My first bonsai, blue point juniper.

[GarethS]

Don’t mention it, I know you didn’t ask for styling feedback, but I couldn’t help myself.

No thats cool, I appreciate any tips and pointers I can get.

 

[Shibui]

Hi Gareth. NSW is a big state with a wide range of climates. Might help to narrow down the location a little - North, coast, south, mountains, West. Each of those zones will have different requirements.
There are several clubs and some specialist bonsai nurseries in and around Sydney. Bonsai World just north of Sydney is definitely worth a visit if you can get there.
Canberra has a very strong club and the National Bonsai and Penjing collection - another must see at some stage.
A couple of clubs through the North Coast, Wagga bonsai out in the Riverina and Albury-Wodonga club in the south.

Shibui Bonsai does mail order trees for bonsai if you are too far away for any of the other options.

 

[GarethS]

O

Hi Gareth. NSW is a big state with a wide range of climates. Might help to narrow down the location a little - North, coast, south, mountains, West. Each of those zones will have different requirements.
There are several clubs and some specialist bonsai nurseries in and around Sydney. Bonsai World just north of Sydney is definitely worth a visit if you can get there.
Canberra has a very strong club and the National Bonsai and Penjing collection - another must see at some stage.
A couple of clubs through the North Coast, Wagga bonsai out in the Riverina and Albury-Wodonga club in the south.

Shibui Bonsai does mail order trees for bonsai if you are too far away for any of the other options.

Oh cool. Thanks, I’m on the south coast sort of between Melbourne Canberra and Sydney haha. I’ll update my profile too.

 

[Shibui]

We spent last week in Bateman's Bay - Left before the rain came.

Canberra will be one of your closest clubs. I know a few of the Canberra members travel up from South coast for some meetings but Canberra also zooms all meetings since Covid so we can log in and watch from anywhere.
Maybe keep an ear out for the Canberra club spring show at the start of October. Plenty of great bonsai on show for inspiration as well as a huge club sales table and several independent vendors selling stock including Shibui Bonsai and Bonsai World. Combine the trip with a visit to the Arboretum to see the national collection.

Bonsai by the Bay at Huskisson is probably your closest bonsai retailer. You will pay a bit more at a bonsai specialist but should usually get better stock than the commercial nurseries.

 

[Bonsai Forest]

View attachment 519212

Welcome to BN :0) What are your goals this tree?

 

[GarethS]

We spent last week in Bateman's Bay - Left before the rain came.

Canberra will be one of your closest clubs. I know a few of the Canberra members travel up from South coast for some meetings but Canberra also zooms all meetings since Covid so we can log in and watch from anywhere.
Maybe keep an ear out for the Canberra club spring show at the start of October. Plenty of great bonsai on show for inspiration as well as a huge club sales table and several independent vendors selling stock including Shibui Bonsai and Bonsai World. Combine the trip with a visit to the Arboretum to see the national collection.

Bonsai by the Bay at Huskisson is probably your closest bonsai retailer. You will pay a bit more at a bonsai specialist but should usually get better stock than the commercial nurseries.

Well that’s eerie haha. Batemans bay is exactly where I live lol. I am already planning my next Canberra trip to include the arboretum and have looked at the husky bonsai website. Thanks for the reply.

 

[GarethS]

Welcome to BN :0) What are your goals this tree?

I don’t know quite frankly. I guess I just wanted to make a start and get some practice in with the technique and just see what happens with the tree down the track. I just purchased another blank slate and me and my daughter are going to do something together. Fun times ahead.

 

[Bonsai Forest]

I don’t know quite frankly. I guess I just wanted to make a start and get some practice in with the technique and just see what happens with the tree down the track. I just purchased another blank slate and me and my daughter are going to do something together. Fun times ahead.

That is wonderful. That's nice you can share that with your daughter.

Josh Hooson is from Australia, and he is a Bonsai professional. He has a lot of free content on YouTube spanning the overarching basics of Juniper bonsai growth and care to the finer details of care (from the Development phase and growing bigger to the Refinement phase of maintaining your finished product). I see you also are from Australia, which makes your species and care easy since you live in the same climate.

Here is a free 32-minute video on general care (soil, watering, pruning, etc. of Juniper Bonsai):