New Season 2022-2023 Catalogues

Posted on 17-Nov-2022 by Neil Padbury

Spring has been conducive to recovery this year and trident maples have powered away after transplant from the grow beds last winter. I now have new roots showing in drain holes of the orchid pots which is a good indication the trees are ready for shipping.

I’ve just uploaded the trident maple catalogues to the catalogue page – https://shibuibonsai.com.au/?page_id=215

This year I have a few Chinese elms but they just need a few more weeks more for recovery. There’s also some good looking Prunus, mostly the abundant flowered Prunus ‘Elvins’ grown specially for bonsai but also a smaller number of feral plums collected from nearby roadsides and wild places.

later, because they are so much slower to recover I’ll post the few pines and Shimpaku junipers I potted up this season.

As usual, the Shibui Bonsai nursery is filled to overflowing with smaller and less advanced potensai so if you’re just looking to start with smaller, cheaper trees send me an email and we can discuss what would suit your needs.

For those with an eye to something unusual Shibui Bonsai has a few varieties of Satsuki azalea, Chojubai dwarf Japanese quince, Dawn redwood and other rare and unusual species for bonsai. Please ask if you’re looking for something different.

Shibui Shohin Bonsai

Posted on 22-Sep-2022 by Neil Padbury

Every year my back protests more and more about lifting heavy objects. Larger bonsai look great but I’m finding myself not wanting to move them for repotting, trimming, etc. A few years ago I decided to start planning for the future so I started seriously developing much smaller trees for bonsai. Many of those trees are now looking good. Time for some pots but where do I find good small bonsai pots.

I’ve heard good things about a number of Aussie bonsai potters but actually finding them proved more difficult as I am not registered with any social media sites where it appears most of these potters hang out.

Eventually I tracked down several of these elusive Aussie potters and ordered some trial pots. Parcels began arriving just in time for spring repotting so a number of new Shibui Bonsai shohin are now sporting brand new made in Australia pots.

First up, Brendon Norton – Bad Swan pottery, WA.

Some from Val garth – Val Pots, Melbourne.

Luke Parsons – Adelaide Bonsai pottery supplied some more.

And more pots from Marie Hewartson

All these talented Aussie potters also make larger pots. Most have a small range of pots in stock but you may even be able to talk them into making a special designer pot to suit your special tree.

I still have a few pots without partners from this year’s purchases but there are still more small trees coming along for the next few years. If there are any talented bonsai potters out there making smaller pots please feel free to get in touch.

Old bonsai for sale

Posted on 27-Oct-2021 by Neil Padbury

One of the original members of our local bonsai society passed away last year. His widow has asked me to help sell off the last of their bonsai as she is downsizing and will not have space to keep these trees.

You now have the opportunity to own some Australian bonsai history at very realistic prices.

Trident maple, 1983 – $500

This trident maple is nearly 40 years old. A great opportunity to own an aged trident bonsai.

74cm tall (including pot), width 60cm

Moreton Bay fig, 1982 – $900

This is a superb example of twin trunk bonsai and has great ramification we expect to see in a bonsai close to 40 years old. Also note the great nebari.

65cm tall (including the pot), width 65cm.

Note that although this tree is labelled as Moreton Bay fig I am pretty sure it is actually Ficus rubiginosa – Port Jackson fig. Way back when these trees were being developed there was quite a lot of argument about fig ID and many PJ figs were misidentified simply because they lacked the rusty colored leaves. We now know that PJ figs come in many variants including green leaf like these 2 trees.

Moreton Bay fig, 1984 – $600

The almost horizontal right side trunk on this tree makes it a unique bonsai. I think the aerial roots at the front of the tree should go but I’ll leave that decision to the next owner.

55cm tall (including pot), width 60cm

WA fig, 1983 – $300

60cm tall (including pot), width 60cm

For more photos or info on any of these trees please email neil@shibuibonsai.com.au

Spring at Shibui Bonsai

Posted on 29-Sep-2021 by Neil Padbury

After the cold, bleak winter spring seems to arrive suddenly. The first green shoots on Chinese elms are the heralds then, suddenly, everywhere is new life and color.

Late winter and early spring sees an ever changing pallette of color as flowers come and go. Prunus are some of the first quickly followed by forsythia, crab apples and azaleas. If you happen to have a green thumb you may even be able to get wisteria to flower reliably as a bonsai

Shibui Bonsai has an ever changing list of flowering trees suitable for bonsai. Email Neil to see if I have the one you are searching for. Please don’t ask if you can buy the trees pictured above. They are all from my personal collection and hold far more sentimental value than monetary. I do, however, offer younger stock at reasonable prices, some already at flowering age and size.

Azaleas also make great bonsai if your conditions are right. At my last property something was just not quite right and azaleas slowly deteriorated over several years until they died. Moving just a few Km saw a miraculous change and now they thrive under similar care. I cannot work out the details, just that it is so.

Azaleas have been grown by gardeners all round the world for many years so we now have a bewildering array of types with a wide range of flower colors and shapes. Here are a few from Shibui Bonsai nursery this month.

Azaleas transplant really easily. It is one of my favorite species for collecting from gardens as they seem to transplant successfully any month of the year. Don’t bother trying to retain a large root ball – azaleas don’t need it. Shake off as much garden soil as will come away without undue damage to the roots, cut damaged roots to fit the container and pot with good quality potting soil or your favorite bonsai mix, water well and place in a semi-shade area until the roots recover.

Azaleas will also grow new buds on old wood so taller stems can be chopped hard with confidence knowing masses of new shoots will usually appear all over the stumps. i currently have some quite large collected azaleas for sale. Most are planted in large polystyrene fruit boxes and are too big to post but there are also a few in 15, 20 and 30 cm orchid pots. POA

Many other flowering species suit bonsai. Here are few I occasionally have available for sale.

Shibui Bonsai

Growers of Pre Bonsai and Bonsai Starters

Tag Archives: bonsai

New Season 2022-2023 Catalogues

Shibui Shohin Bonsai

Old bonsai for sale

Spring at Shibui Bonsai