Compare the Pair - Bonsai & Garden Tree

So many visitors to The Australian Bonsai Gallery assume that 'Bonsai' are some sort of special tree variety that simply do not grow as a 'normal' tree would grow. 

My stock-standard answer is to show them the comparison of the two English oaks pictured below. 

The large tree and the bonsai were acorns I collected from an oak tree that we had started from an acorn, and planted in our previous garden outside of Grafton, more than 40 yrs ago.

When we moved to Dorrigo 22 years ago, one tree was planted in the ground and the other started it's bonsai journey.

Now the comparison is stark.!  Sometimes I find it difficult to believe;  and our visitors are stunned at how these trees are the same age.  A great example of the 'magic' of Bonsai.