Oct 16 2013

Enfield Bonsai Group Autumn Show

Here are some photos from Enfield Bonsai Group Autumn Bonsai Show held at Capel Manor last weekend courtesy of Dan from the group, thanks mate..

Best Display – John Armitage

Best Tree – Ian Stewardson

Public vote – Mark & Rita Cooper

And a gallery of the rest including club entries and even a few demo pics.

Oct 15 2013

Aw, Thanks Dude

A mention in dispatches , click below to view.

Oct 14 2013

Welcoming back an old friend.

Oct 14 2013

A Few New Accents

What! More accents I hear you say 🙂 These were exchanged in my now regular swap sessions with Robert Porch who was over talking at our Club meeting this Friday.

Two Soldanella Alpina, one is ‘Minima’ and the other is ‘Alba’ which as the name suggests, will have a white flower.

And also this one which I have seen in a few Japanese origin photos, but I don’t know the name. Ideas?

Oct 13 2013

Belgium Ardennes Gallery

My Dutch friend Harry, who always helps me out with photos from Bonsai Exhibits, obviously knows that I like a nice walk in the woods finding fungi to snap. I do this most Sundays with my dogs in tow.

Well, just to out do me 😉 he has sent me some photos from a recent visit to the Belgium Ardennes where he found many interesting fungi as well as some real life root over rock trees.

When I hear Ardennes I always think Battle of the Bulge, I’m a bit of a history buff as well! Always good to remember those who fought for their country, lest we forget.

Thanks for sharing Harry, I’m always happy to showcase here on the blog. That goes for anyone one else visiting exhibitions by the way 😉

Oct 12 2013

Owen Reich Podcast

Interesting Bonsai podcast with Owen talking about his time in Japan.

http://bonsaificusretusa.com/owen-reich-fujikawa-bonsai/

Oct 12 2013

Twisted

I spotted this tree growing at the edge of St James Park in London just directly behind Downing Street.

It even had an armed guard 🙂

Oct 11 2013

ANNOUNCING THE 2O14 88TH KOKUFU TEN BONSAI EXHIBITION

Valavanis Bonsai Blog

The 2014 88^th KOKUFU BONSAI EXHIBITION

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Gallery, Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan

Part 1: February 4-7, 2014

Part 2: February 9-12, 2014

The Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition, now sponsored by the Nippon Bonsai Association, is the premier bonsai exhibition in Japan, and the world. Hobbyists try quite hard, often for years to have their trees accepted for this judged event where only bonsai of the highest quality are displayed eligible for the coveted Kokufu Sho Prizes.

Japanese back pine

Japanese maple

Camellia, Kokufu sho Prize

Sargent juniper, displayed by American Doug Paul

An annual book is published after the exhibition featuring every bonsai in the show which make for excellent study of form, species and more importantly the current trends of the Japanese bonsai world.

No. 1 Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition, March 1934

The first Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition was held in March…

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Oct 10 2013

London Baby!

A little Friends reference there for the lovers of the show.

Here is a few more from my very quick dander around the sights on Tuesday afternoon. Haven’t been in London for years and I rather enjoyed seeing the sights. Even better, I was there courtesy of work 🙂 I did have to attend a conference on Child Protection in the Digital World on the Wednesday, but that was rather good too. Sad I know!