Greater Louisville Bonsai Society

Bonsai in the Bluegrass Planning Update

admin — Sun, 01 May 2011 09:20:00 -0500

by John Callaway

Planning for the upcoming ABS/BCI Bonsai in the Bluegrass event continues. We’ve had several great planning meetings recently. It’s very important for committee chairs to attend.

We really need the help of the entire membership. We understand that there will be busy schedules and previous conflicts however, any and all help will be appreciated. If you would like to help with something specific or have a special skill, please feel free to contact any of the committee chairs below.

ABS Chair - George Buehler
Local Chair - John Callaway
Publicity/Advertising - Midge Goeth
Registration/Check-in - Tom McCurry / Linda Kossmann
Hospitality/Facilities - Brian Schanding
Auction/Raffle - Lee Squires
Exhibit - Earl Ekman
Instructors - John Callaway
Vendors - Earl Cormney
Brochure - Mike Schmidt / Linda Kossmann

Earl Ekman and his Exhibit Committee continue to solicit entries for trees and stones. This is a juried exhibit, which will include prizes. The first prize winner will receive $500, second place $300 and third place $100. Please contact Earl if you have any questions.

Midge Goeth and the Publicity/Advertising committee have made outstanding progress. Midge reports that Southern Living Magazine, Leo Weekly, Kentucky Monthly, and AAA Travel Magazine have all been contacted. Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory has been contacted to see about a possible donation of mini bats for all registrants. More contacts and press releases will be made as the date of the event draws nearer.

The Hospitality/Facilities committee, led by Brian Schanding has made excellent progress as well. Brian has been coordinating with the instructors to make sure all tools and materials will be available and in place for them. If you or someone you know happens to have access to an overhead projector, we may be looking to rent or borrow, if available.

Lee Squires continues to seek donation items to raffle. He has also been able to bring in several sponsors. If you would like to sponsor the event, or your company would like become a Corporate sponsor, please let us know. If you have something you wish to donate, please let Lee know.

We have two more scheduled planning meetings. Committee chairs may also call separate meetings to cover specific items. We’ll be meeting the 2nd Thursday of each month, 7pm at George Buehler›s home. All are encouraged to attend.

May 12th - 7pm June 9th - 7pm

Getting Started in Bonsai

admin — Sun, 01 May 2011 09:18:00 -0500

by Mark Kennerley

The best way of getting started is undoubtedly to join a club. There are numerous clubs across the country where you will be warmly welcomed and be in the right place to receive sound practical advice. This is also a good source of material on which to work. Most enthusiasts have too many trees in their possession and are quite happy to unload the surplus on somebody else. Many clubs have a comprehensive library of Bonsai publications that can be loaned and most clubs organize trips to nurseries or obtain permission to collect trees from the wild. Rather than buying from garden centers where little or nothing will be available in the way of advice, seek out a specialized Bonsai nursery. The proprietors of these establishments are usually Bonsai enthusiasts before they are businessmen and would rather see you succeed with your trees than line their own pockets by selling something unsuitable.

So what do you need in practical terms to start growing Bonsai?

