On the 1st of November 2023, Scott Saddler AM, Executive Branch Manager of the National Arboretum Canberra and Leigh Taafe, Curator at the National Bonsai and Penjing Collection of Australia (NBPCA) travelled to Japan to mark a significant moment in the history of bonsai art. A new collaboration with the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum (OBAM) […]
All members are reminded that in December there is no workshop meeting on the 3rd Tuesday, but our normal monthly meeting for December (1st Tuesday) is a workshop meeting, with a focus on figs. Our workshop meetings for 2024 will resume in January next year, the third Tuesday of the month, as normal. Our January
This month is a workshop meeting focusing on ficus. There will be short demonstration/ discussion on figs and the rest of the evening will be an opportunity to work on your own figs. Andrew, Ingrid, Paulette and Sam are extremely knowledgeable about ficus and will be able to give advice on styling, answer your horticultural
This is one of the busiest times of year for all bonsai artists. One needs to keep vigorous trees, particularly deciduous species, trimmed to encourage short internodes. It’s important to keep the balance between pruning and allowing growth just right, though, as trees that are constantly cut back may lose vigour, which is not what
It’s always fun to attend the Canberra Bonsai Society’s annual show. As usual, there was a good mix of native and exotic trees in various stages of development representing the range of its members which were well displayed, interesting demonstrations each day and a terrific market place. The club asks members for a description of
This is a great time to bring tropical species such as figs and bougainvillea to work on. Root pruning and styling are both possible, so make sure you bring everything you’ll need if you want to spend your evening developing these species. Pruning the foliage and styling of your deciduous trees and conifers is also
Michael has been practising bonsai since 1995 after working a few days at a bonsai nursery. He was then lucky enough to study with Lee Wilson for several years. For the past fifteen, he has been working alongside his brother Sean, in congenial sibling rivalry, developing outstanding trees. Yamadori is a particular interest. Michael believes
This spring, so far, has been a crazy mix of hot days and ‘return to winter’ colder ones, but nonetheless, all your trees should be in active growth. As spring growth continues, one must be mindful of keeping vigorous trees trimmed to encourage short internodes and an improved design. Fast growing trees can be trimmed
Last month participants mainly worked on deciduous species, including maples and wisteria. This month it isn’t too late to repot deciduous trees, so long as they aren’t yet in leaf. You might also want to start working on conifers, as they can be repotted in August and September in Sydney. Azaleas can also be repotted
Last month’s deciduous workshop was successful with many members bringing trees of varying styles and sizes to work on, either styling or repotting as necessary. Maples seemed the dominant species with some terrific, big maple forests. Everybody seemed to enjoy the time to work on their trees and get input from other members.
