Well, time for me to add a line or two too.

My name is Jelle. I live in Germany, work in the Netherlands. In my spare time I either work on my old house or in the garden. I have been growing plants for fun since pretty much my first childhood recollection. Now I am 34 and degrees in biology & plant fysiological issues.

Bonsai I have tinckered with when I was still living with my parents. Never grew out to much. However, now I have settled down with a steady job & housing, I have decided to pick it up again. I have a set of some 20 young seedlings which I am not sure how to shape now; I will at some point probably add some info on a website somewhere (Probably my gardening site: www.tuinhoekje.nl ) to show what I am doing. I am currently considering buying a mature juniperus from a gardening centre. A nice 5-stemmed J. Chinensis, which I think is perfect for a .5m bonsai. Just the price is stopping me (And my wife, of course..)

Anyway. Anything on growing plants in general and overall gardening knowledge I might have answers. On pure bonsai technique I might be doing the asking on the forum.
J.

Welcome to the forum!

You have a great site, I've visited it before, it has good, clear information and the site itself is very clarifying.


See you on the forum!

Hi Jelle,
Welcome to the forum...it's great to have you join us! I'm a newbie to the art of Bonsai and to this forum. Thanks so much for sending me that link on the "HELP!" page. At first I couldn't get into the site however, when I tried the next day I got in just fine! What a great site! Looking forward to *picking your mind*....

Leslie

Hello!

My name is Gabriel, living in San Diego California right now. I had always been interested in Bonsai but only recently started my hand at the art. My first attempt was a juniper I bought from a local store. I tried keeping it inside and sadly it died after 3 months. About a month ago I transplanted a very very small white fig from my garden. I hope to train as a bonsai and you can guarantee I will be asking for everyone's help and opinon! I will post some pictures in the future. Glad to be here and hello to all!

-Gabriel

Mostly welcome Gabriel!

Happy to have you here! You can ask any questions you have here, we're glad to answer them!

Hi Gabriel,

Welcome to the forum...so glad you could join us. I look forward to seeing your photos and sharing the Bonsai journey.

Leslie[/b]

howdy Gabriel,

you are located in the american bonsai mecca.california is were bonsai started big in the U.S.A.Great to have you here.

Hi, my name is Hannah, and I live just south of Indianapolis in Greenwood, Indiana, U.S. I am 16 years old and have been doing bonsai since early June. In the month since I got my first "mallsai", I have gained 10+ trees (the + being the azalea seeds that haven't come up yet)
My first bonsai was a Japanese black pine that I got from the store in the Japan portion of Epcot on a family trip. I named him "Phil." When we went to SeaWorld, we dropped him off at the "pet center" they have there, much to the amazement of the people working there. He rode in my lap the whole way back home.
He is what sparked my passion for bonsai. I bought the Reader's Digest guide to bonsai and read it cover to cover.
Currently my projects are:
air-layering a branch off of the willow tree out back
trying to root a branch of said willow tree in water
caring for a Texas Ebony I got in a workshop at the Indianapolis Bonsai Club
growing a bush from aunt Lucy's backyard
raising 3 aralia saplings from Meijer
hoping my azalea seeds sprout
attempting to revive a mulberry tree
trying to root a branch from the earlier Texas Ebony
caring for a lucky bamboo plant aunt Lucy was going to throw away
carving 2 pieces of wood that fell off of the willow out back
and, of course, caring for Phil, my first and only named bonsai

Other hobbies include playing the bass, reading, and hangin' with my kitties. But I think my bonsai is the best thing I've done all summer. Not bad for a month's work.
(Also all of my friends think I've lost my mind. Which isn't a bad reputation to have, in my friend group. )

Hi Hannah,

Sounds like you have been infected with the fever. Nice. It would be great if you could share some of your work by placing a few pictures on the site?

You say you are working on willow as well? The good thing about willows: THey root very easily. The downside: You are very likely to outlive the tree. Willows tend to not see the age that Juniperus, oaks, etc do.

Looking forward to seeing some of the work!

Hi Hannah,

What a great intro! You definitely have the Bonsai *BUG*! :woohoo: Isn't it wonderful? Please share some photos of your projects.

Hey! We share a couple of other hobbies in common...I used to play bass guitar in a band (many years ago now) and I am a woodcarver. I luv your story about putting Phil in the pet centre and holding him all the way home.

Welcome to the forum, Hannah! So glad you could join us. Oh, and please tell Phil I said "hi".

Leslie