HelpfulGardener.com

This sticky thread has been slowing a bit - let's let our readers know what the bonsai clubs are doing during the busy growing (and showing) season.

Mohawk Valley Bonsai Club in Utica, NY is but 6 years old this month. It is moving beyond infancy and 'kindergarten' and into first grade.

For the first time we will be participating in our regional Summer Arts Festival at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute with a bonsai exhibit on July 2nd-3rd. Demo's will be offered both days.

Location is on Genesee Street between downtown and Oneida Square. Sidewalk art displays, sculpture, music, food vendors, classic car show, children's activities, and oh yes - BONSAI.

See more at www.mvbonsai.com & www.mwpai.org

Hope to see you there!

Mohawk Valley Bonsai Club - Annual picnic and silent auction.
Sunday July 10th 12 noon - 4pm
Ilion Marina Pavilion - located canalside near the intersections of Routes 5, 51 and 5S on the southern edge of Ilion, NY. See the large flagpoles.
Free and open to the public. BYO beverage (non-alc.) and a 'dish-to-share'.
This event is the main fund-raiser for the club's annual programs.
Donations of bonsai or gardening items for auction greatly appreciated.
The silent auction begins around 1pm and continues until everything is sold.
For additional details or contact info see the July newsletter at -
www.mvbonsai.com

MHBS - Capital District will host world class bonsai artist, Suthin, at 10AM Sunday July 31 at PFM Bonsai Studio in West Charlton, NY. He will be lecturing on and working with Shimpaku juniper. A raffle will take place at the close of the demonstration.

Program is free & open to the public. Workshop following a lunch break. More details at https://www.pfmbonsai.com/newsletters/July_2011_TWIG.pdf

Bill Valavanis celebrates the big Six - O with a 2-day open house.
Sep 3rd-4th at his International Bonsai Arboretum in West Henrietta, NY.
Advanced bonsai techniques demonstrations by Bill V. and Harvey Carapella. Free and open to bonsai friends and groups. Quality bonsai on display and for sale. More info at https://www.internationalbonsai.com/

Bonsai Society of Upstate New York sponsored a 2-day bus trip last weekend. The purpose was to visit (and shop at) three totally awesome bonsai nurseries in the Boston area and a guided tour of the Larz Anderson collection, Arnold Arboretum at Harvard.

For serious bonsai junkies, like me, it was heaven. Club members got the 'royal treatment'.

Links to Bill Valavanis' report & photos, and pics from another member follow -
https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t7378-bonsai-society-of-upstate-ny-bus-trip

the second set of pics from our Boston Tree Party -
https://www.seehere.com/jdolce/Boston%20Tree%20Party

It truly was a terrific experience. Our clubs are warm, friendly & Inclusive.

Long live our bonsai clubs!!!

34th Annual Mid-America Bonsai Show and Sale

Sponsored by Midwest Bonsai Society

Aug 19-21, 2011
Chicago Botanic Garden
100 plus trees on display
Workshops
Vendor areas in 2 courtyards
Botanic Garden collection of trees shown in center of both courtyards

Learn more at - https://midwestbonsai.org/augustshow.html

August 27-28th Santa Rosa
Redwood Empire Bonsai Show & Sale
200 trees on display
Large vendor area, plus member sales, raffle, silent auction
Demonstrations by Kathy Shaner both days at 1:30
details here - https://www.rebsbonsai.org/annual%20show.html

Mohawk Valley Bonsai Club - Utica, NY.

Sat Aug 20, 10AM at the U-U Church of Utica.

Guest Marc Arpag, of Rochester, will lead a program on San Jose juniper with a lecture and demonstration. Free and open to the public. Following a break for lunch Marc will conduct a workshop (for eight club members) using the same juniper material provided by Jim Doyle / Nature's Way in Harrisburg, PA.

This annual guest program at MVBC has previously provided our membership and local community with classes, lectures and workshops with Pauline Muth, William Valavanis, and Ted Matson and it will continue to enhance our bonsai experience.

