We had an excellent and very productive workshop on Saturday, one of a regular series with Lee Verhorevoort. Quite a few members attended with various varieties of trees, so even if you don’t have a tree of that species, there is always something to be learnt, as Lee is a mine of information, happy to pass on his knowledge to anyone who cares to receive it. A great day which we all enjoyed. Plus an opportunity to look at some of Lee’s tempting sale trees, as well as stock up on soils and sundries, etc.
It is always a good opportunity to come to these workshops to learn, develop your trees, Lee is always looking ahead to help you get your tree to a show standard, even if you don’t want to show. Lee was also discussing the benefits of activated charcoal, although he stated still in the testing phases of using the material in his soil compositions, always interesting hearing what is in the development stage.
Massive thank you to David Cheshire for visiting our December meeting. Not only did David provide retail therapy to club members; he also provided a short discussion on his bonsai philosophy and some of the techniques he has been developing inline with his approach for a more natural bonsai aesthetic. Our members got a great deal from his thoughts and observations.
Two lovely pots donated by the master potter…….. Dan Barton, to be included with other prizes in the raffle to be held at the Swindon ‘Winter Image’ show on Sunday the 15th Feb 2026. Two pots that would grace any collection. Tickets for the raffle will be available on the day, being sold at the entry tables and around the halls, so make sure that you get yours. Draw will be about 2pm in the main hall. £1 a ticket. A huge thanks to Dan & Ci
John Armitage, well known in bonsai circles, will as part of the Mame/Shohin exhibition be doing a demonstration during the day with this tree. This is in the fitness room, during the Swindon ‘Winter Image’ show on Sunday the 15th February 2026. https://swindon-bonsai.co.uk/2025/11/19/new-for-the-2026-swindon-winter-image-show/ At the conclusion of the demo/workshop he will be donating this tree to the raffle.
Twickenham Bonsai Club was founded in 2019 with just a few members and has flourished to a membership of around fifty.
This is the fifth show the club has put on, a combination of both summer & winter shows. Each club member was invited to display three trees, and as more trees were put forward than the club had room for, a selection process had to take place.
It was great to see such positive engagement by all their club members, and year on year the standard of their trees continues to develop, and it was a pleasure to attend their show today.
A visitor vote for the best tree is used, also the winning trees from the previous summer show were invited back for second display (but excluded from voting this show).
The winners of the public vote were Liz with her Acer palmatum ‘Shishigashira’ in 3rd place, Mark with his Acer palmatum ‘Arakawa’ in 2nd place and Terry with his Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Boulevard’ in 1st place. Tina Todd was also presented by Tony Peter Ulatowski with the RHS medal for all her contributions to the bonsai club.
The show was a buzz with lots of visitors plus conversation and activity with club members working on their trees. Mark was building a double tier Japanese Larch forest which looked great.
The venue is ideal for a bonsai club show being spacious and well lit too. They even had a food catering truck provided by Jason Fisher this year, their own club sales and traders including Nick Payne of Springwood Ceramics, Neil Hutchings of Devon Bonsai Nursery, Vinay Rathore of Toko-en Bonsai and Stuart Beresford.
As a club they are always progressive and this year have compiled a book of their 2025 club newsletters which are very informative and it is a first which will be available to purchase from the club later this year. They also have partnered with Over Rock where you can purchase Twickenham Bonsai Club merchandise from Over Rock’s website.
Here are all the trees used in the show as well as some photos’ from the British Shohin Bonsai Co-operative and the UK Bonsai Group exhibition, talk and demo held in the fitness room at the centre on Sunday the 15th February 2026. Thanks to Andy and Mandy for the pictures. [click to enlarge the photo]……..
This year was again a fantastic year for our Swindon Winter Image show and we had a great number of visitors who all got to enjoy not only the bonsai displays but also the shopping opportunities from our traders. Traders included Gordon Duffett, Graham of Dragonfly bonsai pots, Tony Remmington, Simon of Suteki, Wallsall Studio Ceramics, John Trott of Mendip Bonsai, Windybank Bonsai, China Mist, Greenwood Bonsai Studios, Chris Thomas, Dan Butler, LV Bonsai, Zacs bonsai, Dan Baron Esoteric pots. A great day was had by all, thank you for your continued support for our show.
