Monday 25 March 2013

Shohin Uk Exhibition 2013

 
 
Great News and Congratulations to you all who partcipated or helped.




For all those who missed it a link to Utube video of show is below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfO1thKH74c

Sunday 24 March 2013

March Meeting -Tree critique


Hi Everyone

Wednesday the the 13th of March we held our monthly meeting once again at the Rafa Club in Oxton Wirral ( how to find us go to 
Finding the RAFA club  on the right of the page of our Blog )

Ian W our Chairman opened the meeting welcoming everyone and thanked members for thier support at  Swindon and District Winter Image Show and look forward to going back next year if all goes well.

With all the preparations done and dusted for our next adventure the  




 

Shohin UK Exhibition 2013  

This exciting national event dedicated to Smaller Bonsai,sizes ranging from  Mame Size is approximately 10cm from soil surface, Shohin Size  is approximately 20cm from soil surface, Chuhin Size is approximately 45cm maximum from soil surface, will be held on Sunday, March 24th 2013 at Failand Village Hall, near Bristol, UK.

his new event is being organised by Mark & Ritta Cooper and Bob Bailey, with the support of the Bristol Bonsai Society, the British Shohin Association, and the Federation of British Bonsai Societies.      

This will be the only UK National Exhibition Dedicated to Shohin Bonsai in 2013 and will be a “must visit event for all Shohin Bonsai enthusiast where on show will be Some Amazing, Fantastic,Impressive,Marvelous,Stunning Wonderful SMALL BONSAI TREES Displayed to a Extremeley High Standard.

Rather than me go on about how Wonderful this Event will be and NOT to be overlooked Go There

This and more information can be found at http://www.shohin.org.uk/?page_id=1483


After the announcements its was down to the evening's Topic which was  -A Tree Critique  The Panel conducted by Ian W,Tony F with Andy and Audience participation and First to the Table was Brian with his Scots Pine ,Steve H a tall European Larch,next Iain Q  with a Crab Apple Tree, followed by Phil and his Small Azalea (which could be a Contender to be the a  STUNNING Shohin Tree if managed the right way), then Andy with a Mugo Pine and Last but not Least  Iain Q. (I have heard that name before somewhere!! )

With his Buxus Sempervirens/Common Box (I hope) or was it Buxus Microphylla/Japanese Box. This was discussed at great length by Everyone mainly because of what presentation could be added to compliment the arrangement between Pot, Tree and  Accent support .Many suggestions very voiced and interesting  concepts .

Lots of Excellent, Useful Advice and Constructive Criticism was suggested by the panel with lots of Members participation in questions suggestion and not always agreeing but that what Bonsai is All about ( in my opinion)as each of us has thier own opinion and in a way we could be All correct in our assumption 

The evening was well attended enjoyable with over Two Dozen members and visitors  Sadly to say There is NO Last Sunday of the Month the 31st and  the /Garden Centre is Closed BUT for all the Die-hard's who like thier Sunday Bonsai Workshop Fix. Fear not for Wirral Bonsai Society will be at Portsunlight Garden Centre, The Causeway, Port Sunlight Village, Wirral, Telephone: 0151 645 6244-- Post Code CH62 5DY on the 2nd Sunday of April 2013
Until next time  Take care  look after each other and all your Bonsai Trees and many thanks for reading our Blog

Jim thelad

 Ian & Tony 'relax' during the critique..
 
 ...still 'relaxing'!
 
.. and fully concentrating on the nice Azalea.
 
 Group discussion on the raft Buxus
 
 Nice stocky cotoneaster on show....
 
...plus some nice seasonal accents.

Friday 15 March 2013

March Workshop

Hi and Welcome

It was back to Portsunlight Garden Centre here in the Wirral were we always receive a warm and Friendly welcome Being Mother Sunday the garden centre was busy in other areas.

On show we had a variety of Trees such as Flowering Cherry, Korean Hornbeam, Pryacantha, Chinese Elm, Larch, Potentilla, Escallonia, Contoneaster a few more plus a couple of Accent Plants belonging to Our Leader for the day Andy H.assisted by Doug M and Tom and these were the trio who brought their Bonsai Trees and Tools to work on and await to assists any member of the Public who needed help and guidance with their own Bonsai Tree or Trees as was the case with a Wonderful Lovely Lady named Ann along with her Husband Steve who live in Cheshire. Ann had brought in her Oak Tree for assistance

and Andy took centre stage and after little time consulting with Ann, Andy got in action with both Steve and Ann looking on seemly approving and very happy with the result. During after morning and afternoon Doug was chatting with Steve and it was interesting to hear about Steve's other passion a Longbow and involved with Reenactments and if your interested in this pastime and I believe there is a Society called

The Holly Holy Day Society “The Battle Of Nantwich”– English Civil War

More information can be found by a Google Search or


Even tho our member numbers were small a fair amount was achieved during the day,trees re-potted,Wiring,Styling removing Moss from trunks and unwanted Debris removed, Re-positioning Of Trees,but most of ALL W-B-S making a Presence to promote Bonsai here in The Wirral

On the Last Sunday of This Month The 31st March THERE IS NO WORKSHOP as Gordale Garden Centre is CLOSED being EASTER SUNDAY,but we will be back at 

Port Sunlight Garden Centre,  TheCauseway,
Port Sunlight Village,Wirral. on the 14th of April 2013
and for those who have a Sat Nav the Postcode is  CH62 5DY and

Telephone: 0151 645 6244   or go to

 http://portsunlightgardens.co.uk/contact-us/     for more information

 
We all would like to thank  our Hosts and Everyone  at  Port Sunlight Garden Centre, for allowing Wirral Bonsai Society the Time and Space to hold  our Bonsai Workshop

and if all goes well we will be there again  next month

 Till next time

 Take care  look after Each Other and All your Bonsai Trees

 
Jim thelad
 Doug and Andy have fun
 
....and the result.
 
