Club History

The club was founded in 1993. Originally there was a single monthly meeting (in Sutton-in-Ashfield), this was soon increased at the request of the members to two meetings a month.

Many more formal clubs depend on demonstrations, talks and slideshows with occasional workshops. At Ashfield the emphasis is very much towards the informal and "hands on". Members regularly bring their own own material to meetings. The club caters for a wide range of experience in bonsai and welcomes new members. Advice is available from the more seasoned and creative members and we try to foster a relaxed, "family feel" with everyone having a say in the clubs affairs. Each year we invite one or two speakers of international fame to present to us, and we occasionally organise weekend workshops with well known bonsai personalties. Presently our meetings are held in the comfortable and spacious church hall at South Normanton and new members are always welcome.

In 2019 the club members will continue to exhibit at major exhibitions both at home and abroad, with trees enterred for the Swindon Winter Image show in February (where the club has also been invited to present a display stand), and at the Bonsai Expo in April.

Members will also be attending the Trophy Exhibition in Belgium in February, the Doncaster show in March and other shows throughout the year

Thursday 9 October 2014

Club night Thursday 2nd October 2014

Autumn is upon us, and the Ashfield massive gathered to undertake Autumnly tasks upon their bonsai.
A few pictures from the evening:

Mr Pitt's lovely Ben Hagen pine
Paul works on his Scot's pine
Wild thing Phil catches up on some light reading after tidying up his Azalea
Tony does a little wiring on a Juniper he's nursed back to health
Newly acquired Pyracantha has a little wire applied and a few tweaks
Mike thinning out his pine group
Paul and Chris snigger whilst Tombsy wonders who's let one slip
The Crazy Gang
Tombsy hides behind his lovely little Elm raft
Big Derek plays with his Cotton Easter
And finally.....Geoff with his hands under the table......again

Monday 22 September 2014

Annual Club show, September 2014

Another year passes by in the blink of an eye !
Thursday 18th September was the night of our annual show and there were plenty of  great trees on show.

Unfortunately the batteries in my camera died a death so I had to take the majority of the pictures shown below on my mobile phone.
My apologies for the crap quality.

Shohin Class

Paul's Cotoneaster
Ted's Trident,
Winner of Shohin Class
 Pauls Berberis
Derek hands Ted his award for Best Shohin










Trees competing for the David Oliver Memorial Shield


John's Deshojo maple
Peter's Crab apple
Ted's Trident maple
Winner of the David Oliver Memorial Shield
Chris's Hawthorn
Derek's White Pine
Derek's Juniper












Large Tree Class


Ted's White Pine
Paul's Scots Pine
Geoff's Japanese Larch
Winner of the Large Tree Class
Chris's Scot's Pine

Monday 7 July 2014

Bonsai For All, 6th July 2014

6 members of the Ashfield massive travelled to the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham for the Bonsai For All event yesterday.
The bonsai on display were generally a credit to the owners, some of the club displays were overcrowded but generally most trees were clean and well presented.
Many thanks to Kath & Malcolm Hughes and their helpers for organising the event.

Here are a few pictures of the Ashfield Bonsai Club members trees on display.

Dereks English Yew


Peters White Pine


Caz's Potentilla

Chris's Cedar

John's Azalea


John's Blackthorn
John's Hawthorn
John's Chinese Elm
John's English Yew

Tuesday 11 March 2014

Ashfield members trees displayed at the British Shohin Association event

4 members from Ashfield Bonsai Club travelled up to Willowbog Bonsai nursery for the 2014 British Shohin Association show.
Here are a few pictures of our trees.

Black pine
Elaeagnus
Zelkova
Cotoneaster
Chinese elm
Chojubai
Itoigawa Juniper
Black pine & Chinese Elm
Oriental Bittersweet & Chinese Elm
Black pine & Chojubai
Juniper, Zelkova & Elaeagnus
Japanese Maple