I was really impressed by the accents at Europa. It’s a hard time of year to keep them looking in show condition but all looked great, seasonal and mature.
Bonsai Europa 2015 – Everything Else!
These three balloons worked a treat in attracting attention to the venue as they could be seen across Bury.
I think I missed this one from the Conifer post earlier.
Some general shots although the highest rank present was Sgt Major ‘Ba doom tish!’
Some of the trade stands
Loved these guys, Sperling Keramik from Germany.
Iain Baillie’s amazing pots
This is Will Baddeley’s Stand, or is it, I’m confused.
The kids workshops were an amazing part of the weekend.
The Awards
An Overview
The Akamatsu Club display
The Venue
Stephen with his Exhibit
My bearded self with my Escallonia
The Wirral Bonsai Society display
Bonsai Europa 2015 – Shohin
And now the wee trees.
Bonsai Europa 2015 – Others
Bonsai Europa 2015 – Deciduous
And now for the Deciduous trees. If I have missed any out it’s due to poor photos not personal taste!
Bonsai Europa 2015 – The Conifers
I’ll break up the exhibits by posting them in different groups, conifers, deciduous, Others, Shohin, Accents. My photos are just ok, I found it hard to get the right set up with the lighting but these should give you a good feel for the event. Here’s the first instalment.
Bonsai Europa 2015 – The Beginning
Bonsai Europa for me started on Wednesday morning packing the car and making sure everything would fit. It did, but it was like bonsai Tetris!
On Thursday morning I caught the 7.30am boat to Scotland. Here’s the view pulling out of Belfast harbour and the sun rising over County Down. A good omen for the weekend perhaps.
I made it to Bury by 2.30pm and met up with Tony and a few of the early arrivers. A few beers to start and then we had some unloading of stands to do at the venue. Once done, I managed to catch the Northern Ireland Vs Greece match, and with the aid of alcohol, had a great night watching the Green White Army qualify for the Euros for the first time. After a sleepless night in Burrs, don’t ask, I made my way to the the venue on Friday morning along with the rest of the ‘Special Branch’ helpers for the weekend. These guys deserve every bit of credit for the work put in over the weekend. Many were Wirral and Akamatsu club members but some had come from other parts, including myself, just to make this event happen. Work commenced on the staging.
As the finishing touches were being made many of the exhibits had arrived and were being photographed by a professional photographer. I did a little last minute prep to my tree and the other two I had brought belonging to friends, and got in the queue for the snaps. Will ‘I’m Will Baddeley’ Baddeley was in front of me with the tree that went on to win the Sonderpris.
My trees turn
Then Josh’s Contorted Hazel
followed by Stephen’s Raft Maple
Three of the main guys shown here. All worked tirelessly for months to get this to this point. Tony Tickle the front man and Terry Foster and Dave Barlow working away in the background in more ways than one.
Finally the exhibits were installed, the trade stands completed and everyone retired to the local beer houses of choice in anticipation of what was looking like a stunning display of trees.
Next post I’ll cover a chunk of the trees on display.
Back at Base
Back home and unpacked after a great time at Bonsai Europa. Many have already said their piece about how good it was, and I just want to echo that sentiment. Best exhibition I’ve been to, great team setting it up, good vibe about the show, loads of friends, old and new, trade stands from all over Europe, even Japan! If you live within 5 hours drive, love bonsai and missed it, you need your head read!
Well done Tony Tickle and Terry Foster who both did so much to make this happen. Both have probably been running around all day today getting everything squared away, the work no one sees. Thanks for driving this event for the last 2 years. Gold stars all round.
Already looking forward to 2017.
Tony the front man and Terry and Dave work away quietly in the background 🙂
It’s Over
This is the work no one sees, 1 1/2 hours after the doors shut the Special Branch are still hard at work taking it all down.
Bonsai Europa Ready to Rock
That famous movie quote, if you build it, they will come. Well, it’s built, now it’s up to you.
I have supported this from the start, why wouldn’t I! The UK has been crying out for a high end exhibition and now we have a truely International event in a great location. Politics need to be put aside and support given or we’ll slip back into the Dark Ages once more.
Tony Tickle has done a wonderful job of putting this together with PR evident everywhere. I don’t see anyone else stepping up to the plate to do this. ( See what I did there, another basesball reference 🙂 ) now is the time for the bonsai community in the UK to get its collective finger out.
Tony gave me the grand title of Ambassador for Ireland and an T Shirt with that on it to wear 
If I’m willing to walk around the exhibition all day today wearing it, you should be willing to jump in a car and drive up for a look. We have close to 20 people from Ireland over with 4 trees exhibited. That’s an expensive bit of water to cross, I only wish I was a car drive away.
I look forward to the day ahead, seeing the stunning exhibition trees, trade stands from all over Europe and most importantly the friends I’ve made and have yet to make in this wonderful world of wee trees.
You’d think that would be my rant over, but I want to finish with the most important people in this, the 30 guys who knocked their pan in yesterday to build the bloody thing, a job well done. You know who you all are.
Hope to see you there today, come and say hello, I’m not hard to spot, I’m the eejit wearing that bloody T-shirt.
Bonsai Eejit 