

hahah that was funny. I recommend coming down to little new Zealand - its a nice little place. Im wanting to head over to the states sometime as well, only question is which state?

Hi and greetings from Christchurch, NZ.
I might have said hello before but hey, here’s another.
I thought I would weigh in on the ID of this tree - Thuja, by its flat growth pattern, and probably “Smargd” as its cultivar. We grow a shed load of these at work.
Unsure of the potential of this as so erect in growth, but there could be something in the bottom 1/3 to chop to, wire some branches, and regrow for another 3-5 years etc.
Enjoy the bonsai experience,
Charles

 

[Potawatomi13]

Sorry, BubblePopScott. My apologies

!

 

[BubblePopScott]

Thanks kpg