http://bonsaibark.com/2017/03/30/two-powerful-bonsai-a-point-of-distinction/
Day: March 30, 2017
Review of the Week: 22-28 March
Its Spring Again
When the vibrant colours of the new Spring growth begin to appear, its definitely my favourite time of year. Here are some pictures of the trees that have sprung into life first.
This shohin Yew has new buds everywhere, much earlier than previous years
My Acer Shishigashira is always the first of my maples to leaf out
Larches always look their best at this time
Strandfontein Outing
A visit to Strandfontein offers members the chance to see some rare birds, as a number of them have recently been recorded at this famous locality. Those wishing to attend should meet at the Onrus Trading Post at 7 am next Thursday (the 6th April) to consolidate transport. Barbara will lead the outing and Challengers should use this opportunity to augment their lists.
Please ensure that you have sufficient food and drinks to see yourself through till around 2 pm, when we hope to be back in Hermanus.
Large Coast Live Oak and Labor Extortion at Kimura Nursery
I was recently offered a spot in a Will Baddeley workshop. Bob informed me that some space was open and in lieu of the workshop fee I could also trade in work. I didn’t have $200, but with the onset of spring break I did have time. With a few trees that could use carving as well as an opportunity to meet more members of the bonsai community I gladly accepted. I spent the last few days working at his nursery doing anything asked of me. If I could sum up the 15 or so hours of work in one word–deweeding.
In seriousness it was good to spend some time outside and I enjoyed talking to Audrey and Bob. I will be attending the Sunday April 16th workshop and look forward to meeting those there.
Great weather on the days I came
Anyhow on to the tree. Winter of 2015 I…
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The Beauty of Bonsai and Masters Grade Stainless Tools | Bonsai Bark
Bonsai Comes Full Circle
It’s a funny thing about life and gardening, they return to their beginnings. So it is with bonsai at Garland Nursery. We have enjoyed a good relationship with Wee Tree Farm and then Wee Tree, LLC. since 1986, both separate businesses with wonderful owners. However, that’s not where Garland Nursery’s connection to bonsai began.
It all started in the 70’s with a dear, kilt-wearing Scotsman named Stuart Fraser. He was a unique and multi-talented individual. I remember taking work breaks with him in the old glass greenhouse, since torn down. There he sat with coffee and cigarette, plus Triscuits and cream cheese. He enjoyed sharing, in his lovely Scottish brogue, about his life story, which included time living on a tea plantation in India. He was a landscape designer, an avid fan of heaths and heathers, and an expert pruner. Also, he had a passion for bonsai. He talked my…
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March 2017 meeting
Spring is in the air at last and activity in the world of bonsai steps up a few notches and after this club night I think many of us will be able to raise our game as well having followed our President John Trott’s very instructive demonstration.
John demonstrated using a Japanese White Pine which he had acquired some while back and 
had been meaning to set about it some day so we were privileged to watch as he started to work on it in front of an audience of T & SBC members.
The tree which John said was probably forty or so years old had the remaining stubs of a lot of branches and a really rough bark giving the tree a great appearance of age
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John’s first task was to remove any dead wood and quite a lot of foliage allowing the basic structure of the tree to…
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Waiting for Signs of Growth
I grow bonsai trees.
In South Florida, some kinds of trees grow year round. Some never lose their leaves or foliage. But, some, need an annual period of dormancy – typically, the winter (though, we don’t get much of a winter in South Florida!).
During the holidays, I visited a bonsai store in Orlando, where I have purchased a number of trees. This time, there was a gorgeous, mature, specimen Bald Cypress bonsai. It was already dormant, but had a beautiful, well defined shape. I loved it. I knew I couldn’t afford it, but I had to ask anyway. I think the price was about $1000, which was about 4 times more than what I had guessed, and at least $950 more than I could afford.
Knowing I wasn’t going to spend $1000, the store owner (who is also a friend), pointed out a smaller Bald Cypress, in a plastic pot…
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National Arboretum
The United States National Arboretum serves as the center for botanical research within the United States. It is a beautiful location with columns that used to be part of the National Capitol but were removed in 1958 during the Capitol’s expansion.
My favorite part, the flowers! Who doesn’t love a good old flower picture?
And lastly, the renowned bonsai trees which have little figurines set up near certain trees to make the world seem a little smaller.
My parents used to take me to the Arboretum all the time as a child. We would lay a little blanket out on the lawn and have a picnic after looking at all the flowers and bonsai trees. It was very nostalgic getting to revisit a piece of my childhood and see how things have changed (not much has to be honest). I did come a little early this year and I visited…
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