Winter can be one of the most rewarding seasons for truly ...

Newsletter of the Northamptonshire Bonsai Society linking all enthusiasts of bonsai related topics
The
Bonsai
Review
issue 43 January 2011
Winter can be
one of the most
rewarding
seasons
for truly
expressive
bonsai display
BR43/1
If you’ve ever attended one of my talks
on displaying bonsai, you will recall my
enthusiasm for doffing the cap towards
traditional Japanese display ethics while
adopting those principles for our own
environment and indigenous tree species
here in the UK or Northern Europe.
In this display with English oak, I made
this scroll with a traditional brush painted
Haiku poem for a theme on hibernation,
which could be considered perfect for
early to mid winter display.
Haiku is not easy to conceive, as the
seventeen syllables of verse in three lines
need to convey a season whilst
incorporating a distinct pause. You will
often see scrolls with calligraphy used in
Japanese bonsai display and they often
allude to some poetic theme based on
Haiku or similar descriptive verse.

English oak 70cm
Pot- Josef Valuch
Photos- Paul Goff
This arrangement was specially lit from above in my tokonoma, with a low power
tungsten lamp to remind us of the bright moon on a still winter night. For all you learned
photographic types, the exposure was almost a full minute to give me ample depth of focus
whilst still retaining rich colours with low digital ‘noise’ artefacts.
So……to the verse and I apologise to those who have read this before-
Secure in deep sleep
while outside the still frost
under pale watchful moon
Consider each word, which very carefully chosen describe sentiments and emotions,
while painting a picture in your mind. Here the verse tells of something securely asleep
perhaps in a hollow of the protective roots of an old oak on a very still and clear frosty
night, under the moon. It might be considered here that the hedgehog accessory is totally
superfluous in the display because the verse itself should lead you to that ultimate
conclusion. Good display should provoke the whole scene without actually having to state
every detail. Here the arrangement would work perfectly well with just tree and scroll
balancing one another. The angle of the brush text on the scroll flowing to the right, gently
counteracts the tree’s movement to the left, resulting in the stillness of the cold night.
Notice also, the stand under the bonsai which is a heavily textured burr slab. Texture is
also good for this season in display.
In my opinion, not enough verse or even Haiku is being used constructively in our display
efforts. Odd really when you recall our rich heritage of poets. A good classic to consider
might be Wordsworth when he ‘….wandered lonely as a cloud that floats on high o’er
vales and hills, when all at once I saw a crowd a host of dancing daffodils.....’ etc. Sounds
as if this could be spring don’t you think? So come on the bards amongst you, it was 2004
when I created the above. Although it was very well received at the Mark Noelanders
Trophy exhibition in Belgium (2005 I think), there seems to be little effort to pick up the
concept and move it forward.
As many of you know, I have no problem with picture scrolls, but they are not essential
and should only be used to give an insight to missing elements in a display that will
complete the overall sentiment, season or emotion. Please don’t be tempted to overstate
the obvious as that can be taken as an insult to the intelligent mind. In the way that a single
bonsai can be considered a simplistic abstract statement of nature and the landscape, so
too must the overall display arrangement.
BR43/2

