Victorian Bonsai "Enthusiasts"...

spookybonsai

So were you there? What did you think?

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ViciousBenji

No, I missed the April exhibit, but I'll be attending the one in October for sure.

I discovered today that the Bunnings in Frankston has quite the amazing little Bonsai centre. All of the trees (not one pebble glued down) and accessories come from a bonsai farm in Monbulk. The Imagination Tree I believe it's called. Also found out they host workshops now and then as well.
I was able to pick up a "repotting kit", which included a huge bag of soil mix, fertilizer ("bonsai" turds are what my hubby calls them...they look and smell just like...well...you get it), plastic mesh, wire, and stones, for $10.
They had D.I.Y. kits available with your choice of seedling for $30.

It's amazing what you stumble across when you stop looking...

spookybonsai

That's good to start out with. I had a starter kit given to me originally. Yes, Paul Sweeney runs the Imagination Tree and has a lot of the department store market sown up under the Sashieda brand name. He knows what he's on about and I have bought many trees from his nursery and done a workshop with him at the Waverly club. However, I avoid buying from Bunnings, because often the stock is not as good as what's on offer at the nurseries, is already potted in trays (and often not ones I like) and I don't trust that Bunnings staff know how to look after bonsai. Who knows how long some of them have been in those pots without repotting. That said, I hope you found a nice tree with lots of potential to start work on. What species did you get and do you have any questions about looking after it?

P.S. I think the glued on pebbles of mallsai are a mainly US phenomena. I'm yet to see that here in Australia.
P.P.S. If you think Bunnings have amazing bonsai displays, wait till you check out Imagination Tree or any of the other nurseries.

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ViciousBenji

Big W is notorius for gluing down their pebbles, not just their "bonsai", but all their succulents as well.

I didn't pick up a starter kit from them, I've got about 12 trees already ranging in age from less than a year to 10 years, and now that I've discovered air layering...the sky is the limit...or rather the pocket book. However a couple of repotting kits managed to find their way back to the car!
I can't wait to make it out to some of the nurseries, the proper ones, to see what they've got.

FlyBri

Gday VB! (Ahh - how I love the sound of that...)

I've been meaning to reply, but life tends to get in the way. I'm in the process of compiling a list of (Internet) resources for the Australian (Victorian) Bonsai practitioner, but it won't be finished for some time yet. Have you visited Collector's Corner at Gardenworld in Keysborough/Braeside? They stock a goodly amount of Bonsai supplies - books and magazines included - and have a very nice display of NFS trees. I believe that our very own DavidN has a gallery of pics from there.

As for Victorian clubs? I can't give advice - I'm a rogue Bonsai guy.

Good luck.

FlyBri.

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WildChild

Ah the perks of living in Sydney... Well... Not really. I am lucky in that there is a huge nursery (Ray Nesci?) near where I live, and I have become a groupie of sorts up there. And I agree that glued down rocks is only a US thing, I have seen some really really good trees at my local Flower Power and Bunnings... the majority of which come from Ray's nursery anyway, but yeah.

Waiting on any conventions?

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fozz

Garden world/collectors corner has one of the best examples of both not for sale and saleable bonsai in Melbourne. Having worked in both their wholesale bonsai nursery and at coleectors corner, I can say from personal experience that the quality in very good. Not sure who manages the Bonsai section these days. The person who used to manage it and who taught me had received personal training from two japanese bonsai masters paid for by the owners of the collectors corner.

He unfortunately has passed on to the great bonsai nursery in the sky (good onya Conrad)

There is also a very good bonsai nursery in braeside/clarinda owned by a guy going by the first name of Trevor. Sorry I dont have any other details on his nursery.

FlyBri

Gday Fozz and welcome to bonsaiTALK!

Clarinda, eh? I know there's Williams' Nursery in Clarinda Rd, Clarinda, where
Ted Poynton keeps his amazing collection of Oz native Bonsai. Perhaps this is what you are thinking of? Certainly worth a visit!

Thanks.

Fly.

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fozz

No, its not Ted. The one I am thinking of is on old dandenong road. He used to be in noble park as a bonsai wholesaler, has since moved to this new location and now sells retail as well as wholesale. When I get the chance to go there again I will get the datails and post them.

Thanks for the welcome.