Last Saturday here at Willowbog Bonsai we staged our busiest monthly workshop so far.
With the knowledge that I would have both Caz and Scott to provide assistance we accepted twelve participants.
The day dawned bright and sunny, a lovely day in fact, although when the sun shines our studio rather rapidly becomes just too warm for most folk. At this stage though it was just pleasant and everyone remained quite attentive.
Antony had wisely picked the coolest spot as it began to get so warm that we had to call a premature end to the normal discussion period with which these workshop days begin.
Caz already having removed her jacket, fortunately she stop at that and divested no more clothing !!
About half the participants moved tables outside to enjoy the sunshine. Regular Gary working with young Scott on a Zelkova serrata.
Another regular, Terry, found the slightly cooler ” new greenhouse ” acceptable. It features a tinted roof so gets not so hot. Terry also had a Zelkova in for a light early prune.
Newest enthusiast to earn the much coveted title of ” Willowbogger ” is Norma, she attends just about every month and at the days end I saw her name first on the list for the June workshop. Norma had another of her garden centre Yews to work on as well as an interesting contorted hazel which, with a substantial short trunk, has lots of potential we think despite the somewhat problematic growth habit of the species.
We welcomed two completely new workshop participants to the day, Rowena and Dan. Caz spent quite a bit of time with them working through the trees that they brought along. We hoped to have sparked enough interest in our way of advancing bonsai that we see more of them in the future.
David, in the foreground, was on his second workshop with us and had a couple of spruce to work on. Several faces not making it into the photographic record, no least of which was Peter G. who took all these photos, many thanks Peter, as well as thanks to Caz and to Scott for their help. A tiring, but very enjoyable day, at least it was for me as I failed to make time to stop for a bite to eat ! I hope that everyone enjoyed their day as well as finding it rewarding, particularly in a bonsai sense.