Sadly I have to inform you that
Derrick Butlin,
a long standing member of both East
Midlands Bonsai Society and The Lincoln
Bonsai Society, passed away
18 th December 2010.
I also attach a picture of one of his trees.
Supplied by- Pete Hare, Secretary
East Midlands Bonsai Society
Exhibiting Bonsai
If you are keen to provide a well conceived
arrangement with your bonsai at major
exhibitions, Bonsai Presentations will be on
hand with good advice on display and a
selection of appropriate seasonal hanging
scrolls. We will be at-
The Swindon and District Winter Image
Show, Stratton Community Centre, Sunday
20 th February.
We will also be at The Best of British Bonsai
at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens 9 th -10 th
April.
You can contact us at 01788 510442 or
email: paul@bonpres.freeserve.co.uk if you
have any special requirements for scrolls or
illustrations to enhance your display.
I suspect we are in for a treat of top
drawer bonsai exhibitions this year, with
enthusiasm and inspiration high on the
agenda. We look forward to seeing you
and hope that 2011 will be a successful
year for bonsai enthusiasts. Paul Goff
SUSSEX BONSAI GROUP
Monthly meetings on fourth Wednesdays
from 8.0pm at Wivelsfield Village Hall,
Eastern Road, Wivelsfield, West Sussex
RH17 7QH. More info
phone Peter- 01737 241406
Email: sussexbonsai@btopenworld.com
www.sussexbonsaigroup.co.uk
WESSEX BONSAI SOCIETY
Annual Exhibition and 22 nd Open
Competition Sunday 1 st May 10.30am-5pm
Kinson Community Centre, Pelhams Park,
Kinson, Bournemouth BH10 7LH
Contact Malcolm Driffield 07823 440003
WARMINSTER BONSAI CLUB
Monthly meetings 7.45pm on 3 rd
Thursdays at Christchurch Hall, Upper
Marsh Road, Warminster, Wilts BA12 9PJ
Visitors always welcome.
More info phone 01225 761960
Email: clive.knight@talktalk.net
THE BONSAI GROUP
Always welcome new members. We
meet at Capel Manor, Enfield on the
second Tuesday of each month except
August and December at 7.30pm for
7.45pm start. For more information contact
Joy Savage 020 8367 3196 or email:
joyliz.savage@virgin.net
8 th Feb. Steve McKee- Improving Roots re
potting demo.
SOUTH STAFFS
BONSAI SOCIETY
Next meeting Tuesday 15 th February-
Pottery Demonstration with David Jones.
Meetings 7.30pm at the Fellowship Hall,
South Parade off Upper Holland Road,
B72 1QY
NORTH DEVON BONSAI SOCIETY
Next meeting 14 th February- Larch and
Beech. Unfortunately no further details
supplied.
CLUB ACTIVITIES
SWINDON AND DISTRICT
BONSAI SOCIETY
Next meeting 8th February- Show
Preparations and review of Odd trees.
9 th Winter Image Show at New Venue,
Stratton Community Centre, Grange Drive,
Swindon. Sunday 20 th February.
More info- 07982 401103
HARLOW CARR
BONSAI GROUP
Next meeting Sunday 20 th February
topics- Compost Mixes, Lifting a tree from
the Ground and a Bring & Buy Sale.
2.30pm at the Bramall Learning Centre,
RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Crag Lane,
Harrowgate. More info Phone Susan
Stephenson 01845 523026
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
BONSAI SOCIETY
NBS had a record turnout at our January
meeting and there was a good response
from members renewing their fees. This
bodes well for the calendar of events for the
coming year. We kick-off in grand style with
Paul Goff giving us a practical photography
session at our 3 rd February meeting. Please
bring your trees, all spruced up and ready
for their glamour shots!
Monthly meetings on first Thursdays
7.30pm at Weston Favell Parish Hall, Booth
Lane South, Northampton. More info- Martin
Gregory 01604 407265
MIDLAND BONSAI SOCIETY
Next meeting Thursday 3 rd February
7.30pm- Re potting workshop. Moseley
Cricket Club, Streetsbrook Road, Shirley,
Solihull B90 3PE
AMBION BONSAI CLUB
Next meeting 27 th January- Members’
Winter Show. Monthly meetings at Hatters
Space Community Centre, Upper Abbey
Street, Nuneaton CV11 5DN
So that’s about it regarding new information supplied from club committees.
Please remember that these columns are FREE for clubs to welcome outsiders and
share your enthusiasm with the wider bonsai community. Details above are based
on what is sent in to The Bonsai Review email: paul@bonpres.freeserve.co.uk
To get some inspiration for the new season, you might like to consider visiting some
interesting events. 20 th February. The Swindon and District annual winter show is usually
one of the most delightful exhibitions to fire-up your taste buds. Although many uninitiated
people may say ….’it’ll look nice when it gets some leaves on it……’ discerning bonsai
artists appreciate the winter image when deciduous species reveal their true nature and
fine detailed structure. Of course if the tree is badly designed in the first place, all those
mistakes become plainly obvious, but this is where we all learn about the correct
placement of branches and attention to refinement. Other notable events include The
British Shohin Association 19 th -20 th March at Willowbog Bonsai, then 9 th -10 th April will be
the second Best of British Bonsai at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
BR 43/3