 Before.......
 
 ....and after.
 
 an Elm about to be truncated.....
 
....radically.

Wednesday 6 March 2013

March Workshop -Steve Tolley 2

An Escallonia worked on by Rod
 
 Rod, hard at work refining his deadwood via power..

 ....and precision.
 
Simon's Itoigawa
 
  contemplation....
 
followed by action.

March Workshop -Steve Tolley

 Andy's Elm pre work.....
 
 removing unwanted branches....
 

 can sometimes mean 'getting by with a little help from your friends'
 
 Dave's interesting looking Larch....

...gets 'Tollster'ised!


Hi One and All

On the 3rd of March 2013 we had the privilege and pleasure of Mr Steven Tolley in our midst, the Gentleman who set-up Four Dimensional Art and Established the Steve Tolley Bonsai School in with the aim of helping to raise the standards of UK Bonsai

Once again to have Steve at one of our Sunday workshops was music to the ears of all the members who were present on the the day and they were,in No Particular order Sean, Bill G, Ian W, Dena, Ron, Andy H, Rod, Dave, Doug, Eddie, Tom and Simon Plus a Large variety of Bonsai Trees in all Shapes and Sizes and was held at the Gordales Garden Centre The UK Garden Retailer of the Year 2012 after written statements and mystery shopper visits had been shortlisted to one of four centres. Gordale was delighted to be awarded Gold Medal, which was presented by Terry and sponsors of the award, Stax. as taken from


 
On with the workshop Mr Tolley wasted no-time in getting his sleeves rolled up when he arrived and was soon going round the workshop tables starting with Dave and his European Larch and soon we seen the Master Tolster in action giving Constructive Advice and his Professional Opinion will all the Enthusiasm that only someone with his Knowledge,Know-how and Experience could deliver and it was a joy and pleasure to watch and be there seeing him in Action

 
Another quality that stood out was Steve's relentless energy going from tree to tree member to member going back and forth checking making sure everyone knew what he was on about and if was ask a Question he listened explained and showed at times how to go about the task in hand 

 
Sadly to say I had to leave the workshop early due to Family reasons  and was unable to stay till the end of the Workshop and I am sure that everyone who was there would like to thank Godales Garden Centre for allowing W-B-S to hold another Sunday Workshop there and a thousand thanks to Rob for all his help organising the Workshop tables

 
Until the next time

 
Take care look after each other and all your Bonsai Trees

 
Jim thelad

Welcome

Hello and welcome to the Wirral Bonsai Society Blog - an ongoing diary & newsletter highlighting the adventures of the society & its members

Society Diary-We meet at 8pm every 2nd Wednesday of the month at the RAFA club in Oxton (CH43 1UU).

  • 13th January
  • 10th February
  • 14th February Workshop - Port Sunlight GC
  • 28th February Workshop - Gordale
  • 9th March - Monthly meeting - Topic TBC
  • 13th March Workshop - Port Sunlight GC
  • 27th March Workshop - Gordale
  • 13th April - Demonstration - Andy H
  • 17th April Workshop - Port Sunlight GC
  • 24th April Workshop - Gordale
  • 8th May Workshop - Port Sunlight GC
  • 11th May- Monthly meeting - Topic TBC
  • 29th May Workshop - Gordale
  • 4-5th June WBS Flowering Bonsai Show - Port Sunlight GC
  • 8th June - WBS Member trees critique
  • 12th June Workshop - Port Sunlight GC
  • 26th June Workshop - Gordale
  • 10th July Workshop - Port Sunlight GC
  • 13th July- Monthly meeting - Topic TBC
  • 31st July Workshop - Gordale
  • 10th August- WBS Show tree selection
  • 13-14th August - Wirral Flower Show
  • 20th August - Japan Day, Liverpool
  • 27-29th August WBS Annual Show - Gordale
  • 14th September- Monthly meeting - Topic TBC
  • 11th September Workshop - Port Sunlight GC
  • 25th September Workshop - Gordale
  • 9th October Workshop - Port Sunlight GC
  • 12th October- Monthly meeting - Topic TBC
  • 30th October Workshop - Gordale
  • 9th November- Monthly meeting - Topic TBC
  • 13th November Workshop - Port Sunlight GC
  • 26-27th November - Potter Workshop with David Jones (Walsall Studio Ceramics)
  • 27th November Workshop - Gordale
  • 14th December - Club Party

Membership

New members are always welcome, just come along to one of our monthly meetings at the RAFA club. You can even 'try us out' for a few months before you decide on joining as an official member. The meetings are informal (there's a bar!) and the club members are (mostly) friendly, approachable and happy to pass on guidance and information to anybody interested in bonsai- whatever your level of experience.