As mentioned in a previous post, I dug two shimpaku from the field in winter 2010. They are rooted cuttings from 1991 and have been field grown by a great bloke in the southern highlands of NSW, Dean Wilson.
After digging them from the field, the growth really took off. Around half of the existing needles started to turn yellow. They then began falling off!
Often when trees are dug from the field and potted into good soil, there is an explosion of growth, and the tree drops old needles.
After a year of heavy fertiliser and growth, I did a bit of work on these trees, cleaning them up for a future styling.
Recently, the School of Bonsai club in Sydney invited Bill Valavanis out for a seminar, and two workshops. The workshops were held at Ray Nesci’s Bonsai Nursery.
I went along the the seminar, and participated in the morning workshop.
I had a pretty good idea what I wanted to do with this tree, and Bil confirmed what I was thinking.
Before work started
So that is where I got to at the workshop. The four or so hours went really quick.
We had a helper at Ray’s
Steven, the owner of the Australian Bonsai Forum AusBonsai.com, was also in attendance. Steven “at work”.
Steven had a great little Leptospermum that he was working on. This was the finished product.
When I got home I continued to wire
Aijou Bonsai 
Nice looking shimpaku Scott, It looks to have some good trunk girth which you dont often see coupled with such nice movement as you have.
It obviously has a way to go but by the look of its health it should fill in and form the growth for its seccond styling rather quickly.
I’ll keep an eye out for updates.
Joe.