Swindon Winter Image Show 2024

What a great day and another fantastic Swindon Winter Image Bonsai Show. Thank you to all those who aided with the show from exhibitors, traders, visitors, any everyone involved. Here is a short set of photographs from the day and the full show report will follow shortly with the photos of all the bonsai trees on display and the award winners.

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The Newt, Somerset

Recently I went on a day trip to The Newt in Somerset as part of a Horticultural Society day out. I was amazed at the transformation of the gardens and wider site which are well worth a visit. There is a newly created Japanese Garden with a beautiful bonsai display and Niwaki garden trees which I thought would be worth sharing with the bonsai community as well as anyone who is interested. Plus the site is full of hidden gems and projects including a grotto, orchards, a vegetable garden, walled garden, the new four-season gardens, ponds teaming with newts, the deer park, lakes, restaurants a hotel and so much more.

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Air layering @Club Night

Tonight we had a short presentation by Amelia on air layering then anyone who wanted could have a chance to practice their air layering with the air layering kits Amelia provided.

Air layering stimulates the production of aerial roots which form in a moist environment as a response to the damage to the cells around the cut wound made on the stem from the upper section. Many species are suitable to take air layers from including Amelanchier, Apples, Azaleas, Beech, Birch, Blackthorn, Camellia, Chaenomeles, Cherries, Elms, Figs, Forsythia, Hazel, Jasmine, Juniper, Lilac, Magnolia, Maples, Oaks, Pears, Privet, Lime, Rhododendron, Spindle, Yew and Laburnum to name a few.

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Winners at EXPO 2023

Congratulations to everyone who entered their bonsai display this year, it was a superb collection.

Here is the list of the Trophies, winners and runners up for the UKBA 4th ExpoBonsai UK Show 2023

  • BEST IN SHOW: Sponsored  by SARUYAMA BONSAI – Lee Fincham with his White Pine
  • BEST ACCENT PLANTING: Sponsored  by LEE VERHOREVOORT BONSAI – Geoff Pearmine
  • BEST LARGE DECIDUOUS DISPLAY: Sponsored by GREENWOOD BONSAI STUDIO – Les Storey with his Blackthorn and runner up was Mark and Ritta Cooper with their Trident maple
  • BEST LARGE CONIFER DISPLAY: Sponsored by KAIZEN BONSAI – Caz Scott with her Juniper and runner up to Simon Temblett with his Chamaecyparis
  • BEST SHOHIN DISPLAY: Sponsored by WINDYBANK BONSAI – Mark and Rita Copper and runner up to Graham Walker
  • BEST MAME DISPLAY: Sponsored by ZAC’S BONSAI – Les Storey and runner up to Dave Toll
  • ​BEST TREE/POT COMBINATION: Sponsored by THE EUROPEAN BONSAI POTTERS – Russ Farley for his Hawthorn and runner up to Simon Temblett with his Chamaecyparis
  • BEST KIFU/CHUHIN TREE: The Ian Stewardson Memorial Trophy – Steve McKee with his Blackthorn

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More from EXPO 2023

UK Bonsai Association

For anyone who is not aware, the UK Bonsai Association was established on the 21st of October 2018 as an umbrella association bringing together all aspects of UK Bonsai. As a non-profit association, its purpose is to promote knowledge and interest in all aspects of bonsai and to connect the whole UK bonsai community. They publish the UKBA monthly bulletin, which enables them to fulfil their main criteria of communicating all information about UK bonsai events directly to all bonsai enthusiasts. The administrators and helpers of the UKBA are volunteers who are dedicated to spreading the word about all aspects of bonsai within the UK and also promoting UK bonsai abroad. For more information, to join and sign up for their monthly bulletin visit the UKBA website.

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Traders at Expo Bonsai Show 2023

If you wanted to buy anything and everything bonsai then this was the event for you, there were so many excellent traders with so much to offer it was a shopping delight with something for everyone. The full list of the traders at the event are listed below the photos.

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Expo Bonsai Show 2023

This year was another great EXPO bonsai show held at K2 in Crawley for the EXPO team supported by UKBA and the bonsai community, what an event. With so many exceptional and high quality bonsai trees on display in addition to half the hall dedicated to the bonsai traders, it was a superb event. There will be a few posts about the event as there was so much to enjoy and share with everyone so keep scrolling. Congratulations to everyone who was involved from the start to the finish, a well-deserved thank you for all your work and time making this show happen. A big shout out especially to Steve Hale, Mark and MingChen Moreland as well as all the volunteers, exhibitors and traders, superb event and long may it continue to grow.

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EXPO Bonsai Show 16th April 2023

Great to be going along tomorrow to the ExpoBonsai 2023 bonsai show again at K2 Crawley, Pease Pottage Hill, Crawley, RH11 9BQ.

One of our club members, Sally May has had one of her bonsai trees approved for the show so it will be great to support her and see the other trees on display too as well as see the extensive set of Bonsai traders who attend the event as you can see from last years lead photo.

The event is organised by the team that has brought you both the well-known Heathrow Bonsai Show along with ExpoBonsai and is fully supported by the UK Bonsai Association. It will be a not to be missed exhibition of individually owned high-quality bonsai trees.

As with 2022, this event is aimed at the individual enthusiast, whether a club member or not. Each exhibitor will have a space of 6ft to display each of their trees in an appropriate manner. The intention of the show is to place an emphasis on display, whether traditional or contemporary and follow the successful formula of the previous events. Here is a link to the post from 2022.

So hope to see you there.


Japanese Black Pine April Club Night talk with Andy

Tonight we had a talk on Japanese Black Pine by Andy, our new Vice Chairman and everyone who attended found it really interesting and useful. Andy started by explaining the different types of pines and how his talk was to focus on the two needles predominately which Japanese Black Pines are within.

He went on to explain what a Japanese Black Pine is ie in Latin Pinus thunbergii which is a native tree of Japan from low-lying regions, that lives in damp conditions within a warm temperate climate which is why they do well in the UK. Their needles are in pairs and they are revered for their black rugged bark and overall character particularly when old. They have a 2 flush growth habit and a large needle growth but can be reduced with pruning techniques.

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