Congratulations to the Canberra Bonsai Society on their Australian Plants as Bonsai Exhibition at the National Botanical Gardens in February. It was a scorching weekend in Canberra but the trees looked terrific and the volunteers did an admirable job at setting up a very good exhibition despite the conditions.
Below are some of the lovely natives on show and their catalogue descriptions.
Port Jackson fig
Ficus rubiginosa
Tree age 26 years
Styled since 2010
Pot origin China
I am a family tree. I was carried by a flying fox and grew as a weed in garden pot. I have been modified many times by weather, accidents and careful sculpting. I have moved states and now must hide from winter frosts in Canberra. My first owner has gone but her family cares for me still. I echo the beautiful Sydney parks and welcoming cracks in old buildings that give my cousins their chance at glory.
Accent Acacia dealbata, Lomandra confertifola
Grey gum
Eucalyptus punctata
Tree age around 12 years
Styled since 2023
Pot by Pat Kennedy
A robust Sydney gum that sheds its bark around November each year, has beautiful dark purple new shoots, and a mind of its own for design.
Crossed-leaf honey-myrtle
Melaleuca decussata
Tree age 21 years
Styled since 2010
Pot by Pat Kennedy
The aged look is achieved by having no lower growth on the meandering trunk until at one point it changes direction dramatically, much the same as a literati style. Although the lower part of the trunk has a negative taper, the strong root structure takes the eye away from this imperfection and makes for a strong base to support the tree.
The downwards branching is, not the natural pattern of this species but to me it shows the age and harsh conditions it would have endured over a long period to achieve this form.
Twiggy heath myrtle
Sannantha pluriflora
Tree age 26 years
Styled since 2001
Pot by Pat Kennedy
On a hot day, this tree beckons to come and sit in its shade.
Saw-leaf banksia
Banksia serrata
Tree age 30 years
Styled since 2007
Pot by Pat Kennedy (early)
This is a species that grows right on the coast, in very poor soil and extremely windy conditions. It is a naturally compact variety of the saw banksia, which makes it ideal for bonsai. It looks like an old wind beaten tree exposed to all the elements but thriving, nevertheless.