NEWSLETTER                                                                            Feb 2005

 TIME:    Every third Wednesday of the month, 7:30 pm (except July, Aug. and Dec.)  

PLACE:       Adult Recreation Centre - Corner of King and Allen Sts., Waterloo 

SUBJECT: Bonsai Shaping and Form

President’s Message

Hello everyone, the January tropical/poinsettia workshop went well. 

We managed to prune some poinsettias down to stumps and style some 

various other tropical trees. Thank you everyone, who braved the weather

and brought trees. Most of the executive positions have been filled and it just needs

a vote to get the new executive started! There were some great ideas for this years

club events, and with a healthy bank account, we have enough money to buy 

pots, books, and trees and plan trips. This month’s meeting will focus on the

basic shaping of a tree and how to maintain and improve the form of the tree 

as it matures into an older specimen. This is a lot to cover in one night! We will

look at the dos and don'ts of bonsai and examine the qualities of what makes

a tree great. It was nice to have a February thaw; it gave me a chance to refill my

indoor rain barrel, which was getting low on water. I place buckets under the leaves 

trough and fill the barrel one bucket at a time. The dog cage around my outdoor

trees is doing a great job of preventing the rabbits from pruning my trees this winter.

After many, many cloudy weeks we finally got a good spell of sunshine. The tropical

trees all breathed a sigh of relief and are going out of their dormant state. February 

is usually a good month for indoor trees in the windows as they benefit from the

longer sunny days, but watch they don't dry out. I usually have to water every second

day for the larger trees and every day for some of the smaller ones.

Everyone is invited to bring a tree to the meeting for discussion, display or to work on.

Nigel Saunders

Membership Fees- Doug Kuhn, our treasurer, would like to remind everyone that

 it is time to renew your membership. $20.00 per individual, $30.00 per family. 

 Upcoming Events

1.May 28-31, 2005 World Bonsai Convention - to be held in Washington D.C. 

Many international bonsai artists will speak and/or present workshops. There will be 

multiple exhibits including the 400-year-old Yamaki Pine. This is a four-day convention.

Workshop applications are available on line at www.wbff.org   

2.June 3,4&5, 2005 - Workshops with Brook Zhao (Qingquin Zhao) presented by

 the Guelph Bonsai Society. For more info contact June Brett (1-519-836-4487)

regarding the content and cost of the workshops. There will be a $50.00 deposit….

Nigel “highly recommends” this well-known bonsai artist’s book “Penjing Worlds of Wonderment’

published in 1997 by Venus Communications.

Spaces are limited for the workshops. Space for a small number of silent observers

 may also be available. Please note- the workshops are filling up.  Register as soon as possible.

 Package price: A package price for more than one program will be arranged if demand is sufficient.

 Indicate your interest and guarantee your place with a deposit of $50.00 per workshop;

the full cost of each workshop is $100.00

 Each workshop will be limited to 10-12 people.

 Friday, June 3, workshop 12-4 p.m.

Saturday, June 4, workshop12-4 p.m. (an additional Saturday morning workshop

may be arranged)

Sunday, June 5, workshop 12-4 p.m.

Demo $20.00 – Friday, June 3, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Building a Tray Landscape

You will need to supply your own tray, stones (start collecting) and plants.

Arrangements are being made for a stonecutter to be available to cut your stones to

 make ‘mountains’. (there will be a fee for this service).

There is the possibility of a group order of mica trays (Mary Ann says they are indestructible).

Ask for details when you register.

A banquet with Brook Zhao may be arranged on Sunday, June 05.

Registration- Information – June or Mary Ann, 519-836-4487

 Please Note: June and Mary Ann went to visit Brook Zhao in China. Mary Ann said his

work is beautiful and very distinctive.

Library- Nigel’s article about root pruning and Eldon’s article about potting, have been

consolidated in a binder and are available for borrowing. Every member will find this

information useful, but it is extraordinarily helpful for beginners.

Don’t forget to thank Dave Hooper, our librarian, for lugging in different selections

from the society’s very extensive library each month.

Tip- Michael Eckhardt uses raffia twine (available from most arts and crafts stores)

 to secure his trees to their pots. There is no wire to dig into the roots or your tender little pinkies.

 Lynn Howlett