A basic understanding that what you are doing is growing a tree in a pot. It is a normal tree sharing the same genes as a full sized example of the same species. There is no such thing as a Bonsai tree. Nor are there special seeds for Bonsai. It is the skills and techniques applied by you that will determine to what extent your tree remains a perfect miniature work of art.
A critical eye is useful. Sometimes it is a curse. I tend to be a perfectionist when working on trees but this is not a bad thing as it is this search for perfection that maintains my interest
Time. If you are not willing or able to tend to your trees’ basic needs on a regular basis then Bonsai is not the hobby for you. Having said that, there are ways around many of the everyday problems caused by other commitments. What is essential is your dedication to make sure these measures are in place if required
A place to keep your trees. The majority of trees sold to the general public are intended to be kept indoors while the vast majority of trees grown by Bonsai enthusiasts are grown outdoors. This highlights the gap in understanding between the two. Let us compromise. If you have come into Bonsai through the acquisition of a mass-produced, off the shelf tree or you simply don’t have a garden then you may want to grow just indoor trees. Bear in mind that there are only so many places in a house where trees can be successfully grown before other members of the household lose patience. Be realistic about what you can do based on your situation. It is possible and widely practiced, especially in America it seems, to grow trees under artificial lighting. This is an option worth considering but does involve a hefty initial outlay. Window-sills will suffice if you bear in mind that light only comes from one side and a plant that is tropical in nature will not appreciate being exposed to draughts or shut behind curtains. A conservatory would be a better place to keep indoor trees, but since most truly indoor trees are tropical in their requirements then heating would be required through the winter that might work out expensive. Alternatively the same unheated conservatory, provided it is well ventilated and shaded during the summer, can be used to grow outdoor species thus widening the options greatly. This choice is widened still further if space is available outside and the protection of a cold greenhouse or other custom built structure that is open but not exposed to the elements will provide what I consider to be the ideal conditions for most trees.
A club. If you are serious about Bonsai, then the advice and support offered by one of the many clubs scattered around the country will be invaluable. We have already seen the gulf between the service offered to the public and that required for the more serious. A decent club will fill that gap as will a visit to a reputable Bonsai nursery. By reputable I mean one that puts the further advancement of the hobby on the same level or above making a generous living
Patience. The greatest gift you can possess when starting out in Bonsai is patience. Trees need time to do what they do naturally. Forcing nature to rush things will only end in disappointment. Knowing how far is too far when working on a tree is something that can only come with experience
Trees. One of the myths about Bonsai is that you have to start from seed. This is not the case. On the other hand you definitely do not need to and categorically should not go out and spend money on the most expensive tree you can find. Firstly, growing from seed, whilst it is a feasible method of propagating new material is a long term project. It will be at least five years before you have anything substantial with which to work. What you need is something to practice techniques on. At the same time it should have some potential for making good Bonsai. There are a number of options. Your local garden centre or nursery is a good place to look. Avoid the Bonsai section. This is not what we’re looking for. Head for the conifer section and find a nice bushy Juniper, Cedar or Yew. Look for a decent trunk base, some sort of taper as the trunk goes up or plenty of choice of side branches that might be bought up to form a new apex. Avoid hedging conifers, these are not suitable. Alternatively, you might find something already growing in the borders at home. Many traditional shrubs such as Fuchsia, Cotoneaster, Privet, Ceanothus , Pyracantha and Berberis can be used successfully. Whatever your choice, you now have your first tree. If it’s not what you think of as Bonsai, then this is the first lesson concluded. Now comes the exciting bit.
Pots. You don’t need to go out and buy expensive pots. Trees in the training phases will grow in exactly the same way in seed trays, plant pots or washing up bowls. Only spend money on an expensive pot if and when the tree justifies it. As the choice of pot is a critical part of the finished work, this is not something to be rushed into. There is a compromise between the two extremes. Low priced Korean and Chinese pots look the part and make you feel like you’re getting somewhere and Mica, a very dense plastic, is an ideal material for training trees in.
Tools. A few years ago I would have advised against buying Chinese tools. However, times have changed and the good quality tools now being imported from China are ideal for beginners. Ultra cheap tools are still available, so be wary. On the other hand, if you are serious then, invest in quality Japanese tools. If you’re not sure, then a good pair of kitchen scissors will be a good start until you get hooked. Then you can invest in the right tools for your level of commitment
Compost. If you are repotting things at this early stage, it can be bewildering the amount of different soil mixes that are used. A tried and tested formula for beginners and old hands alike is a mixture of fine grit (2-3mm) and sieved peat (or multipurpose potting compost) in equal volumes. I like to add an equal volume of Danish pink cat litter also. That’s enough to get you started. If you have any other questions or simply want to know more, drop me a line.

The Illusion of Bonsai

admin — Sun, 01 May 2011 09:14:00 -0500

by Mark Kennerley

Why the Illusion of Bonsai I hear you ask? Well, look at it this way, take a tree, any tree, growing in a pot and style it. Hopefully, what comes out of the other end merits the title of Bonsai. The process of styling has taken a normal piece of vegetative growth and transformed it into an image of a tree inspired by nature. It’s still a normal tree underneath but, if the job has been done well, the viewer sees something more, something that fires the imagination. We know what we started with, so the finished work must be an illusion.

