Page 73 - BSAM 2018 Q2

Being retired has allowed me the luxury of travelling more frequently, while being married has impacted the destinations. I have managed attendance at a few bonsai conventions and shows, but our travels have
generally been to locations warmer than Winnipeg, Canada and during winter in the northern hemisphere. We are committed (or should be!) gardeners, so that during our spring and summer months we are consumed with many horticultural activities at home. When living in Winnipeg, one learns to make productive use of every pleasant day. As such, it is difficult for me to justify travel to many large bonsai events and conventions during our growing season.
Regardless, there are approaches that one can take to make the most of their regular vacation travels, in terms of maximizing exposure to bonsai and bonsai appreciation. Some of these may not be obvious at first glance, so I’ll suggest some strategies.
Timing is everything.
We have taken two significant bus tours based out of London, England in May, and in both cases, timed it to be able to attend the Chelsea Flower Show a few days after the tour ended. My wife was as thrilled with all the displays, as I was with the bonsai. There were fewer bonsai displays the second time, but still wonderful. We also arranged to tour Kew Gardens during one trip, with its majestic trees and specialty gardens, and RHS Wisley Gardens during the other, including the bonsai walk and rock gardens there. We timed the latter visit for the day that the British Iris Show was underway, pleasing my wife to no end as well. As I stated, timing is everything, and maximizing it requires some research and planning.
Seeing is believing.
An aspect that can be invaluable for someone living on the Canadian prairies is to take advantage of simply viewing the local trees wherever you travel, with some preparation as to what the local species may be. It is insightful to look through dozens of bonsai books and videos, and to watch a master create wonderful specimens. However, creating something great must always begin with a vision; a vision of a scene or tree with character, and something real, not imaginary or on a screen. Nothing provides a basis for this better than actually seeing live examples of the types of trees and associated styles that you are attempting to create. I never felt a connection, a sense of understanding, to many styles of trees, until we travelled through Europe, and later the Caribbean, and gazed at ancient olive trees, at Umbrella pines, at massive ficus stands, and walked through rain forests in Australia. Then I understood what I was seeing in print and at shows.
It’s not that we don’t have many great examples of trees with character two hours away in the Canadian shield, and we have had many visiting artists provide excellent workshops. We can easily visualize and
Facing page; “Root on Rock” in Blue Mountains, near Sydney Australia
Top right; British Bonsai Federation exhibit, Chelsea Flower Show 2016
Middle; Bonsai Exhibition, Chelsea Flower Show
Bottom; An impressive pine near Killarney, Ireland
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