This year we were fortunate enough to have the pleasure of John Armitage on behalf of the British Shohin Cooperative providing a talk and demomstration on Shohin and styling a shohin Juniper. It was a resounding success with standing room only in the room while John talked and worked his magic on styling the juniper. John later donated the tree to our raffle. Everyone enjoyed seeing the mini bonsai displays which looked incredible. Thank you to Mark Moreland of UKBA and Gary Careford from the British Shohin Cooperative for putting on this display at our show.
This year we had nine visiting bonsai clubs and societies including Ashfield, Bristol, Eastleigh, Glynderi, Newbury, Splinter Group, Surrey Heath, Twickenham and Warminster. They each put on fabulous displays of their club members trees for the enjoyment of everyone and thank you for your continued support at our show.
One of the displays that was really captivating at our winter image show was a display of ancient trees within a landscape setting. It has been in the making for over 6 years by the owner who hand crafted the fences and working gate as well as developed and styled the trees. This was for anyone who loves ancient and veteran trees in nature albeit in miniature in a bonsai form. It showcases some of the traditional tree management techniques of pollarding and coppicing which have shaped the way some of our old trees look today. For more information on ancient and veteran trees visit the ancient tree forum.
Bigger and better was the billing for this year‘s Bonsai fest at Newark. With the promise of a bigger hall and even more traders, the 6:30am start from Swindon felt a little less painful. It was nice to be chauffeured again this year by Neve, on the second half of the three hour plus drive and there was plenty of time to talk repotting and discussing what was to be purchased given the chance at the show.
We arrived after the queue had died down and there were already lots of people coming out of the show with their purchases and the FOMO kicked in a little. [Fear Of Missing Out]
First port of call was the extensive sales area with a wide mix of professional growers nurseries, alongside many YouTubers and Private sellers. The central location meant there were those coming down from Scotland and across the north as well as many of the Midlands and London traders too.
There was almost too much to choose from, as club members with our profits from the Swindon sales table at the Winter Image Show…….. in hand we headed off. Pots a plenty with lots of work from the established potters and some new guys on the scene made for some difficult choices.
There was plenty of development material from the hobbyists with collected Yamadori and homegrown starter material at reasonable prices and the established traders selling some beautiful trees, plenty to suit every budget there were already a few trees heading back to the car after our initial walk round.
A fantastic demonstration by Caz Bonsai was on offer for those less inclined to look for the bargains and a new talent competition was also running with some stunning trees being produced and an opportunity to see a tree styled over a few hours.
After the money was spent it was time to look at the show trees with amazing quality on offer including trees from Corin, Caz Bonsai, Tony Tickle and Mark/Ritta Cooper. Plenty of stunning winter images and a spattering of spring colour made for a high-quality range of displays, with Mark and Ritta bagging best in show. There was an opportunity to talk with some of the exhibitors and a good discussion with Tony Tickle for some.
Taking over from The now defunct Doncaster Bonsai Experience that was held at Markham Grange, Bonsai Fest seems to have grown nicely to fill this gap. A show heavily weighted towards traders, provides an opportunity for those buyers looking increase the collection, and those hobbyist growing to sell on a good opportunity in a central location.
With a few Swindon members making the trip this year, it may be one to think about putting in your calendar for next year. Worth getting yourself a driver so you can have a little doze in the car on the way back after all the excitement
Cracking club workshop with Chris Thomas at Swindon Bonsai Society today. A nice group of members attended and there was plenty of advice and work undertaken by Chris on members trees as well as lots of time for members to work on their own trees. As ever having the expertise and skills of Chris’s carving set club members up to continue work he started on their trees. Advice to anyone who has never done a workshop is to join a club and get on a workshop or grab the pocket money and see what’s about locally from the Bonsai professionals.
