Pinus thunbergii, Japanese black pine bonsai .
What a journey this tree has had.
It is one of the 1951 seed stock bought into Australia for bonsai purposes.
One of two purchased by the late Tony Hewer in the late 1980's from the Koreshoff's nursery and brought back to Tasmania when quarantine wasn't much of a issue.
Over the following two decades they were grown on in large grow pots. One died in the early 2000's and the second struggled.
I came along around 12 years ago and helped Tony progress the tree to a bonsai pot.
Then Tony and I played around with it's styling but without much luck.
Tony then attended a Bjorn Workshop in 2015 and Bjorn helped Tony progress the tree with Tony's vision.
The tree was left to grow out somewhat then I wired it out to allow maximum future back budding at a public demonstration for the Bonsai society of Southern Tasmania.
Tony sadly passed on the 10th of August.
I inherited the Black pine as he always promised.
Today the student work and myself repotted this icon with no expenses spared.
Akadama substrate was used along with other delicacies for the tree like charcoal to sweeten the mix.
The tree is now moving in a new direction and will be fully wired in March or April 2023.
I feel privileged and humbled to continue the story of this tree and hope I can do my dear friend Tony proud.