Award Winners Pictures

Best Overall Display

The judges this year were Steve McKee and Caz Bonsai who had travelled all the way down south to officiate. Both were displaying fantastic trees but these were not judged and marked on their table species label.

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2023 Show Report

I wouldn’t want to lift it!!

The quality of trees at the Swindon ‘Winter Image’ show was exceptional this year. There were trees from all abilities but all were beautifully presented for display. Lots of thought had gone into accents and scrolls to compliment the overall tokonoma. The Swindon club were joined by 90 club members/traders and Invited Exhibitors to ensure that the 400 visitors could enjoy the show. Lots of quality goods were purchased and even more photographs were taken. Thank you to all those who donated to the raffle. I am still sorting through over 300 photos and more will be added later and the winning trees under a separate post. Thanks go to Andy/Mandy for exceptional photographs considering the problems we had with lighting.

AWARDS FOR 2023 SHOW

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Refreshments at our show….. 19th Feb 2023

The main kitchens at the Grange centre are no longer in operation, plus they no longer employ a chef. The larger and re furbished cafe area has drinks and light refreshments………

 lots of crisps, snacks and the hot food range will be 

Ham and cheese croissants

Pizza cones

Ham and cheese toasties

Cheese and mushroom toasties

Bacon rolls

There are also a number of public houses near to the venue.

Note to Myself…………..

Unlike me, don’t forget to re pot some trees every year. This Forsythia got forgotten last year and even though it is small needs re potting every year as the roots are so active. It had pushed itself up in the pot by about 1/2 an inch. As we head into February now is the time to make that list of what needs re potting and what can be left another year. Also a chance to change the pot……. that’s if you can remember where you have put that new pot for a special tree??? Or maybe record the size of pot you need, and a great chance to find one is at our ‘Winter Image ‘ show on the 19th Feb 2023.

Tribute to Dennis Henly

Funeral:- Kingsdown Crematorium,  Kingsdown Road, Swindon, SN25 6SG at 1030 am Monday the 9th Jan 2023.

It’s with sadness that I have to post that Dennis died in Swindon Hospital on the 16th December following a fall.. No details are known about his funeral at the moment, as soon as we are aware I will update this post. Dennis was a long standing member of the club and in May 2017 made a lifetime member. He will be sadly missed.

Awards for 2023 Winter Show

  1. Best Visiting Club/Society
  2. Best Deciduous Display
  3. Best Evergreen Display
  4. Best Shohin Display
  5. Best Tree/Pot Combination, sponsored by Walsall Studio Ceramics
  6. Best Accent in Any Display, sponsored by Mendip Bonsai Studio and judged by John Trott

Note: As all displays are Tokonoma based within a 6-foot defined area, the judges will be taking into account the whole display.

The main Judges will award numbers 1 – 5, number 6 is judged and awarded by John Trott.

Once the judges have decided the award, it will be placed with the tree and photographed with the owner, there is no Presentation Ceremony, saving time so the visitors can view the displays for longer and allowing the awards to be on the tables soonest, so the visitors to the show know which display has won what. Awards of Merit may also be placed on the tables with the appropriate display.

Shohin size will be approx 20 cm from soil.

Get your Good Trees Converted into Ink Drawings

Daryl Cogavin has for a while been producing quality bonsai scrolls with her own artistic style…….. much better than me with my chubby sticks. Her web site is https://darylsdrawings.weebly.com/bonsai-scroll-paintings.html

Click the images to inlarge………….. She has now decided to put extend her range of goods and branch out [see what I did there!!! Have you twigged yet] and reproduce owners trees into an Ink Drawing. You will see at the top, a comparison and a very good image.

This was done from a photograph of the tree, so you don’t even need to drive around the UK with the tree, so that she can reproduce it. Anyone wishing to have a tree drawing can contact her via her web site

https://darylsdrawings.weebly.com/contact-me.html to discuss tree/size of picture/prices……………….. don’t forget it will be Christmas soon and our other halfs never know what to get us??????

When finished they can be posted to you with a backing board, ready for you to get framed if you wish.