ACBS March Meeting: Natonal Bonsai Collection

Japanese maple of the National Collection in its spring colors

The photographs will speak for themselves at the ACBS March meeting when Mike shares slides of some of the trees from the National Bonsai Collection at the National Arboretum in Washington D.C.
Here's a brief rundown of items that were on exhibit at the time of the visit in March of 2011, and will be included in the slide show.

• The earlier (than N.E. Ohio) D.C. spring meant that several specimen maples were featured in the main courtyard, and they were just beginning to leaf out.  
• Several dormant deciduous trees allowed for an unobstructed view of their finely tapered trunks and branch structures.  
• A number of sizable and very old pines--one that dated to the 1600's and originally a gift to the United States from Japan-- were also on exhibit.   
• Trees by the legendary American Bonsai artist John Naka.  In particular Naka's famous forest planting that makes ample use of perspective was on display (see photo below).
• Tropical bonsai
• You'll be inspired by more abstract and "wild" tradition of the trees in the Chinese pavilion.  You instantly know you are in a different world. (see photo below)
• Also of interest to club members: photos of many remarkable, large-sized viewing stones and their custom-carved wooden stands.  

So don't miss the photos and discussion of these amazing and inspiring "big-league"e trees.

John Naka's famous forest

Exceptional Japanese maple just leafing out in March 2011

Dramatic Motion of Chinese trees

Jeff Carr of Staselwood Bonsai Discusses Soil, Pots, & Tree Qualites at February Meeting

ACBS enjoyed some in-depth discussions with Jeff Carr, well-known Ohio bonsai artist and owner of Staselwood Bonsai Studio  http://staselwoodbonsai.com/. In the past, Jeff has given the club some noteworthy lessons. In September 2010, Jeff's extreme bending demonstration was especially well received ( see post http://akroncantonbonsai.blogspot.com/2010/09/extreme-bending-by-jeff-carr.html).

Jeff Car of Staselwood Bonsai in Newark, Ohio

Jeff went into much detail about creating an effective soil mix for bonsai.  He talked about how it was important to keep in mind your needs when considering a mix.  First, there's the unpredictable Ohio weather. And there are also considerations about our life-styles.  Because most of us work full time, it may not be practical to expect to be able to water daily.  This piece of our daily routines translates into a mix that includes sufficient organic material, such as pine bark, into the the soil.  It allows us to care for our trees without having to do constant watering. He noted that due to this watering issue, he uses the same soil mix for nearly all of his trees.  Some of the ingredients Jeff talked about were the organic components.  He prefers pine bark mulch which he sifts to get an appropriate size and eliminate dust particles. For inorganic he likes to use material like haydite (fired shale) or forms of hydroponic fired clay. He also believes that sharp types of inorganic, such as grower size turkey grit, are important for both root development and good drainage.

Jeff discusses ways to improve ACBS trees from past shows

Jeff also discussed artistic qualities to consider when selecting a pot for a tree.  He discussed proper proportions of the trunk thickness with the thickness of a pot, as well as paying attention to the the direction of energy that the tree's movement displays.  Branches extending beyond the pot, as well as the front of the pot that is about the same size as the crown.  He also took time to discuss things to think about when choosing the color of shape of a pot: dark ones tend to look heavier, rounded ones tend to have a more "feminine" quality.

Jeff also took the time to make a brief study of pictures from our past shows, posted on our gallery site http://picasaweb.google.com/akroncantonbonsai    He pointed out issues to consider when placing a bonsai on a stand-- off center with the energy moving to the longer side.  He discussed pot arrangements that might improve the character of some trees, as well as other design issues, such as
older trees having more rounded crowns, and a rule of thumb on the direction that the crown faces: if the tree begins by bending to the left, the tree look more balanced if the crown bends to the left.

Thanks again to Jeff helping again to improve the skills of our club members.