Aberkenfig & District Bonsai Club
Thank you to all the visiting Clubs and Societies who attended the 2016 Swindon Winter Image Show, here are some of the overall club displays and more pictures will follow in future posts of the individual trees from the displays.
This year we also had a Public vote for the visitors to our Swindon Winter Image Bonsai show 2016 to vote for their favourite tree. There there were no prizes, but just a bit of fun and to involve everyone in the show. It was a close vote and two trees shared the honour of the accolade with the same number of votes cast.
It is with great sadness that I write a tribute to Sandra Knight who sadly passed away last week. Sandra was a very big part of the Warminster bonsai club, not only did she support her husband Clive with his bonsai trees, she was a keen bonsai enthusiast herself and had many lovely trees which she was very proud of.
Best Deciduous Tree: Warren Radford, Acer
Paul Bowerbank is our Chairman for Swindon and District Bonsai Society and he was given an award and named on the Federation of British Bonsai (FoBBS) Roll of Honours for his dedication to promoting the art of bonsai.
Well, it was another grand bonsai event start to 2016 with the first UK show of the season hosted by Swindon and District Bonsai Society. This year’s show was again a resounding success with over 450 attendees from visitors, traders, clubs and societies, judges, including invited guests and club members.
The club meets on the first Wednesday of each month (except January) at 7.30pm at Speen Village Hall, Newbury. Most of the meetings include hands-on workshops where we bring trees to work on and get advice from other members of the club. They hold frequent discussions, presentations and demonstrations on various bonsai topics: horticultural skills, practical skills, bonsai aesthetics and general botanical subjects. Gaining their external expertise via weekend workshops with an expert and they arrange digs at local sites where some prime bonsai material has been obtained over the years. They are a friendly group of enthusiasts and you’ll be very welcome to come along to see what they are all about. Please get in touch via newbury.bonsai@btinternet.com or ring Dave on 0118 983 3188.
Here’s a flavour of the displays we put on at various shows during the year. Newbury Bonsai Society will be displaying at our Winter Image Show this Sunday.
If you are looking to buy a bonsai tree then here is a selection of bonsai trees of all species, shapes and sizes and budgets that are available from Lodder Bonsai BV in Holland. You can visit the nursery direct or buy from their online shop or attend one of their open days and the next one is in March. Plus there is a chance to stock up on bonsai trees, tools and supplies at the Swindon Winter Image Show on Sunday 28th February 2016 so come along and have a look.
I have eventually put all the elements together for the Arihato Award. Thanks to Paul Bowerbank for the stand and continued encouragement despite my inability to finish anything and Timpsons for the engraved plaque. This award is in memory of Arihato Anand, a dedicated small, larch tree specialist, from Holland. He travelled to his spiritual destination this time last year and is missed by many: family, friends, Wee Trees forum members and many, many other people his life touched.
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