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

Monday 27 June 2011

Mansai-en, The Kato family nursery

This was the first nursery we visited on the first full day of our trip to Japan last year.
So these were the first trees we saw.....mindblowing



 Cryptomeria, group planting on slab
 John & Mike stand aghast....notice Johnny boys shoplifting coat !!
 Unknown variety
 Apricot
 Japanese White Pine
 Japanese White Pine
 Juniper twisted live vein & shari
 Mr Pitt partaking refreshments....the shoplifting coat came in handy ;-)
 Group & Rock plantings
 So many beautiful trees !!
 Awesome Maple
Where do you look next, which way do you turn ?

Friday 17 June 2011

Welcome 2 new followers.

Welcome Jani and Saru,
Thanks for joining us and for your support.
Saru does this mean I have to stop posting uncompromising shots of you now or is freedom of the press still allowed ?

Tuesday 7 June 2011

Have we mentioned before that some of us went to Japan.....over a year ago !

Sad git that I am, every now and then I find myself straying to my bonsai porn stash....my pictures of our trip to Japan in Feb 2010.
Here are a few pictures from the Green Club sales area which is a short bus ride, or a fairly long walk (we just couldn't wait for the bus) from where the Kokofu Show is held.


Pete Warren showing us his Steptoe impersonation









 One of the sellers, I think this geezer thought I was trying to pull him!









 Fabulous bonsai everywhere the eye can see









These were some of the trees that Pete Warren and his Senpai Akiyama Minoru had for sale on their stands









 Beautiful pine









 Acer palmatum









 Juniper











Yours truly teasing Pete (Sherlock) Warren whilst Akiyama Minoru trys not to belly laugh at the hilarity of it all.
Seriously our trip wouldn't have been what is was without Pete's help, he opened many doors for us and took time out of his busy schedule to show us around and help us.
As an aside, without him being around we may have died from starvation because we couldn't read a bloody menu !


A trip to Japan is a must for Bonsai lovers, if you go I recommend an organised trip around some of the Bonsai Nurserys as well as taking in one of the numerous exhibitions.....and you must visit the Green Club.....take a plentiful supply of tissues !
 What you will quickly realise is that:

a) The Japanese keep all the good stuff for themselves

and

b) There are NO inexpensive GOOD bonsai in Japan

Sunday 5 June 2011

Welcome to follower number 4

Welcome Ruben, thanks for joining us.

Thursday 2 June 2011

The "Late Late Winter Image Show" at Ashfield Bonsai Club

We've depressed ourselves so much over the last 2 months talking about our trees that died after the lowest winter temperatures that many of us can remember, minus 17-18 deg for the best part of 2 weeks.
So we decided to make light of the situation and have a laugh at ourselves.
We present for you the "Late Late Winter Image Show" at Ashfield Bonsai Club.

Here are a small selection of our "ex" bonsai:


 Trident Maple on rock
 Shohin Trident Maple
 Hawthorn
 Japanese White Pine
 Apricot
For good measure we threw a couple of live ones in !


 Satsuki Azalea
Shohin Zelkova











We're sure that we aren't the only club that has suffered major tree losses this year due to the extreme cold.
We just hope that we don't get any more winters like the one just passed.

A conservative estimate of losses, (dead trees), sustained by club members is currently at £25,000 and rising.....you win some...you lose some !