Traditional teaching of styling methods tends to focus on trees that are a million miles away from what a typical beginner has to work with, and potential styles are described in terms of Japanese ideals that are totally incomprehensible to Joe Bloggs from just outside Bletchley. So let’s forget the rules, or at least look at them in a different way.

Overall Size
Take a look at some pictures of Bonsai in books, especially the ones taken against a plain background. Now, without looking at the caption, can you tell how big the tree is? If the answer is no, then the illusion has been created. I only realized this when I showed photographs of my trees to a non-Bonsai photographer friend for his comments on my use of a camera. He suggested that I placed a ruler or some other object of known proportion in the picture because he couldn’t tell how big the trees were. Size is not important. Scale and proportion are. Let’s break the tree down into its component parts and examine the contribution of each in turn.

Roots
Before styling a tree, be aware of its surface root structure since this is an integral part of any Bonsai. The roots are what join the trunk to the pot. An obvious statement you may think, but I refer not to the physical ties but rather to the visual connections. The roots should be in proportion with the tree in terms of diameter and should radiate all around the trunk to give an impression of stability. If a tree is leaning or cascading to one side then the roots on the opposite side should reflect the effort needed to anchor the weight of the tree.

Trunks
There seems to be an obsession with the size of trunks. The only difference a thick trunk makes is that it allows you to work in a larger scale. Maybe I’m wrong, maybe size isn’t the driving factor and large scale trees are just a sign of impatience or an admission of inability to reduce leaf size. True, older, thicker trunks have that certain aged quality, but that part forms only a part of the whole and to let it become the driving factor is a recipe for failure. Whatever the size of your trunk, it’s what you do with it that counts. But what you could really do with is...

Taper
One of the most important features of Bonsai is taper, or at least the illusion of taper. Japanese rules would have us believe that the height of a Bonsai should be six times the diameter of the base of the trunk. This is one rule that serves as a good guideline when deciding how to style a tree because it suggests a rough size range in which to work. It doesn’t have to be exactly six times but if you can end up somewhere in that region and still produce taper then the dimensions of the design become obvious and visualizing the branches required is made that much easier.

The existing trunk on a piece of raw material is not always ideal to use in creating Bonsai. Taking an existing branch up to form a new apex is one of the easiest ways of replacing a top which is too thick but sometimes it is obvious from the result just what has been done. Disguise the change of direction with inventive carving or a strategically placed piece of foliage.

Branches
Branches should not emanate from the same height on opposite sides of the trunk. This is nearly always a good rule to follow when looking at major branches in the lower part of the tree since these are the branches that contribute much to the character of the tree; and, as such, anything that interferes with the eye when admiring these features will detract from the overall impression. On the other hand, once we get into the upper regions where branches and foliage should ideally be denser, the point where a branch comes out of the trunk is not always obvious and defects in branch arrangement can be hidden by intelligent bending of branches. Likewise, back branches can oppose front branches since the important point about back branches is to give a sense of depth by allowing the foliage to be seen through the spaces between side branches. The point at which it leaves the trunk is not as important as where it appears from behind the trunk line. While on the subject of back branches......

Depth
Bear in mind that what you are trying to create in styling a tree is a three-dimensional object. Photographers will be familiar with the term depth of field. Think of the picture that you may have seen where the main subject is sharply in focus while the background is blurred. This type of picture has narrow depth of field. This makes a good composition in most cases because the subject is usually an interesting face or object. But make the depth of field too narrow, and the image becomes flat and two-dimensional. Create a tree with branches only to the sides and you get the same result.

Create back branches that offer something more to look at beyond the obvious points. Leave spaces between side branches to tempt the eye into looking through in search of something interesting at the back of the tree. Try and avoid any gaps in the foliage large enough for the eye to escape out of the back, but, at the same time, resist the temptation to create an impenetrable wall. Create space with which the tree can interact and avoid gaps which allow the backdrop to exert an influence. In this way the eye is forced to move forwards and backwards in the third-dimension.

