Bonsai Matsu

What a terrific bunch! Great variety of trees and so much fun. Big thanks to the Cairns Bonsai Society for having me and sharing their knowledge for growing and developing such a range of species in far North Queensland. Such a magical part of Australia.

When I ask myself, what is Bonsai Matsu? I immediately think of this tree. My most prized possession, a Radiata Pine that will be with me forever! Even if I need to use a reciprocating saw and a chisel to remove it from the pot and visit a chiropractor after carrying it. This one truly is magnificent ❤️

This beautiful beast, a Foemina Juniper, just chewed up 2 hours of my life being repotted but it was so worth it! I was contemplating not repotting this year but I’m glad I did. Here’s a bit of a step by step photo shoot.

Beginning to feel like Spring is getting close now around the garden! And a few pics of my trees at a local show.

Well that was awesome! Long drive to Adelaide, SA to dig wild olives. Bloody hard work but so much fun and some incredible trees. Olives as far as the eye can see…. And looking forward to a few well earned cold beverages. Thanks to my dig buddy

Well that’s the largest (or one of the largest) bonsai in my collection repotted. This Radiata is 1.2m tall and 1.3m wide but somehow still manages to be a one person lift. Being a yamadori I have no exact idea of age but I think this larger pot suits it (and makes it heavier…). Here’s some process shots and you’ll see me in one for size reference. I know I say it a lot but I really love this tree.

Another brilliant Intensive weekend! The two day format gives such an opportunity for everyone to both learn a massive amount but to also put the theoretical into practice. I’ve lost count how many trees were repotted but it was a lot. Plenty of laughs, learning and scones, great weekend.

The winter silhouette is what I work so hard for on my deciduous bonsai. No where to hide and just structural beauty. I love this time just before the new buds spring to life. These few of my trees never fail to make me smile. In order, Trident Maple, Japanese Maple, English Elm, Japanese Maple, Hawthorn, European Hornbeam, Liquidambar, Trident Maple.

Time for a clean up of the big old girl, one of my favorite trees, a Radiata or Monterey Pine. A really enjoyable bonsai to work on even if it’s on the brink of being a two person lift.

Scots Pine or Pinus sylvestris given its autumn/winter clean up. There’s a before pic and then three pics showing the final adjustments. First to second - lower bottom right branch, remove drop jin. Second to third - compress apex on right side. I felt the tree was too broad and needed to be brought in on the right side. Looks great now.

It’s nice to sit back and look at what you’ve done every now and then. Coming to the end of the Autumn/Winter Japanese Black Pine work.

Should it stay or should it go?? The plan is to grow out the drop branch and add further interest but do I need a ‘Plan Variation Agreement’ (listen to S6 Ep21 of the Bonsai Stuff podcast 🤣). This Japanese Black Pine has been in development for quite a long time. Let me know what you think - stay or go??

After approx 6-7 hours it’s done! This Japanese Black Pine ‘Mikawa’ is ready to head back to the shelf. This particular tree has very short needles after decandling and when a bud isn’t decandled, the needles get very long in a short period of time. This is a lovely bonsai and is maturing very nicely. There’s a before pic too showing how dense the grow becomes. The key focus for me is thinning and opening the structure for the bud conveyor to do its thing.

A work in progress Japanese Black Pine with a height reduction and complete makeover all done and back on the bench. The work will up on the Bonsai Matsu YouTube channel soon too - link in my bio.

Japanese Black Pine after needle plucking and bud selection in late Autumn. I love this time of year for the pines as we head towards winter and they just look magnificent. There’s a before pic too and the work on this tree will be next up on the Bonsai Matsu YouTube channel too. It’s a big tree!

I love this Liquidambar or Sweetgum in autumn. This varying colour of the leaves never ceases to make me smile. And the trunk texture as it ages is just perfect. Such a nice tree.

What an amazing weekend! The latest Intensive program is a wrap. Two solid days of bonsai, bonsai and more bonsai surrounded by great people and beautiful trees. Doesn’t get much better and free t-shirts all round!! If you’d like to come along there’s a link in the bio. Limited spaces available.

Blue Atlas or Atlantic cedar, Cedrus atlantica ’Glauca’ after an autumn clean up. It has such lovely needle colour and quality. There’s a before pic so you can see the work. Love this one.

What a couple of weeks it’s been! The Bonsai Open on the Central Coast, NSW was incredible! Such high quality trees and I was flat out doing demos all weekend. Congratulations to all the well deserving winner and also to everyone that stepped up and displayed trees. People travelled really long distances and it was a really high quality event. Then to Sydney City Bonsai Club in Marrickville for another demonstration. And a massive thank you to everyone that came and said hello and I’m so happy that the means so much to so many. So much from everyone.

The latest video has been uploaded to the YouTube channel for Bonsai Matsu. There’s a link in the bio and it’s a step by step view of the transformation of this juniper. The work included branch selection, Jin creation, trunk compression, wiring, pruning, styling, planting angle change, basically everything.

A cracking Australian native, the Melaleuca ericifolia that was in desperate need of a haircut and is one of my favorite native species. It was originally collected as a young seeding from a gutter and has grown into a beautiful bonsai. This is the next addition coming to the Bonsai Matsu YouTube channel too.

Blue Atlantic Cedar or Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca’ given a bit of a spruce up and the next candidate for a video on the Bonsai Matsu YouTube channel showing the pruning and clean up process and branch setting. Cracking tree and such a beautiful colour.

Latest offering has just been uploaded to the Bonsai Matsu YouTube channel of my time in New Zealand for all things bonsai and natural beauty.

Bonsai Matsu goes to the South Island of New Zealand Traveling through New Zealand's South Island you get to see really natural beauty, true untamed wilderness like I've never seen before. I was lucky enough to...

Well it’s official, I love New Zealand! Such a lovely place and the best people. Big shout out to Aaron and the crew from for the invite and putting together a brilliant weekend of bonsai love. Enjoyed every second and can’t wait to come back. I loved the quality of the stock and the native species I got to work with.

Here’s the latest for the Bonsai Matsu YouTube channel, a new series I’m calling ‘A day in the life’ which is intended to show a little bit more of the working I do on bonsai and around the yard. This video is working on a large Banksia Marginata that I love. There’s a link in my bio for the channel. https://youtu.be/V8pX004FDwk?si=gtBduNSfZzZNvTiO

Some recent juniper action with plenty more to come.