AusBonsai

MelaQuin wrote:Consider reducing the height of both trees. They are too tall for the width of the trunk and lowering the apex will make the trees more dramatic and older looking. Your favourite tree.... leave 3 branches on the right and cut. And the one you like the least... put your finger over the top of it leaving the bottom 2 branches and the top right branch as the apex and think two years ahead and this will be very nice as well. This will also improve the taper and remove that chunky between the second right and the second left. With the new apex wired to the left your tree will be back in balance and in good proportion. Don't let the trees dictate their height... that's your prerogative as the artist. Both plants are excellent material and with good guidance you will have two very lovely native bonsai.

You are quite right, I sometimes forget how apically dominant they are. Five minutes with the scissors fixed tree 1, tree 2 has had many large branches removed ithe last year and several still likely to be removed. The re-pot has achieved a new potting angle but it needs to get strong before I attacking it again.

treeman wrote:Getting bad when we need a chair Gerard.

the chair has needs

Boics wrote:Hi guys.
I too prefer banksia#2
Very natural looking tree!

Re the coastal beard heath.
Alongside leptospermum levigatum this is another of my favourite natives.

Please share any findings in another thread and I'll setupawiki Page. Also search ausbonsai for kangaroo Island. I took some photos of some lovely natural specimens.

Cheers!

Sorry, feel like I might have hijacked this thread!
I did mean to start a new thread with a wealth of info after my visit to the nursery today in relation to Leucopogon Parviflorus - but alas, no gold! The nursery did have them as expected, but I was only able to speak to a "helper" not a nursery person - and according to him the poor condition of their stock was inexplicable... there was a fair bit of die back in the stock they had and nobody knew why? I asked about soil, watering, fertiliser and root manipulation plus any secrets to getting them to thrive. The answers were :
Soil : well draining mix, nothing special, and no specific ratios for ingredients ... or ingredients for that matter!
Watering : after established they are drought tolerant (this is for ground stock - not pots)
Fertiliser : Osmocote (I assume native), when required (he wasn't specific/sure when that might be)
Root Maintenance : Don't know, never had experience with this... never kept one in a pot.
Secrets? : normally they grow pretty good with no real effort - not sure why their current plants are struggling. Propagation is a bitch, seeds need to pass through a bird, but they've had success with soaking them in 1 part acid (not sure what one) to 10 parts water...
Apologies for not really gaining any info re: this species, I was disappointed... But also heartened that my plants seemed to be doing better than the nursery - onward & upward!