New to the forums

[Camo252]

Hey everyone,

I've already made a couple threads over in the junipers and Elms sections and I thought I should get around to introducing myself properly.

My names Cameron and I'm 27 years old living in North Queensland Australia. I've always been interested in bonsai but was never really into gardening. I've always been more into computers, and building things(wood work etc.). My brother started growing herbs last year and that got me into growing chillies and stuff for cooking with.

During my regular internet browsing I came across a beautiful picture of a cascade bonsai and I thought it'd be another interesting hobby to dive into. During the christmas holidays just gone by I spent most of my time reading bonsai books and forums trying to take in as much as I could. On new years eve i popped into one of the big hardware stores with a garden center and purchased a tiny little juniper for $20 just to scratch the itch.

Realizing how small it is and that I can't really do to much to it I later popped into one of the local nurseries and bought a much larger juniper prebonsai, and got to work on it.

Now I'm slowly building a collection of plants, all far from being bonsai, and am really enjoying working on them.

Cheers,

Camo

 

[Vance Wood]

We welcome you Cameron and we will help as much as possible. You are however; a half a world away from most of the rest of us, you summers are our winters and winters become summers. The two Junipers you have started with are OK material to start with but it will take many of us time to figure out where you are going or how much we can impose on your learning curve without discouraging you, something I have been accused of doing.

 

[Poink88]

Welcome to B-Nut!

It would be cool if you can bonsai local plants to you (exotic to us) and share with us. I am always fascinated by different things...of course juniper is fine too.

 

[Camo252]

Thanks everyone. I like to think I'm not easily discouraged and tend to take everything on board, at the end of the day, you lot know a lot more then me and it'd be foolish not to listen. That said, If I do have my mind set on something, or something sounds too far out of my skill level I'll probably go my own way in doing something until I'm more confident in the hobby. I'll also definitely remember to take into account the difference in seasons.

The next type of plant I really want to start working on is a Gardenia after seeing some photos with their brilliant white flowers. After that though I do plan on working on some local species, namely the malaleuca, ficus and Calistemon (Bottlebrush).

Cheers,
Camo

 

[edprocoat]

Welcome camo ! You do not see many gardenia as Bonsai, probably due to the leaf and flower size. You would probably have to wire your trees into the pot real well, being on the bottom side of the world and all ....

ed

 

[Jason_mazzy]

Welcome friend of the potted plant!

 

[Camo252]

Thanks for the welcome edprocoat and Jason

Welcome camo ! You do not see many gardenia as Bonsai, probably due to the leaf and flower size. You would probably have to wire your trees into the pot real well, being on the bottom side of the world and all ....

ed

Haha, that gave me a good laugh.

We've got a gardenia growing in our front yard and had remembered seeing on some other forums some people talking about them as bonsai, I did a google image search on them and I find them really nice, with the white flowers adding a nice pop to the tree.

 

[Vance Wood]

When you first get into bonsai there is this tendency to think that everything the grows will make a good bonsai. If truly, the word bonsai can be legitimately used as a verb, then it is possible to bonsai everything and anything. However; being possible and being viable as bonsai are two different concepts when one examines the image of bonsai and what attracted you to bonsai in the first place. You have to learn the difference between possible and practical. The practical trees will possess the traits that make for a good bonsai.

Gardenia is possible but it is one of those plants that resides on the out-side boarder of being reasonable for use as a bonsai. They are extremely fussy they have a lot of requirements to keep them healthy and the leaves and flowers never reduce in size.

 

[discusmike]

Welcome, and good luck with your journey in bonsai.

 

[GrimLore]

Welcome and for the record it seems we have other Aussie Members so I suspect the "weather barrier" won't be much of a problem for you here

Grimmy

 

[tmpgh]

Welcome aboard! My advice is to get several trees, don't work them too hard too fast, and read everything you can. Experiment and have fun too.

 

[Camo252]

When you first get into bonsai there is this tendency to think that everything the grows will make a good bonsai. If truly, the word bonsai can be legitimately used as a verb, then it is possible to bonsai everything and anything. However; being possible and being viable as bonsai are two different concepts when one examines the image of bonsai and what attracted you to bonsai in the first place. You have to learn the difference between possible and practical. The practical trees will possess the traits that make for a good bonsai.

Gardenia is possible but it is one of those plants that resides on the out-side boarder of being reasonable for use as a bonsai. They are extremely fussy they have a lot of requirements to keep them healthy and the leaves and flowers never reduce in size.

In that case, I might just chuck a Gardenia in a growpot for a few years before trying to work on one. I just really love the contrast of the white flowers on the dark green leaves

Welcome and for the record it seems we have other Aussie Members so I suspect the "weather barrier" won't be much of a problem for you here

Grimmy

Thanks GrimLore, i'll be sure to keep an eye out for them, I've probably seen them posting on the ausbonsai forums

Welcome aboard! My advice is to get several trees, don't work them too hard too fast, and read everything you can. Experiment and have fun too.

Thanks tmpgh, I've already got several Junipers in grow pots sitting in the back yard, a few shores, a rocky mountain and a couple chisensis piramadalys. I'll eventually wire them up in to some interesting styles before getting too thick.