I got two hits (out of google) for Ohioan bonsai clubs. Lets wait & see whats under the two enquireies I made.

My local (Albany OH) indpendent fair does not have, nor does the Athen's state fair have a bonsai category.

Getting mine judged, isn't a really burning issue in my breast, but I'll suffer the indignity, in order to bring my hobby up to the general public.

tomc - I haven't seen bonsai exhibits at fairs, haven't looked I guess, even though our New York State Fair is in nearby Syracuse. Local club shows keep me busy through September and the fair is around Labor Day as well.

For clubs in Ohio you should check out the American Bonsai Society listing here - https://absbonsai.org/bonsai-club-directory/usa#OH
and also the Bonsai Clubs International listings.

In Ohio you will also find Frank Mahalic at Wildwood Gardens (see him on google)
and (I highly recommend) Dale Cochoy of Wild Things Bonsai and at the Brandywine Bonsai Society site. His pots are fabulous, the very best in my collection! AND he's such a cool dude.

MILWAUKEE BONSAI SOCIETY
41st Annual Exhibit

Sep 16-18 at Boerner Botanical Garden - Education & Visitor Center
9400 Boerner Drive, Hales Corners

Guest Bonsai Artist Suthin Sokosolvisit

Friday 6-8PM opening reception
critique and demonstrations Sat & Sun 10-5pm

MOHAWK VALLEY BONSAI CLUB will conduct its first 'BONSAI SEARCH PARTY' Sat Sep 10th at George's Nursery on Kirkland Ave., Clinton, NY just off Route 5 (Seneca Turnpike).

Club members, friends and guests will gather at 12 noon to begin the 'search & rescue' for good potential material for future bonsai. As we know bonsai material does not need to start out as prime grade-a landscape specimens, but rather is often found to be the forlorn, neglected, perhaps broken cast-off materials that others have passed by in the back corners of the nursery. Treasures, jewels and good bargains await us. Late Summer/Fall specials beckon us. This will be great fun. MUGO PINE, JAPANESE MAPLE, COTONEASTER , JUNIPERS - the list goes on.

Then, in October, we will bring our new acquisitions to our next club meeting for an Open Workshop to get expert advice and perhaps some seasonally appropriate work with these future masterpieces. We've talked about this when planning club activities - and now we're doing it.

Who says bonsai is not fun? Make it fun. Advance your bonsai skills with other folks who enjoy it the way you do. Not happy with the local club? Start a new one. We did it - and we're having a blast!! AND a bit of notice too.

The Indianapolis Bonsai Club will have its annual fundraisier soon.

Join us this September 7th for the Annual “Members Onlyâ€

Phipps Conservatory is hosting several workshops in the upcoming weeks. The restyling event, October, 22, seems the most interesting to me.

https://phipps.conservatory.org/classes-and-programs/adult-programs/noncertificate-courses.aspx

Norm

Two shows by clubs in Syracuse & Albany regions -

BONSAI CLUB OF CENTRAL NY
Annual Bonsai Show & Sale.
Sep 10-11 at the Liverpool Public Library. Free and open to the public. Sales area, demonstrations and raffle. Bring in your tree for advice.


MOHAWK HUDSON BONSAI SOCIETY
Annual Bonsai & Ikebana Show.
Sep 17-18 at the Saratoga Springs Arts Center - on Broadway. Enjoy a festival of Japanese Arts. Vendors and demonstrations both days. Free and open to the public. Bring your bonsai in for advice.

Mohawk Hudson Bonsai Society will host California bonsai artist Boon Manakitivipart Sunday Sep 25 at PFM Bonsai Studio in West Charlton, NY.

9AM-12 'bring-your-own-tree' workshop Fee is $50 limited to 8.
Registration by email - pauline@pfmbonsai.com
Silent observers welcome at this workshop.

After lunch Boon will offer a demonstration on a club provided tree introducing us to the first steps in bonsai design. The demo tree will be raffled "members only", but new people are welcome to attend.