Upper branches
These should be closer together than the lower branches, but not so close as to be impenetrable to the eye. Introduce front facing branches on the upper half of the tree; but, rather than bringing them straight out towards the front, take the foliage, not the branch itself, across the line of the trunk. This will have the effect of breaking the trunks into segments, each one hopefully thinner than the one below it, thus emphasizing the taper.

Apexes
Apexes on most trees are usually made up of a number of small branches rather than just one. Try and emulate this in your trees by using several small branches to create a dome effect rather than having one branch pointing skyward.

Carving
Deadwood effects on Bonsai should be used with caution. Some species can benefit greatly when the techniques are correctly applied. If your goal is to reproduce a tree as it would grow in nature, then you have to consider whether deadwood is the norm. But is that what we are trying to achieve? For example, the vast majority of Junipers growing in the wild seem to have some sort of deadwood somewhere, and it seems only natural to include it in Bonsai. Then again you see a lot of oaks with dead branches. But is this acceptable?

When I think of a Juniper, I visualize a lone tree clinging to its miserable existence on a windswept mountainside, battered by the worst elements nature has to offer. In other words, deadwood is an acceptable part of the (my) natural image.

On the other hand, the oak conveys the majesty of the English countryside on a hot summer’s day with birds singing in the trees, the smell of freshly mown grass, the.... I’m sure you get the picture. But does that image include deadwood? I think not. Carving and deadwood effects have their place in Bonsai in the same way that apple pie and custard is very nice but it wouldn’t go down well after corn flakes and you wouldn’t want it after every meal!

POTS The pot is an integral part of Bonsai. It forms part of the image that we are striving for by complimenting the style and type of tree. Formal pots should be kept for formal styles whilst more inventive designs call for a more imaginative outlook. A tree styled to give an image of windswept mountain tops would not be displayed at its best in a shiny blue Japanese pot.

The pot itself is nothing more than a container for the roots and, as long as the horticultural requirements are met, then it can be any shape. Size dictates itself, but shape is a whole new ball game. Try making your own cement fondue pots that reflect the environment that you wish to associate with the tree. This way the tree gets a custom made pot to compliment the image and not something that you just happen to have lying about at the time. Never compromise on the design of the tree because you have a certain pot in mind.

So there you have it, everything you need to know about Bonsai. No rules, just guidelines and something to think about. If you agree entirely, then think again. I may be right but that doesn’t matter. On the road to Bonsai enlightenment it is more important to have your own ideas. Continually question what I or anybody else has to say about Bonsai, because at the end of the day, it’s the fulfillment of your own dreams which will provide the greatest satisfaction.

President's Corner

admin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:27:00 -0500

by Lee Squires

In 1974 , at age 29, I was President of the Louisville Area Bonsai Club, now the Greater Louisville Bonsai Society. The Club voted to send me, as our representative, to the Bonsai Club International meeting in Washington, D.C., aka, BCI ‘ 76 in July 1976.This was to be my first BCI convention. The American Bonsai Society did not hold their convention at the same time as BCI. The highlight of the meeting was the dedication of the National Bonsai Collection. The people of Japan presented the United States with a gift of over 70 bonsai to honor the U.S. Bicentennial. The trees first came into the U.S. in January 1975 under a 16 month quarantine. Eventually, they made their way to the U.S. National Arboretum to be placed in permanent display. Here is a reasonable facsimile of my printed invitation.

The Secretary of Agriculture
Earl L. Butz
requests the pleasure of your company
in dedicating
the National Bonsai Collection
presented by the Japanese people
to commemorate
our Nation’s 200th Anniversary
on Friday evening, the ninth of July
nineteen hundred and seventy-six
from seven until ten o’clock
at the U. S. National Arboretum
Dedication Ceremony
R.s.v.p. 7:30 p.m.

