Eucalyptus nicholii.

5th National Exhibition of
Australian Plants as Bonsai

16 - 18 November, 2007

Report

The 2007 exhibition was held in partnership with the Australian National Botanic Gardens, 31 trees were on show with support from no less than 12 bonsai organisations from the ACT, NSW and Tasmania.  As well as living bonsai, there were also photos of native bonsai sent for exhibition from Townsville, and Western Australia.  The organisations contributing were:

• Australian Plants as Bonsai Study group

• Albury Wodonga Bonsai Society

• Bonsai Society of Australia

• Bonsai Society of Southern Tasmania

• Bonsai Society of Sydney

• Bonsai Society of Western Australia

• Canberra Bonsai Society

• Illawarra Bonsai Society

• Nepean Bonsai Society

• Ray Nesci School of Bonsai

• Sakura Bonsai Studio

• Weston Creek Bonsai Group

This year the most popular tree, as voted by the public, Eucalyptus nicholii.  The second and third most popular trees were Acacia howittii and the Leptospermum laevigatum (owned by Ray Nesci).  The voting between the most popular 3 was much closer than last year.  Congratulations to the two local boys and Ray.  As with last year almost all trees received votes, indicating the wide range of appeal of natives and the various styles in which they were displayed.

The next seven most popular trees (to make up a top ten) in order of merit were:

• Melaleuca styphelioides

• Casuarina equisetifolia

• Melaleuca ericafolia

• Leptospermum obovatum

• Ficus rubiginosa ‘Little Ruby & Ceratopetalum gummiferum

• Allocasuarina torulosa and

• Babingtonia virgata

To acknowledge the contribution of enthusiasts who provided photographs of their bonsai, the exhibition planning committee and volunteers selected their favourite amongst the photographic entries (a bit like the Archibald Packer’s Award – but more prestigious).  The most popular photographic entry was tree number 7, Leptospermum polygalifolium – Yellow tea-tree, from WA.

As was the case last year, 4 demonstrations of styling were presented in the ANBG theatrette.  Three were by Canberra Bonsai Society members, Lisa (lillypilly), Lorraine (melaleuca) and Tom (fig) and the 4^th by Will Fletcher (Huon Pine), a member of the Bonsai Society of Southern Tasmania.  Thanks to all four for your time and effort spent in preparing for and presenting, interesting and varied sessions to inform and attract the interest of visitors to the exhibition.

Will has a particular interest in Tasmanian based Australian natives as bonsai and as well as demonstrating the styling and potting of a Huon Pine, to support the exhibition, he set up a display of nursery stock natives he had propagated – along with excellent photos of those species grown by himself as bonsai.  Will has a particular soft spot for the Tasmanian pencil pine (Athrotaxis cupressoides) and there were some striking photos of very mature ‘pencils’ that he had spotted in the wild.  The other natives that Will introduced us to were :

Lagarostrobus franklinii - Houn Pine

Acacia axillaris - Midlands Wattle

Diselma archeri - Tasmanian Dwarf Pine

Nothofagus gunnii - Deciduous Beech

Baeckea gunniana - Alpine Heath Myrtle

Epacris mucronulata - Southern RiverheathThymeleaf

Trochocarpa thymifolia - Purpleberry

Olearia ledifolia - Rock Daisybush

As is the established policy for this exhibition, any profits will be donated to the National Bonsai and Penjing Collection trust fund.

Acacia howittii

Leptospermum laevigatum

Will Fletcher demonstrating
using a Huon Pine

A very elegant finished product