Learn more at https://us.mg5.mail.yahoo.com/neo/launch?.rand=5llgq3rdb7el2

Carolina Bonsai Expo 2011 - a unique bonsai event in the USA
October 8-9 at the North Carolina Arboretum, Asheville, NC.

16 clubs from 6 states will put on a display of bonsai. Guest artist Walter Pall.
10 vendors, several workshops/lectures, critique available.

Additional info here -
https://www.ncarboretum.org/plan-a-visit/events/carolina-bonsai-expo

GOLDEN STATE BONSAI FEDERATION CONVENTION XXXIV

Oct 27-30
Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, 3400 Market Street, Riverside, CA.
Headliners - Kathy Shaner, Ryan Neal, Roy Nagatoshi, Pedro Morales
Demonstrations, seminars, critiques, workshops, benefit drawings, vendors and more.

Registration form at - https://www.gsbfconvention.org/Reg_PDF/2011Registrationpage3.pdf

CAPITOL CITY BONSAI SHOW
Oct 22-23 at the Shepard Garden and Arts Center
3330 McKinley Blvd. Sacramento, Ca.
Sponsored by 4 area bonsai clubs. Demos at 1:30 both days followed by special bonsai raffles.
Vendor and club sales areas.
For more info contact Gary Judd juddbonsai@att.net or call 916/622-8048

C'mon everyone - it's getting lonely here. I know that some of you are into the club scene, bonsai clubs of course.

Why not share your club notices with your buddies here; shows, exhibits, special programs, whatever is going on in your community.

Kicking off the New Year in Bunnell Florida - along the Palm Coast region

JOY OF BONSAI 2012
Jan 13-15
Flagler County Extension Office
150 Sawgrass Road, Bunnell, FL 32113
KAWA BONSAI SOCIETY

Workshops with Suthin Sukosolvisit (Sageretia theezans - Chinese Sweet Plum shohin bonsai)
and more with Robb Addonizo, Mike Cartrett, and Mike Rogers

Sorry Tom.
Glad you pointed out the problem - though I get in every time and stay permanently logged in.
Here's the direct link to the local bonsai society -
https://kawabonsai.com/

FREE CLINIC FOR NEW BONSAI OWNERS

Bonsai Club of Central New York will conduct their annual clinic Wed. January 11, 7:30 PM at the Pitcher Hill Community Church, 605 Bailey Road, North Syracuse, NY.

This is not our regular club meeting. It is open to anyone who received a bonsai as a holiday gift, or otherwise is new to bonsai, and does not know where to begin. Bring your trees in for advice. Tropicals (indoor bonsai) can be carried in picnic coolers for protection. Hardy trees can be brought inside for the clinic and returned to their cold storage and dormancy.

BCCNY members and prospective members are also invited. Additional info at
https://sites.google.com/site/cnybonsai/

OK - got to kickstart 2012!

Locally we have the bonsai program up on the hill - Hamilton College in Clinton, NY, with William Valavanis - coming up Feb 18th. It was discussed earlier.

Next up is -

Mohawk Valley Bonsai Club (Utica) meets Mar 10th 12 Noon at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 10 Higby Road. David Alexander will give a BONSAI Q&A while he re-wires a larch. We will also be placing orders from the Spring Seedling & Pre-bonsai sales sheets from Mr. Valavanis's International Bonsai.

More about our club at https://www.mvbonsai.com/

STYLING CLASS WITH RYAN NEAL
Thursday March 8, 2012 9:30am-5pm at Nature's Way Nursery Harrisburg, PA
Jim Doyle brings Ryan Neal to Nature's Way.
Limited space available - for cost & details see -
https://www.natureswaybonsai.com/
Observer positions are offered - preregister please.

Hope to see you there!

One of our club members put up a slide show of the Bill Valavanis bonsai lecture & demonstration that we had last month at Hamilton College.

Click on each individual image -
https://www.hamilton.edu/arboretum/the-art-of-bonsai

Here's our March 10 club meeting photos. Our young President leads the program - wiring one of his larch trees, a rather unusual triple-trunk.