In 1986, the book, Timeless Trees, shows that there were 44 trees remaining. Some died, I would guess from the stress of the trip and the change in climate and cultural practices. I remember, there was a dogwood, Cornus florida. They hate their roots to be “messed with” even as a landscape plant. It did not like incarceration in a bonsai pot and was not alive in 1986. Many others met the same fate. I’m sure many of our club members have seen this collection.

I had created my first bonsai in 1972 and was ready to see what other plants were out there that could be grown as bonsai in Louisville so I readily accepted the club’s generosity and made my way to Washington, D.C. I stayed with my cousin who lived in Georgetown, a suburb of Washington. He was a law clerk on Capitol Hill. Jackie Onassis had an apartment there and cousin John lived next door to Dr. Henry Kissinger. He was the Secretary of State appointed by President Nixon. There were two body guards at his door at all times. They spoke rarely but by the time I left we were on a first name basis.

I think the meeting started a few days before the dedication and I was amazed at everything that was on display from trees to pots to supplies to suiseki. I drove by the famous Watergate office complex everyday on the way to the meeting hotel. Roy Nagatoshi was there with a display of some great trees. They were not in pots but the root ball was wrapped in aluminum foil. He could sell them cheaper that way. All of the other great bonsai growers were there but, me being a new kid on the block, I wasn’t familiar with many of them. There was one vendor that got everyone’s attention. A young southern cool cat with long hair had a whole display of Chinese Elm clones. He had everyone mesmerized with his trees. They were all mostly identical – 8-10” tall, 1 “ trunk diameters with 6” globes of foliage. They were $30.00 and everyone had to have one. Even the Japanese couldn’t believe what they were seeing. The cat’s name ? Brussel Martin ! I , also, met Tony Thomas from California. He had an amazing collection of suiseki stones. He collected all of them from the Mojave Desert. He would drive through the desert & find a rock sticking up out of the sand. The exposed part would be sandblasted by the wind and sand, etching away the sandstone and leaving the hard chert in bizarre horizontal patterns. He would use a portable electric saw to cut off the sandblasted piece and bury half of what was left in the sand. In two or three years he came back to that spot and cut another valuable stone. I bought a suiseki from Tony that he collected in the Mojave Desert and it is still in my collection. Tony and I became friends and he invited me to a cocktail party held by the prestigious California Bonsai Society. All of the big names were there, no doubt. This is where I met John & Alice Naka. They had some suishi on the buffet and I had never eaten it before. John told me what it was and laughed as I spit out the eel & seaweed piece. Tony and John have both passed away.

The dedication night was here before we knew it. A lavish buffet and cocktail party was planned and all attendees could eat, drink and tour the bonsai collection. It was an amazing time for all as we saw the trees for the first time. Agriculture Secretary, Earl Butz, was first on the podium and he gave all a good welcome and sufficiently thanked the Japanese for their gift. Good ‘ol Earl got into some hot water with racial slurs and resigned before President Gerald Ford could fire him. You all may remember that. Secreatry of State, Henry Kissinger was there with his wife, Nancy, and he gave a great speech with his deep voice and accent. The trees were officially dedicated after all of the speeches were over.

I was certainly glad I went and fortunate to have had the opportunity.

Now, Bonsai in the Bluegrass will soon be upon us. BCI & ABS meet together these days but in the past they had separate conventions. All of the committee members in GLBS have been working diligently to make it a success. Be sure to get your registration sent in soon. To really make it special, a visit by Earl & Henry would be great !

Annual Yew Dell Garden Show

admin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:26:00 -0500

by Earl Ekman

Our annual bonsai show at beautiful Yew Dell garden in Crestwood KY is scheduled for Saturday April 30 and Sunday, May 1st. The exhibit set up will start Friday April 29 at 10 AM. All preparations must be finished by 5 PM, as this is the time the garden closes.

This is an important event for our club. We normally sign up several new club members and create lots of interest in our beginner workshops. The club will have one or two raffle trees, and this is a good source of income for our club.

