Tonight’s club night was a general workshop so everyone could work on their bonsai trees as well as circulate and chat with anyone about their trees. Andy stood in for Paul and did a briefing at the start of the meeting and updated everyone on the latest shows which include EXPO Bonsai UK at K2 Leisure Centre, Pease Pottage Hill, Crawley, RH11 9BQ on Sunday 8th May 2022. Also he mentioned the ‘Shilton Open Gardens’ on Sunday the 12th June at their village near Burford.
Tree of the month had 7 entries (see separate post for these) and there was a good level of discussion around the trees whilst everyone was choosing their votes for first, second and third.
We had a new club member tonight welcoming Ben Savage as well as returning new members of all different levels of bonsai experience from those totally new to bonsai to those returning to the hobby after a few years off.
Topics of discussion among members included air layering options on a Pauls Scarlet Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata ‘Paul’s Scarlet‘) or styling into an informal upright. Root development, wiring broadleaves, defoliation and partial defoliation of Hornbeam and Beech to aid with reducing leaf size and timings of this technique. Use of gins and shari’s as well as aesthetic improvements around potting depths and styles.
One member repotted their Field Maple (Acer campestre), while another repotted an Elm (Ulmus). Another was working on wiring and styling a large collected Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna). Other members were pruning and styling various species of trees including a Deshojo maple (Acer palmatum ‘Deshojo’), Chinese Elm over rock (Ulmus parvifolia), European Larch (Larix decidua) Honey suckle (Lonciera nitida) various species of Cherries (Prunus incisa), Mugo pines (Pinus mugo), Ginseng Fig (Ficus macrocarpa ‘Ginseng’), Gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa).
Overall a very good evenings bonsai workshop and varied discussions on bonsai.
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