Also on the demo table is a boxwood and a hornbeam that we took turns defoliating. Dave encouraged us to participate and get a little hands-on experience with both the wiring and snipping last year's leaves (as hornbeam leaves tend to remain on through the Winter months).

https://www.mvbonsai.com/index.php?page=Photos

Questions and comments welcome. This sticky is for EVERYONE.
Please, if you have any announcements concerning bonsai club activities, programs, exhibits, etc. we want you to share them with your friends here. Get the word out. The bonsai community is open to all.

I've been flipping back through this sticky. Started it about one year ago. 45 replies and over 7,500 views but it has not achieved its goal. It's all me and that was not the intent. This should not be about me and my clubs.

I could continue to tell you what we are doing at the April meeting, what's coming up at the National Exhibition in June or next September at the American Bonsai Society conference in Saratoga Springs. BUT I'm a lone voice here. Is no one else participating in bonsai club activities? Don't want to talk about it? Share?

Here's the link to the Four Seasons Bonsai Club in Michigan -
https://www.fourseasonsbonsai.com/
Check their activities calendar for current programs.

OK - next meeting of Mohawk Valley Bonsai Club, Utica, NY is this Saturday April 14. See https://www.mvbonsai.com/ for time/location details. It will be a re-potting session with club president Dave. Pots, bonsai soil, wire and plastic mesh will be available.

We will also begin preparing for our upcoming Spring Bonsai Show at the Kirkland Art Center in Clinton, NY.

BONSAI EXHIBIT BY THE BONSAI SOCIETY OF PORTLAND (Oregon)
May 19-20 at the Portland Japanese Garden
10 AM-6 PM in the Garden Pavilion.
https://www.portlandbonsai.org/

well I guess I can help a little.there is a show and plant sale at the buffalo erie botanical gardens may 19-20 it is a small show and plant sale mostly garden plants tho.there is also the 2012 national exabition at the fair and expo center 2695 east henrietta rd. rochester,ny june 9-10 can't wait for this one !!!
the reason I don't share much is that after sitting in on a few demos in the buffalo chapter and being snubnosed by the old farts that run the show I decided to go at it on my own.I have delt with the rochester branch on a few occations and they are a great bunch of guys I had a great conversation with bill valavanis last time and he showed me all of his spectacualar suiseki stones,but its a 2 hour drive to rochester which makes it hard to make meetings.I'm going to see this year if my chapter is a little more welcoming at the show in may,but only time will tell

Hey Man - thanks for posting your activities in Buffalo.
FYI - there is also this other group, don't know if you are aware -
https://bonsaiinbuffalo.com/

In any case there are a lot of activities coming up in May throughout Upstate NY, including a club show in Rochester - home club for Bill Valavanis, a good friend and mentor for our club in Utica. I'll list them in separate posts, and of course, the U.S. NATIONAL Bonsai Exhibition will be covered. BTW - a two hour drive is well worth the time for this level of quality bonsai.

Thanks again.

MOHAWK HUDSON BONSAI SOCIETY 44th Annual Bonsai Show at the Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY - Broadway at Congress Park. May 5-6, Sat 10-5 and Sun 10-4, free admission and open to the public. Demos and sales tables.

MOHAWK VALLEY BONSAI CLUB - Utica 5th Annual Spring Bonsai Show May 19-20, 10 -4, at the Kirkland Art Center, 9 1/2 East Park Row, Clinton, NY. Demonstrations at noon on Saturday & 1 PM Sunday by David Alexander. Demo tree(s) will be raffled. Sales tables. Free and open to the public.
Info at www.mvbonsai.com

Deep Cut Bonsai Society Will Be Part Of The Deep Cut Gardens Monmouth County Park System Open House In Middletown N.J. On Sunday June 10 From 10 AM To 3 PM. We Will Be Working On Our Own Trees As An On Going Demostration Plus The Parks Bonsai . There Will Be Other Regular Activities By The Park System And Other Clubs And Volunteers.www.deepcutbonsaiclub.org