Our show design will change again this year, giving it an entirely new look. Last year we used the two big dragon columns. This year we will not use those but are updating the Tory gate and we will be using it at the entrance. We will need 30 trees. Last year we needed 30 trees, but only received 22. So we were short by quite a few. Start preparing several trees for the Yew Dell Show and enter them in the ABS/BCI show. The club will need 50 trees for that show. Make sure you style the tree, freshen soil, the clean the pot, and polish the stand. If you need a stand, let me know. I have a few extras I can bring.

We will be using the Gheens Bank barn again this year. You can drive in thru the back entrance and come right to the barn. All the trees need to be delivered Friday by 5 PM. Yew Dell closes at 5 and will not stay open late.

Yew Dell Gardens is located at 6220 Old La Grange Road, Crestwood KY. Phone number 502- 241-4788. As usual, it will take a lot of club members to set up Friday and staff the show on Saturday and Sunday. It’s a great show, and we always have a lot of fun.

This is the weekend Yew Dell has their plant sale. There will be a lot of vendors on the premises so I suggest coming early to get a good buy on some very unusual plants.

If you have any questions, give me a call at 222-7419 and I will try to answer them. Looking forward to seeing you at the show.

Show Preparation

admin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:24:00 -0500

by Dave Bogan

Every one of us is proud of our trees and want to show them off. Lets make sure they are all up to the task. At minimum, two weeks before the show lets make it a point to individually inspect & work on every tree you plan to show.

Starting at the top. Prune any small foliage that has grown outside the “silhouette” of the shape. Prune it slightly back or in from the silhouette. This helps avoids the sight of a cut branch. Wire - if it’s on neatly and still required, leave it. This is an informal show. The general public always has questions on how and why we wire our trees. In many cases, wire can be removed and a thin simple guy wire used in its place. Remove all dead or discolored foliage and branches.

Now, let’s move down. The surface area of the soil and roots are very important and very distracting if not clean. First, check to see that your tree is firmly anchored in the pot. If not, sometimes

you can add a wire through the bottom or if you can get to the original tie point, tighten it slightly. If you have mineral (salt) deposits on your roots, clean them with a dental tool, tooth brush and vinegar. Don’t worry the vinegar won’t hurt a thing, simply water well when finished. Remove any and all small roots. Clean around the roots and trunk. I have spent over two hours cleaning this area on one tree. It makes them look so much neater but more importantly, makes them look older and stable. Remove any large chucks of bark, or pebbles from the soil surface. Remove any weeds or dead\(brown) moss. If required, replace moss with fresh bright green moss. Try to find the short velvety type but try to have more than one type of moss so it looks more natural. When applying new moss in “sheets” always make sure the edges are covered and below the surface level or it will dry and die quickly. I like to spread a small amount of fine soil all over the exposed surface area – just adds neatness. Next, the pot. Again, make sure there are no mineral deposits. After cleaning the pot (including the inside rim) wipe it all down with baby oil. Once wiped down, wipe again to remove any excess oil. All trees must be in Bonsai pots - avoid plastic or nontraditional pots

On junipers, clean the upper bark areas, the bark underneath is a beautiful reddish color which really stands out. If you want it to be even more dominant, wipe the bark down with olive oil and it will really bring out the color. If you have jin, shari or uro, clean it also. If time allows, a fresh coat of lime sulfur does wonders. If you don’t like the stalk white look, add a drop or so of black ink or black water color paint to the lime sulfur. It will give it a duller or darker appearance.

Of the utmost importance, do not bring in a tree that is unhealthy, infected or full of insects. The last thing you want to do is infect your neighbor’s tree.

Now, we have a clean and beautiful tree ready for showing. If you happen to have any photos of the tree during its design phase, the public loves this. It give them a little insight into all our trials and tribulations of making it this far. Be knowledgeable about the species. The public has a lot of questions and it’s nice to be able to speak intelligently on the tree. In your research, make sure you know the species name and the Latin name in order to fill out your show cards (available @ the Show).

Now, lets have fun. Take part in the show. Try to plan on staying all you can. We always need people who love to interact with the public. If you have a tree that needs a little work, bring it along too. There’s always a member or two who get bored and would love to help you work on the tree during the show. The public loves to watch these impromptu demonstrations. Lastly, volunteer to help all you can. There is a lot of work putting on these shows.