I must say I'm a little disappointed

[dansai]

I first want to say that the team at AusBonsai have done a fantastic job setting up this forum. The ease of use and the quality of the information I have gained from here has been awesome and inspirational. Also the expertise, experience and ideas shared make me excited as an beginner delving into the world of Bonsai.

My disappointment comes from the amount of Australian Natives being shown, and experience of growers with Australian Natives, being far less than I expected. As mentioned above, I am very much a beginner with Bonsai, but my passion for growing plants, my interest in Bonsai and my excitment with the potential of Australian Natives as Bonsai has been met with a severe lack of information from other growers. I am sure there are many people out there that are growing natives, and have fantastic trees in their collections, yet so little is posted here.

I recently submitted some of my plants for the Australian Natives as Bonsai competition with no real expectation of having trees worthy of a prize. They are all quite young plants and my experience is very limited. I have some that have far greater potential, but where either greater than 12 months in training, or just stumps. Yet with over 4000 members I was expecting far more entries and was looking forward to being inspired by the large variety of plants put up for the competition. Don't get me wrong, I think the quality of those that were posted was fantastic and I was greatly inspired and everyone that entered are, as mentioned by others, already a winner. But where are the rest!!!!!

For instance, I have a few Lilly Pillies from the same stock as the one I entered in the competition that are less Bonsai like at the moment because of their stage of development, but which I feel have great potential as future Bonsai. Yet I look through the forum and there is only a few posted here. Do they not make good Bonsai????

PLEASE, if you have natives you that are on their way to becoming Bonsai, are already good Bonsai, or even a good 10 - 20 years off, lets see them and maybe we can build the profile of Natives as Bonsai. Is this not what this site is all about?

I am unfortunately working away from home on a regular basis at the moment so do not have the time to show you all of mine, but soon I will have more time at home and will post some pictures, but if you have some..... Let's see them!

Go AusBonsai, and Go Australian Natives!

[Craig]

I must say that if you care to search some of my posts you will find alot of information shared, Not everyone is into Natives but alot are.
504 search results for lilly pilly search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&keywords=lilly+pilly


1949 search results for melaleuca search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&keywords=melaleuca

1048 search results for casuarina search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&keywords=casuarina
I suggest a bit more searching ;)good luck

[Pup]

I must admit to some disappointment also. However mine is because, we have far more northern hemisphere addicts here than Native.

There are however numerous post on natives as well as tutorials.

There are 688 topics with 6758 replies, so I am sure you will find something in fact I know you will as I have posted quite a few my self.

Cheers Pup

[Phoenix238]

Being a complete beginner myself I think the reason many newcomers choose to start with exotics is that they are tried and tested and there is extensive documentation on them. Hopefully with the many (pioneering?) members on this forum growing natives we will soon have something solid to go on, but at the moment natives are a bit of a wildcard for beginners. I do love a good callistemon, hopefully I can get one myself

Bring on the natives

[Pup]

Being a complete beginner myself I think the reason many newcomers choose to start with exotics is that they are tried and tested and there is extensive documentation on them. Hopefully with the many (pioneering?) members on this forum growing natives we will soon have something solid to go on, but at the moment natives are a bit of a wildcard for beginners. I do love a good callistemon, hopefully I can get one myself

Bring on the natives

One of the easiest to start with.

If you apply the same techniques to Natives you will succeed, just remember just because they are native they still need fertilising and water plenty of it.

[Phoenix238]

One of the easiest to strat with.

I know, and we used to have one when I was little. It attracted bees and gave everyone hayfever, but I still liked it

The reason I don't have one is the missus says she's allergic to the flowers, tried telling her I don't plan on letting it flower, but we'll have to work on it

[dansai]

Well Graig I just did the search for lilly pilly and found 501 results. When I sorted by posts that came to 104, and when I looked closer many didn't have pictures of developed or developing plants or only mentioned lilly pilly. I am definetly not saying it isn't out there, and Pup I have looked at many of yours and have been inspired and well pleased.

As I said, I am a little disappointed, not completely let down. I definitely meant no disrespect. I was only trying to encourage more posting of Natives, especially ones in later stages of development.

And I was a little surprised that there were not more members submitting entries in the comp. Only 16 by my count including Mrs Pup under Pups name.

[Craig]

506

search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&keywords=lilly+pilly

[dansai]

interesting, i only get 503?

[Phoenix238]

same here...


btw, thinking we got offtopic here!

[dansai]

I think your right Phoenix.

Come on people, show us your native side!

[Olivecrazy]

Well Graig I just did the search for lilly pilly and found 501 results. When I sorted by posts that came to 104, and when I looked closer many didn't have pictures of developed or developing plants or only mentioned lilly pilly. I am definetly not saying it isn't out there, and Pup I have looked at many of yours and have been inspired and well pleased.

As I said, I am a little disappointed, not completely let down. I definitely meant no disrespect. I was only trying to encourage more posting of Natives, especially ones in later stages of development.

And I was a little surprised that there were not more members submitting entries in the comp. Only 16 by my count including Mrs Pup under Pups name.

There would be a lot of native bonsai out there but not a member here an also a lot will not post pictures of there trees which most will understand why. Australia is very young on the bonsai with far less doing this hobby then in the US UK japan etc. Ive seen some great trees on here in the last few weeks craig has some of the best ive seen . I see you have a bonsai age of 1 so im thinking you are un-able to see the potential in some trees that have been posted

[Chris H]

There's so much info here, so many good trees, so many people sharing, I simply don't get this post.

Your tone and the heading of this topic I personally find offensive. If you want more people to share perhaps start with a positive message.

If you're disappointed share your trees - step up to the plate yourself before challenging others. Alternatively try a positive message.

Or simply take your time and have a wander through the posts. There is so much good info and pictures here.

[Dario]

Personally I don't find it offensive and I am sure that it wasn't intended that way.
He has posted a tree or two in the current comp and I beleive he will post more as he said he is working away from home at the moment and plans to post more when he returns home.

As I said, I am a little disappointed, not completely let down. I definitely meant no disrespect. I was only trying to encourage more posting of Natives, especially ones in later stages of development.
And I was a little surprised that there were not more members submitting entries in the comp. .

I don't see how this is offensive.
I am sure after some of the responses dansai wishes he maybe he had worded things differently from the start (not meaning to speak for you though mate )...but I think I get where he was coming from.
Hundreds of posts don't equate to actual threads showing trees.
No doubt my comments will be misunderstood by some, but I love AB and appreciate it 100%
Cheers, Dario.

[Craig]

My disappointment comes from the amount of Australian Natives being shown, and experience of growers with Australian Natives, being far less than I expected.

lets leave it at that and move on shall we