Graham Walker wins the Best accent category award, sponsored by John Trott of Mendip Bonsai Studio
Graham Walker wins Best Accent plant
We’re setup
Just need some visitors tomorrow now.
Bonsai Name Plates raffle prize
Grant has generously donated some of his Bonsai Name Plates to the raffle at our Winter Show this weekend.
Lodders raffle prizes
Lodders Bonsai Nursery, also known as Hoka-en Studio have donated some fantastic prizes for the raffle at our upcoming Winter Image Show this coming Sunday.
February tree of the month
1st place, AM Japanese Acer
2nd place, SM Cork Bark Elm
3rd place, DA Maple
January tree of the month
1st place, SM Korean Hornbeam
1st place, DA Elm
3rd place, PB Winter Jasmine
Kew Gardens winter visit
Japanese wisteria, Wisteria floribunda macrobotrys
We always enjoy visiting Kew Gardens during the dormant season; they have a fantastic selection of trees and calling in at this time of year allows you to see the structure of the plants better. And no trip to Kew Gardens is complete without popping into the Bonsai House and seeing how the collection is going.
Pine and why you need to needle pluck
Pinus thunbergii before needle thinning
Removing needles can be as important as pruning branches, in order to stimulate back-budding and develop branch structure. As with most evergreen conifers the normal approach is to cut back to something green but if there isn’t anything growing lower down a branch, what do you do? A fellow club member asked me to look at his Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii) at a recent show as he was concerned about this.
Decorated tree competition
1st place, DA Picea
A change from the usual at the club this year; we held a December meeting and invited members to decorate their bonsai trees with Christmas decorations. The response was amazing, we had to bring out additional tables to fit the record number of entries on! Our members fully got into the swing of Christmas.
November tree of the month
1st place, AM English Elm
2nd place, SM Trident Maple
3rd place, DA Elm