02Jul23 Sun
Surrey Heath Bonsai Show
Chobham Village Hall, Station Road, Chobham, Surrey. GU24 8AQ.
Over 20 members attended at various times during the day with the majority arriving to help set up and bringing trees along for the display.
A total of 60 trees of all types were on the display tables which included a section specifically for those newcomers who have not been involved with bonsai for long and designed to show to the public what can be achieved in s short space of time and with a little knowledge.
Single trees both large and small along with forests, mame displays and the usual delightful accent plants from MingChen were set out for the public to view.
With the extremes of temperature that bonsai enthusiasts have endured throughout the past 12 months causing the deaths of so many trees the range and quality of the trees was excellent.
Weather for the day was pleasant and not the 40 degrees that we were melting in last year so we were able to set up our sales area and demonstration tables outside. Tony McKenzie spent a long time working on a wonderful large cork bark elm which was in dire need of a prune and finished up looking superb and ready to burst back into life and onto its next stage of development.
Our Trader for the day was Collette Harrison who set up on the stage and had a most successful day selling both indoor and outdoor trees along with pots and other associated bonsai items.
An added attraction was a dedicated display by the International Saikei Association by both David Penny and Paul Eslinger. They put on a fantastic display which included a demonstration to the public during the afternoon.
We as a club are now pleased to become an Associated Club to the International Saikei Association and look forward to seeing them again in the future.
Once our main display was set up we opened the doors to the public at 10am with free entry and all attendees given a voting form so they could vote for their 3 favourite trees on display.
They were also asked to say how they found out about the show, and it was most interesting to note that most stated that seeing pre -placed posters and banners along with signs outside was their reason for attending.
The old saying about “The power of advertising” certainly proved its point on the day.
Our club shows in the past have always attracted between 80 – 100 visitors so with increased advertising we were blessed with 155 visitors through the doors which was fantastic and included visitors now wishing to join the club as new members.
Selling trees, pots and contributions from our teas, cakes and biscuits brought in a few pennies for the club but it was the showing to the public who we are and what we are about as the primary reason for having public shows.
At the end of the day when the voting slips were checked it was pleasing to note that so many different trees were picked by the public as their favourite tree which highlighted the fact that everyone’s view is different especially from those people who had never been to a bonsai show before.
3 trees attracted the majority of votes with only one point separating them.
In 3rd place with 100 points was a fabulous windswept small needle Scotts Pine.
In 2nd place with 101 points was a beautifully shaped Maple.
In 1st place with 102 points was a fantastic Cotoneaster sweeping over a rock.
The voting was so close that counting had to be checked a second time to make sure the tally was correct.
As Chairman I now look forward to working with the team and members in preparing for next years show.
Chris Rhodes
Chairman
Surrey Heath Bonsai Society.
Surrey Heath Bonsai Show
Chobham Village Hall, Station Road, Chobham, Surrey. GU24 8AQ.
Over 20 members attended at various times during the day with the majority arriving to help set up and bringing trees along for the display.
A total of 60 trees of all types were on the display tables which included a section specifically for those newcomers who have not been involved with bonsai for long and designed to show to the public what can be achieved in s short space of time and with a little knowledge.
Single trees both large and small along with forests, mame displays and the usual delightful accent plants from MingChen were set out for the public to view.
With the extremes of temperature that bonsai enthusiasts have endured throughout the past 12 months causing the deaths of so many trees the range and quality of the trees was excellent.
Weather for the day was pleasant and not the 40 degrees that we were melting in last year so we were able to set up our sales area and demonstration tables outside. Tony McKenzie spent a long time working on a wonderful large cork bark elm which was in dire need of a prune and finished up looking superb and ready to burst back into life and onto its next stage of development.
Our Trader for the day was Collette Harrison who set up on the stage and had a most successful day selling both indoor and outdoor trees along with pots and other associated bonsai items.
An added attraction was a dedicated display by the International Saikei Association by both David Penny and Paul Eslinger. They put on a fantastic display which included a demonstration to the public during the afternoon.
We as a club are now pleased to become an Associated Club to the International Saikei Association and look forward to seeing them again in the future.
Once our main display was set up we opened the doors to the public at 10am with free entry and all attendees given a voting form so they could vote for their 3 favourite trees on display.
They were also asked to say how they found out about the show, and it was most interesting to note that most stated that seeing pre -placed posters and banners along with signs outside was their reason for attending.
The old saying about “The power of advertising” certainly proved its point on the day.
Our club shows in the past have always attracted between 80 – 100 visitors so with increased advertising we were blessed with 155 visitors through the doors which was fantastic and included visitors now wishing to join the club as new members.
Selling trees, pots and contributions from our teas, cakes and biscuits brought in a few pennies for the club but it was the showing to the public who we are and what we are about as the primary reason for having public shows.
At the end of the day when the voting slips were checked it was pleasing to note that so many different trees were picked by the public as their favourite tree which highlighted the fact that everyone’s view is different especially from those people who had never been to a bonsai show before.
3 trees attracted the majority of votes with only one point separating them.
In 3rd place with 100 points was a fabulous windswept small needle Scotts Pine.
In 2nd place with 101 points was a beautifully shaped Maple.
In 1st place with 102 points was a fantastic Cotoneaster sweeping over a rock.
The voting was so close that counting had to be checked a second time to make sure the tally was correct.
As Chairman I now look forward to working with the team and members in preparing for next years show.
Chris Rhodes
Chairman
Surrey Heath Bonsai Society.
1st place with 102 points was a fantastic Cotoneaster sweeping over a rock.
2nd place with 101 points was a beautifully shaped Maple.
3rd place with 100 points was a fabulous windswept small needle Scotts Pine.
Club beginners section below
International Saikei Association displays and demonstrations
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