Well Bonsai Christmas in Cork has passed for another few months. All the excitement packed away into the back off Phil’s van back up to Belfast. The build up to this workshop felt like it lasted forever, and of course the weekend just flew. There was so much anticipation on the run up the our workshop it was hard for it not to drag. But the wait was more than worth it.
Ian and Phil drove the long journey down from the Belfast to get us started on Friday night. The lads began with setting up the room with loads of bonsai goodies.
I have put up my own photos taken during the two days, and some from Ian, Ray, and Piotr. Hope ye dont mind lads 🙂
Ian having a quiet moment to himself
Phil sorting the tables
Everything from trees, soil mix, pots, tools, wire and even bonsai magazines.
Then the club assembled for the start of two days of everything bonsai.
I arrived late from work and didnt hear the end of it till i was going home on sat 🙂
What time do you call this?
There was a critique on club members trees and a demonstration on a pine the lads brought down from the north.
Mark and Peter look for styling options with the tree.
After the pine was fully wired by Phil, we were asked for our own interpretation on what way the tree should be styled.
We all got a chance to demonstrate our artistic side and draw what we thought, and stick it in the pot.
Phil goes to work
And shows us multitasking
It turned out everyone had a different interpretation. Even the way the tree ended up none of us had before hand envisaged.
Just to sit there listen was enough. I had a smile on my face that a slap of a pineapple wouldn’t remove. But the second day came where things were getting serious. Where we had to bring our own trees and work on them. This is a great way to learn new techniques and skills that are just difficult to read from a book. At first everyone introduced there tree and gave a brief history on it.
Marks Larch
Peters 5 needle pine
Rays Big Pine
Matt’s Lonicera
Piotrs Yew
My Hinoki
Than Ian and Phil looked over it and asked us what we wanted from the tree today. I must say there was such a variation of stuff it was great to get such a vast spread of trees in one room.
After the evaluation we sat at our benches and began to work. What a great experience.
Ian and Mark working on Mark’s Larch
Ray with the pine
Phil just cant wait to bend this beauty
Matt and Peter working hard
Piotr grafting away with his yew
Me with my chopped hinoki
Group shot
Ray with his pine
Ian and Piotr
I had decided to work on my hinoki cypress which i have been looking at on my bench for two years unknowing what to do with it. It didn’t take long before the lads gave me the encouragment i needed to start cutting.
I cut a branch which i was determining to remove for two years in two seconds.
The lads helped with decision on wiring and Ian got well involved, to the point i thought it was going in the back of the van to belfast as well 🙂 I was so impressed with the finished product. Even though its just the beginning of this trees life as a bonsai.
Some before and afters
Peters 5 needle pine before
And After
Matt’s Lonicera before
And after
My Hinoki Cypress before
And after
Piotr’s Yew before
And after
Ray’s Big Pine after
Mark’s Larch after
Everyone worked on one or more trees that day. And everyone came away with something. I must say i thought it was a great two days,and i must say a massive thank you to Ian and Phil for the long journey, and all the help and advice over the two days. Well done lads, you have just helped the bonsai addiction reach epidemic proportions for us down here in the Munster Bonsai Club.
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