Bonsai Review - Federation of British Bonsai Societies

Newsletter of the Northamptonshire Bonsai Society linking all enthusiasts of bonsai related topics
The
Bonsai
Review
issue 54 December 2011
Trees of the National Bonsai Collection
Trees of the National Bonsai Collection
This amazing needle juniper
styled by Dan Robinson from the
USA, is another example of what
you can see in the National
Bonsai Collection at the
Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
Malcolm Hughes continues to
reveal the fascinating
background behind these
masterpiece specimens in your
essential Bonsai Review.
Photograph by Paul Goff
BR 54/1

At this time of year, it is considered good practice to acknowledge the coming of winter in our bonsai
display. Scrolls might feature snow capped peaks to suggest the first falls of snow, or white-out
mountain scenes such as this, when the severe weather has taken a firm grip. It would be unkind to
leave spectators with a lasting sensation of extreme cold, so it is often appropriate to offer hope and
security in the form of a hut or shelter somewhere in your arrangement, perhaps a small accessory item
as the third component.
The illustration above is an example of the new work from Bonsai Presentations for our Petite rangewhich
has been created for shohin exhibitors, especially when multiple tables and shelf stands are
used, and you wish to imply a broad landscape (see scroll left).
Bonsai Presentations will be offering some stunning new scrolls and illustrations at the-
Swindon and District Winter Image Show
Coming up next year, one of the finest bonsai events on the
UK calendar- Sunday 19 th February 2012- 10.30am-4.0pm
The Swindon and District Bonsai Society
10 th Winter Image Show
In conjunction with the British Shohin Association
Stratton Community Centre, Grange Drive,
Stratton St Margaret, Swindon SN3 4JY
Visiting societies and traders plus special guests-
Tony Tickle (demonstration), John Armitage (tree clinic),
Ritta Cooper (accents),
Special awards created by-
John Pitt sponsors the tree awards, John Trott for best accent,
David Jones for best tree/pot combination.
More info- Paul (Chairman) 07982 401103
www.swindon-bonsai.co.uk
Dai-Ichi Bonsai are having a special sale whilst they re-locate to new premises on the same site,
at the new Studley Garden Centre, Henly Road, Mappleborough Green, Studley, Warwickshire B80 7DR.
New buildings are promising an all round even better Dai-Ichi Bonsai, opening next Spring.
Temporary intermediate accommodation will be offering some super bargains, so don’t miss out!
Granite Lanterns- buy one and get a cheaper one free. Chinese pots with discounts of 25%-50%-75%.
Outdoor Bonsai 50% off selected trees.
Plus many more irresistible offers on magazines, display tables and workshop turntables.
This very special sale is on until further notice. More info- phone 01527 850202
BR 54/2

