Post 201 Exhibition of Victorian Native Bonsai Club

I had the pleasure of attending the Victorian Native Bonsai club's 4th symposium on Australian Plants as Bonsai at the Botanical Gardens in Melbourne over last weekend.
An exhibition, which was open to the public was mounted in support of the symposium. What a fabulous exhibition of Australian Trees. Big bonsai always draw you in and big natives do it all the better. These were mostly big trees and all the more impressive for it.
If you come away from these sort of events with a few bits of new information you can be pleased but you just can't replicate the boost to your enthusiasm and motivation that they bring.

50 trees in a great venue with very effective lighting.
In no particular order here is a sample:

 Leptospermum laevigatum - Coastal tea tree

The 'coastals' are very much a Victorian local and deservedly much used for bonsai. A fantastic species that grows all along the east coast up to Brisbane. Every collection should have a few.

 Melaleuca stypheloides - Prickly paperbark

There were many examples of this species growing as specimens in and around the Botanic Gardens. Terrific, big and long lived in nature a perfect species for bonsai but also demonstrating the versatility of many of the dozens of species of Mels available throughout the country.

 Acacia howittii - Sticky wattle

 Leptospermum petersonii - Lemon scented tea tree

 Acacia howittii prostrate form

 Callistemon citrinus

 Callistomen viminalis 'Captain Cook'

 Banksia serrata - Old man banksia

The photo belies the size of this old man monster. You can see it sits on its carrying frame, making it a 4 man lift.

 Another  Leptospermum laevigatum - Coastal tea tree, with a very clever coastal dune background.

  Leptospermum laevigatum - Coastal tea tree

 Melaleuca raphiophylla - Swamp paperbark

 Melaleuca incana - Grey honey myrtle

 Banksia aemula - Wallum banksia

 Banksia marginata 'Mini Marge'

  Melaleuca stypheloides - Prickly paperbark

 Kunzia ambigua - Tick bush

 Agonis flexuosa - Willow myrtle

 Largarostrobus franklinii - Huon pine

 Callistomon viminalis 'Captain Cook'

 Callistomen citrinis - Crimson bottlebrush

 Acacia cardiophylla - Golden lace wattle

 Brachychiton populneus - Kurrajong

A very stout upright tree in the natural world so this example wins the prize for the most out of character tree.

  Agonis flexuosa - Willow myrtle

Yes the same species as  No 11 above but you wouldn't think so. Such is the difference in maintenance practices.

 Allocasuarina torulosa - Rose sheoak

 Eucalyptus camalulensis - Rive red gum

 Melaleuca stypheloides - Prickly paperbark

 This one was a particularly impressive example, mirroring much of the naturla growth patterns.

 Kunzia ericoides - Burgan

 Leucopogon parviflorus - Coastal beard heath

  Leptospermum laevigatum - Coastal tea tree

  Leptospermum laevigatum - Coastal tea tree

  Leptospermum laevigatum - Coastal tea tree

The last three examples of the Coastal tea tree show the versatility of styling options and differences in schools of thought from 'natural' to the more confined traditional  tighter model.
A wonderful exhibition and symposium - congratulations to the club and organizers.