The bonsai club’s April meeting drew an excellent turnout, with members enjoying an engaging evening of discussion, and seasonal tree care advice. Attendees shared progress on their own trees, exchanged tips on pruning and repotting, and admired a varied display of bonsai brought along for discussion. The friendly atmosphere and strong attendance reflected the growing enthusiasm within the club, making it one of the most successful enjoyable evening for everyone.
If you wish to sell at the fayre, make sure you book a pitch early. Setup is early or even the night before……… then gates open to the public at 9am. For those that haven’t been before it’s a lovely setting, situated up near to the Westbury White Horse on the hillside. Refreshments available on site and opposite [across the track] at the cafe.
On Saturday the 6th June, the BCSS Wiltshire Branch hold their annual Cacti and Succulent show at Melksham Assembly Hall, Market Place, Melksham SN12 6ES, only £1 entry………. 11am – 15.30. Warminster Bonsai club will have a display of bonsai trees. A great chance to pick up some lovely plants.
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On Sunday the 7th June it’s the Bristol Bonsai Society show at Failand Village hall, Oxhouse Lane, Failand, Bristol BS8 3TS [South West of Bristol]
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Then on Sunday the 14th June, the Swindon Society will have a marquee display of trees at the Shilton Open gardens. South East of Burford, Oxfordshire. 2pm – 4pm. Many lovely gardens, large and small, open for visitors in the delightful Cotswold village of Shilton. This has been a very popular annual event for more than forty years.
There will be a Bonsai exhibition, and in the church, floral displays and organ recitals.
Homemade cakes and cream teas in the Old School village hall.
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On Sunday the 21st June sees the Blackmore Vale Bonsai Group show, Charlton Remembrance Hall, Charlton, Shaftsbury, Dorset. SP7 0PL. Adm:£4.00 -16s Free. Times:11:00-15:00. Refreshments Free
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On Sunday the 26th July it’s the Staverton Group Bonsai Boot Fayre, Long River Farm, Westbury, BA13 3ED From 9am
What a fun day, informative, creative and social learning about the art of accents and kusamono with Ritta and Mark Cooper.
Their extensive knowledge of bonsai, Japan and showing bonsai was incredibly useful explaining the key principles of what accents are, how to use and create them and what are the main considerations and concepts behind them.
After the morning presentation and discussion, Ritta then did a demonstration of how to put together both a mixed accent planting and a kusamono. Then it was our turn to have a go and get creative.
Everyone had bought in a wide range of plants, pots and moss and got stuck in after lunch to selecting, potting up and mossing their creations. We had a lovely surprise as Zelijko and his wife Ivana joined us for the afternoon and it was so lovely to see them again.
We used keto tsuchi as the main soil to bind the planting together to help the placement and topped the pot up with a finer Akadama dust then top dressed with moss to stop any soil showing.
The types of plants used included grasses like Blood grass (Imperata cylindrica), Hakonechloa Japanese forest grass, Carex (sedges), Ophiopogon both the black and green forms.
Equisetum Scirpoides: miniature mare’s tail, Miscanthus and Leptinella Plants.
Ferns were also used and could include, Davallia spp. (Davallia ferns), Asplenium trichomanes (maidenhair fern) and Pyrrosia ferns.
The flowering Plants could include Saxifrage Dianthus (carnation), Phlox, Viola, Daisy, Thymes, Bugle, Leptinella, Mini hosta, Persicaria capitatum, Houttuynia cordata, and Sisyrinchium. Try to find dwarf or miniature varieties though.
Succulents are used to and the key thing to remember for mixed planting is to try to use plants that all like the same conditions. Fortuitously Ritta had bought a range of suitable plants, pots and keto for us to buy if we needed.
In summary an accent planting (or shitakusa) for a bonsai display is a companion piece that reflects the season, scale, and habitat of the main tree. It should not extend higher than the bonsai table the main tree sits upon.
It should be harmonious in proportion, have seasonal appropriateness, contrasting shape, and use natural or aesthetically pleasing container.
Everyone made a range of amazing shitakusa and kusamono, it was a lively and inspirational day.
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