CLUB ACTIVITIES
CLUB ACTIVITIES
HARLOW CARR BONSAI GROUP
Meeting on Sunday 15 th January 2012 will
be a talk on Group Plantings at the Bramall
Centre at Harlow Carr Garden Centre, Crag
Lane, Harrogate at 2.0pm (Note new time).
More info- Susan 01845 523026
MANCHESTER BONSAI SOCIETY
Monthly meetings 2 nd Mondays NEW
VENUE: The Stockport Labour Club, 2 Lloyd
Street, off Wellington Road North, (A6),
Heaton Norris, Stockport SK4 1QP. January
Meeting AGM 8.0-10.0pm
Third Tuesdays monthly 8.0-10.0pm general
bonsai workshop. Heaton Chapel
Community Centre, Broadstone Hall Road
South, Heaton Chapel, Stockport SK4 5JD.
All bonsai skill levels welcome.
STOURBRIDGE BONSAI SOCIETY
Members meet monthly on 2 nd Sundays
January to November 13.00hrs at The
Bonded Warehouse, Stourbridge DY8 4LU.
Next meeting 8 th January 2012. We welcome
all levels of enthusiasts and aim to
encourage each member to get the very best
out of their chosen bonsai path. New
members interested in joining can obtain
further info from Maurice 07919 692180
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE BONSAI SOCIETY
Next meeting 5 th January 2012- Open
Forum and membership renewals. Monthly
meetings 1 st Thursdays 7.30pm at the Weston
Favell Parish Hall, Booth Lane South,
Northampton. More info- Martin Gregory
01604 407265
Copy deadline 15 th Monthly
MIDDLESEX BONSAI SOCIETY
We welcome new members. We meet
monthly on 3 rd Tuesdays at South Harrow
Methodist Church, Walton Avenue, Middx.
HA2 8QU. More info- Roger Gibbs email:
roger.gibbs@talktalk.net
http://www.middlesexbonsaisociety.co.uk
THE BONSAI GROUP
We always welcome new members,
meetings at Capel Manor, Enfield 7.30pm
monthly on 2 nd Tuesdays (except August
and December). More info- Joy Savage 020
8367 3196 Email: joyliz.savage@virgin.net
SWINDON AND DISTRICT
BONSAI SOCIETY
Next meeting 10 th January 2012- Review
of 2011 and slides. Meetings 7.30pm at the
Coleview Community Centre, Towcester
Road, Stratton St Margaret, Swindon.
10 th Winter Image Show on 19 th February
2012, see promotional feature page BR54/2.
More info- Paul Bowerbank 07982 401103
SOUTH STAFFS BONSAI SOCIETY
Monthly meetings 7.30pm at the
Fellowship Hall, South Parade off Upper
Holland Road, Sutton Coldfield B72 1QY
WARMINSTER BONSAI CLUB
Monthly meetings 3 rd Tuesdays at 7.45pm
Christchurch Hall, Upper Marsh Road,
Warminster, Wilts BA12 9PJ. More infoclive.night@talktalk.net
SALISBURY BONSAI SOCIETY
Monthly meetings 1 st Mondays at 7.45pm
Laverstock & Ford Village Hall, Laverstock
SP1 1RQ (off Duck Lane).
More info- Grahame 07785 565510
BLACKMORE VALE BONSAI GROUP
Monthly workshop meetings 2 nd Fridays
7.30pm at the United Church Hall, Bell
Street, Shaftsbury, Dorset. New members
welcome. More info- Geoff 01373 823820 or
01747 853475
Email: m5eay.geoff@btinternet.com
www.blackmorevalebonsaigroup.co.uk
SHROPSHIRE BONSAI SOCIETY
Monthly meetings 7.30pm on 4 th Tuesdays
at St Giles Church Hall, Sutton Way,
Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY2 6EH.
Visitors always welcome. More info- Karen
Scurry 01743 236737 E: kscurry9@aol.com
www.shropshirebonsai.org.uk
That’s it for your club activities this month, no doubt
committee folk are tucked up with a tub of mince pies and
their favourite bottle for hibernation.
I say this to you every year, this page will now re-set to zero until
your details and agendas are sent to The Bonsai Review for 2012.
If you wish your club to reach the wider bonsai community, it’s
FREE to use these columns for your monthly activities.
Email: paul@bonpres.freeserve.co.uk
Phone: 01788 510442
Seasons’ Greetings to all Bonsai People and thank you to those
who email their club activities every month.
Picture on BR 54/1 from the National Bonsai Collection
Juniperus Rigida (Needle juniper) words by Malcolm Hughes
During 1991, three trees worked upon during the International Bonsai Convention in
Birmingham would become exhibits in, what was then, the newly established National
Bonsai Collection. Among those three trees was a Needle juniper, worked on at the
time of the event, by Dan Robinson (USA).
Dan was one of a small group of bonsai artists whose expertise, at that time, lay in
carving as part of the creation of a bonsai. As with Masahiko Kimura, who had only
recently become known outside Japan, Dan viewed the deadwood effect as an art form
with bonsai. The material he deliberately selected lent itself to those carving techniques.
By the time his demonstration was concluded, the audience were confronted with a
tree almost devoid of any foliage, rather more a piece of beautifully carved driftwood.
Only two branches had minimal foliage, the remainder having been jinned and the trunk
carved dramatically.
Initially the tree was clearly not ready to be exhibited. The jins and shari were refined
further by Robin Bennion (Cotswold Bonsai Society/Classical Bonsai Circle). Over the
next three years, the foliage developed rapidly to the stage at which, at a weekend
bonsai event hosted by the Sussex Bonsai Group, Malcolm Hughes styled the tree to
the form that it is on display today.
It has come to our attention the
passing of
Mr. Willi Benz.
The excitement he showed and
his infectious enthusiasm for the
formalities of display with bonsai
and suiseki, will be missed at a
global level and will be
acknowledged as a serious loss
to the international community.
Mr. Benz was a great supporter
of the display efforts and
products of Bonsai Presentations
which he would often include in
his international suiseki
exhibitions and use as examples
for his students.
BR 54/3

The first of the regular
BONSAI TRADERS ASSOCIATION
events should be an important date in your diary for next year
Sunday 22 nd April 2012
at Ryton on Dunsmore (near Coventry)
you’ll find everything bonsai related all under one roof,
where traders are anxious to offer the best help and advice,
and supply the products you need to help you achieve
satisfactory results with your bonsai.
You’ll also be in the company of artists, experts and beginners,
all willing to share secrets and good advice on their successes
and achievements.
More info- Corin Tomlinson 0115 9205757
Special thoughts
I’ll close this issue of your Bonsai Review
with a winter tokonoma setting, featuring a
clump planting of English elm that was
originally collected by the late Alan Green. At
54cm high it stands in a pot created by the late
Derek Aspinall. It might be considered
respectful to think of all those departed who
have given so much to enlighten our world and
our fascination for artistic potted trees, and
how much more we have learned because
they touched our lives.
Photography- Paul Goff
BR 54/4