A SHORT RECENT HISTORY OF A BOUGAINVILLEA.

[Dave54]

ANOTHER STORY FROM MY BOOK "BONSAI RAMBLINGS"
This tree is a 105 year old ‘Bougainvillea Magnifica’ which was purchased last year from a Sydney
nursery. When purchased, the tree was in a Mica Pot.
What attracted me to the tree was the magnificent taper, exciting nebari and interesting bark, but on the downside the tree had a flat side along the base. Along this flat side had been placed a large rock to camouflage. I recently by chance, met the person who in fact collected this specimen from the ‘wild’.
Apparently this bougainvillea was part of a multi trunk tree that was growing in the Kangaroo Valley near Nowra. Locals estimated that the tree was over one hundred years old back in 1999 and road works meant that the tree was to be bulldozed. When
attempting to remove the tree it was so big that it was decided to cut it into sections, thus the flat side on this tree. In fact the tree is a giant cutting as they were unable to remove any of the root system and had to saw underneath with a chainsaw. The cuttings were then planted into peat and misted regularly, with all six pieces surviving.
The tree when purchased had a canopy of foliage and once I looked into the tree it was noticed that the extremely thick branch and multi trunk tops had just been untidely sawn off. My first thought was to remove the large rock, turn the flat side of the nebari to the rear and repot. I did this to highlight a perfect nebari to the viewer and to try and hide the multi trunk situation at the top of the tree.
Although I admired the beautiful trunk and nebari, I was not happy with the ‘broom style’ canopy or the flat side on the nebari even though it was at the rear.
What made me do a total rethink was when the leaves fell in autumn and the ugly cut ends of the trunk tops were
exposed. I should mention this tree has a diameter across the nebari of 55cm and is in a pot that can be described as very large, being 90cms x 65cms.
After much deliberation, I made the decision to do a
major ‘carve’ and use the flat- sided rear as the new front.
Usually I’m pretty ‘gung-ho’ about restyling a tree but to say this was a very expensive piece of material is an
understatement. A collected privet or olive would have been a challenge but this was a gamble.
I removed most of the foliage and took to the ‘new front’ with my arbotec attached to my angle grinder and proceeded to hollow out the trunk. Whilst carving I discovered some naturally formed hollows in the trunks further up the tree.
My good friend was enlisted with some of his homemade “Boys Toys’ and armed with this heavy artillery we proceeded to drill from the top and connect some of the naturally formed cavities.
Some of the ugly saw cuts have been carved out to make them look more natural.
Bougainvillea when carved is a very fibrous wood, so I will let it dry out before smoothing the carved work out with my dremel.
I am happy with the progress so far but it is a couple of years off realising its potential.
Maybe with the help of a few strong friends the tree may one day be seen at a club show (that’s what my heart says but my brain, back and knees tell me otherwise).

[Dave54]

MORE RECENT PHOTOS
First photo here taken Sept 2008
cheers
Dave

[anttal63]

now you have my undivided attention firstly let me say it is an amazing transformation, great work. will you need to use some kind of wood hardener to treat the carving. i believe the wood is soft and prone to rot is that right ? the only thing i would have done different is too let the branches come up and out of the trunk a little before dragging them down. but hey different strokes for different folk.

[PeterW]

who says we need imported material! Nice one Dave, fabulous taper. I have two reasonably big Bougs to wire this afternoon, its their first time in wire......ohhh dear, i'm not starting to sound like Soultan am i!
Peter

[Jon Chown]

ohhh dear, i'm not starting to sound like Soultan am i!

Good heavens No!

Nice one Dave, but you are setting the bar pretty high for us to challenge and I guess that's got to be a good thing.

Jon

[Dave54]

Hi Antonio,
yes the wood is soft, however, once carved the fibrous tissue really does harden up and I have found absolutely no sign of decay. I recommend carving if the specimen should require it.
cheers
Dave

[anttal63]

who says we need imported material! Nice one Dave, fabulous taper. I have two reasonably big Bougs to wire this afternoon, its their first time in wire......ohhh dear, i'm not starting to sound like Soultan am i!
Peter

I say we need it!!!

[Hector Johnson]

Hi Antonio,
yes the wood is soft, however, once carved the fibrous tissue really does harden up and I have found absolutely no sign of decay. I recommend carving if the specimen should require it.
cheers
Dave

Thanks for that, Dave. I'm attacking mine this afternoon so I'll see how it goes.
I've left it a bit just because it seemed to be a problem. I had a swarm of silverfish living in the dead wood on mine, until I introduced them to Monseuir Confidor.

[PeterW]

who says we need imported material! Nice one Dave, fabulous taper. I have two reasonably big Bougs to wire this afternoon, its their first time in wire......ohhh dear, i'm not starting to sound like Soultan am i!
Peter

I say we need it!!!

Nah...were not doin to bad here. But what could be catastrophic is if our generation and the next dont keep growing suitable stock. You have suggested yourself at the high cost of some of the stock getting around, imagine if we had to import all our stock! Mate....youd have two trees and live in fear of them dying or getting stolan. Were not doin to bad in Aus mate.
Peter

[Leigh Taafe]

Hey Dave,

Nice work.

This is a great example of where someone has bought a bonsai and restyled it. The result is excellent.

Cheers,
Leigh.

[Dave54]

Thanks for the nice comments fellas. Just looking at the photos doesn't really show the size of this bonsai. It is surprising to me that it survived as an original cutting. It truly is a 4 man bonsai
cheers
Dave

[Hector Johnson]

Looks to be about the same size as mine, just thicker down at the base. They're about the same height.

[Bretts]

ohhh dear, i'm not starting to sound like Soultan am i!
Peter

Good heavens No!
Jon

Be careful what you say online it can be taken the wrong way!
Soltan

[PeterW]

ohhh dear, i'm not starting to sound like Soultan am i!
Peter

Good heavens No!
Jon

Be careful what you say online it can be taken the wrong way!
Soltan

Sorry Brett, i didnt know you had feelings also.
Peter

[Bretts]

Sorry Brett, i didnt know you had feelings also.
Peter

This seems to insinuate that I have offended you in some way?