Bonsai With Australian Native Plants

Reference Gardening & Horticulture Illustrated Guide Nature Crafts Bonsai & Miniature Trees Australian Native Plants Hobbies & Leisure

Bonsai With Australian Native Plants is the rare 1993 handbook that opened the world of bonsai to Australian growers by showing exactly how to train iconic native species—banksias, eucalypts, callistemons, casuarinas, melaleucas and more—into living miniature sculptures. In only 56 pages the Koreshoffs distil three decades of bench-top experience: which seedlings or cuttings to start with, when to root-prune without shock, how to exploit the natural lignotubers and flaky bark for instant age, and the precise wiring angles that let a gum tree keep its characteristic “drooping” leaf line at 20 cm tall. Every technique is matched to the quirky growth habits of Australian flora, so readers learn why local plants refuse to conform to Japanese timelines and how to work with their vigorous tap-roots and seasonal flowering cycles instead of against them.

The book’s real treasure is the illustrated gallery of 30+ photographed specimens, each captioned with the exact species, potting mix and training period used. A river red gum started from a 50-cent seedling is shown at 5, 10 and 18 years; a flowering banksia no taller than a coffee mug carries a full brush of gold spikes. These colour plates, plus the authors’ meticulous line drawings of root-pruning cuts and wiring sequences, turn what could be intimidating into an accessible weekend craft. Lists of drought-proof native fertilisers and a month-by-month care calendar tailored to southern hemisphere seasons make the guide instantly practical for young adults looking for a first hobby and long-term gardeners wanting a fresh challenge.

Because the first print run was small and never re-issued, clean copies in very good condition have become collector favourites among bonsai clubs and native-plant enthusiasts. This paperback is tight, unmarked and free of the foxing that often plagues 1990s garden books, so every photograph retains the crisp contrast needed for accurate colour reference. For buyers outside Australia, it remains the only compact reference that unlocks species virtually unavailable in overseas bonsai literature, turning a modest 56-page book into a unique cultural and horticultural document.

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