Meetings And News
The Bonsai Society of Greater New Haven meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 7:30 PM. The regular meetings are held at the Edgerton Park Carriage House, 145 Edgehill Road, New Haven, CT. from September-November and January-June. The July / August meeting is a members' picnic and auction, and the December meeting is a members' holiday party. Occasionally, additional meetings are held to accommodate special guests and demonstrators. All regular meetings are free and open to the public.
CHECK IT OUT:Many bonsai enthusiasts also enjoy the stones that are often displayed along with bonsai. Called a variety of names (suiseki, gongshi, spirit stones, scholars' rocks, viewing stones, etc.), they are generally displayed on a stand called a dai or daiza. One of our members, Kathi Maisano, lists among her talents the making of daizas. If you have a stone that needs a stand or would like a different stand, you can see some of Kathi's work at her web site, The Daiza Diva.
SEPTEMBER 9, 2008: MEMBERS' 75-25 AUCTION
This is the meeting many of members look forward to. It's a chance to share their special creations, pots, rocks, and other bonsai materials with their fellow members in a way that benefits both the member and the Society. And it gives everyone a chance to acquire some wonderful plants and accessories at prices that are often too good to be true. It's a particularly opportune time for beginners to start or enhance their collections for a modest investment. At this auction seventy-five percent of the sale price of an item goes to the person who donates it and twenty-five percent goes to the club.
SEPTEMBER 21, 2009: SUNDAY IN THE PARK
On September 21st the Edgerton Park Conservancy will hold its annual festival at Edgerton Park in New Haven. There are a variety of activities for people of all ages. Our club will have a couple of tables set up so if you've ever been tempted to give bonsai a try but weren't sure it was for you, stop by the tables and talk to our members. They'll be glad to answer questions and share their experiences with this enticing art form.
OCTOBER 14, 2008: JULIAN ADAMS-CARE OF SCOTS AND OTHER PINES
Mr. Adams will be giving an illustrated lecture on the care of Scots and other pines. Pines are considered the royalty of bonsai, with the black pine and white pine the king and queen respectively. You don't want to miss this meeting.
You can read all about Julian Adams and his bonsai nursery at his web site, Adams' Bonsai.
OCTOBER 15, 2008: WORKSHOP WITH JULIAN ADAMS
On Wednesday evening Julian Adams will conduct a workshop for members of the club.
NOVEMBER 11, 2008: TODD HANSEN-A TROPICAL RAFT
Todd Hansen is an active member of five local and national bonsai clubs and has been vice-president and president of the Bonsai Society of Greater Hartford. He has studied bonsai for five years and is a graduate of Colin Lewis' Ho Yoku School of Bonsai. Todd is a certified to teach and regularly does so at local bonsai and garden clubs. He has won several awards for his trees and is a two-time runner up in the North American New Talent Competition.
DECEMBER 11, 2008: MEMBERS' HOLIDAY PARTY
This is a potluck affair for members of the club.
JANUARY 13, 2009: DR. SHARON M. DOUGLAS-COMMON DISEASES OF WOODY ORNAMENTALS
Dr. Douglas works at The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in the Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology. You can read about her work, education, and publications at the CAES web site.
FEBRUARY 10, 2009: OMAR MUHAMMAD-GRAFTING
Omar Muhammad fell in love with bonsai after seeing the movie The Karate Kid when he was in the tenth grade. After reading extensively for a couple years, he acquired his first tree (a juniper) then rapidly added to his collection until it numbered more than he could remember. Although primarily self-taught through reading and attendance at numerous workshops, lectures, and conventions, Omar studied with Ronnie Baum, currently President of the Virginia Bonsai Society, for five years. While in Virginia, he became a member of the Virginia Bonsai Society and the Peninsula Bonsai Society. He gave lectures/demonstrations to some of the members of the Virginia Bonsai Society and to some of his college classes. Since returning to Connecticut, Omar has continued to given workshops and demonstrations for organizations such as The Knox Foundation in Hartford and for the children that stay at The Bridge Youth Shelter.
MARCH 10, 2009: JOHN ROMANO-POTS
Choosing the right pot for your bonsai can be almost as challenging as creating the bonsai itself. Why? Because there are so many aspects to consider: size, color, finish, shape, type of plant you're potting, etc. Anyone doing bonsai will benefit from Mr. Romano's presentation.
Mr. Romano has had a varied and interesting career. He graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a B. A. in sociology in 1976, was a hand bookbinder and a rare book dealer, and owner of a company making custom portfolio cases for artwork, photographs, and other displays.
Mr. Romano started doing bonsai in 1978 but his interest in plants goes all the way back to his childhood. He grew up in the home of his grandparents in Providence, and his grandfather, a native of Italy, cultivated a large vegetable and fruit garden with which Mr. Romano assisted. His knowledge and talents have come together nicely in the world of bonsai. In 2000 Mr. Romano's juniper procumbens nana was selected in the Japan Airlines international bonsai competition as one of 100 outstanding trees submitted, one of his shohin won "Best of Show" and a larch won an "Award of Merit" at a Bonsai Clubs of New England members' exhibit judged by Colin Lewis, and he was one of the winners in a World Bonsai Friendship Federation's World Bonsai Contest, an annual contest in which the 100 best bonsai from anywhere outside of Japan are selected by a committee of Japanese bonsai masters from photographs submitted by the contestants.
Mr. Romano is a co-founder of the Rhode Island Bonsai Society, ran the American Bonsai Society Book Service for five years, and has been a director on the ABS board. He has written articles for the ABS Journal, International Bonsai, and Bonsai Clubs International's Bonsai magazine. Finally, he works part-time at New England Bonsai Gardens teaching, tutoring, and styling plant material.
APRIL 14, 2009: MICHAEL POLLOCK-HINTS FOR ATTENDING A CONVENTION
The best way to learn about Michael Pollock is to visit his website. Look at the pictures of his bonsai and viewing stones and read his biography. Then come to the meeting and listen as he shares his experience on attending conventions.
MAY 12, 2009: MEETING CANCELLED
MAY 17, 2009: CLUB STUDY GROUP
On Sunday May 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. the club will have its first Club Study Group meeting. Members are asked to bring their plants, tools, pots and other needed supplies and their lunch. Since the annual show is in June, this is an opportune time to prepare material for the show.
JUNE 6 and 7, 2009: MEMBERS' ANNUAL EXHIBITION
This event is held in the Carriage House at Edgerton Park in New Haven. It runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and is an opportunity for members of the club to display their bonsai. Generally, several vendors are present to sell bonsai and bonsai accessories, and the club provides potting services for a nominal fee for newly acquired or already owned trees. It's a wonderful opportunity to come and enjoy the beauty of bonsai.
JUNE 17, 2009: RODNEY CLEMENS-"STUMP THE CHUMP"
Rodney Clemens has been active in the bonsai community for more than 30 years and is a past president of the Atlanta Bonsai Society. He did a "Stump the Chump" program for the Hartford bonsai club in 2004. Please note that this is a Wednesday, not the usual Tuesday meeting day.
JUNE 17, 2009: WORKSHOP WITH RODNEY CLEMENS
Workshop for members with Rodney Clemens. Please note that this is an afternoon workshop that precedes the evening meeting.
AUGUST 1, 2009: MEMBERS' ANNUAL PICNIC WITH PAULINE MUTH
Before she retired, Pauline Muth was a junior high school science teacher with a love of bonsai. She registered her home as a nursery about 1990 and began selling supplies to other bonsai enthusiasts. That sounds modest enough; but if you do a search on her name, you'll find she's been a very active member of the bonsai community for some time and is currently president of the American Bonsai Society. She has her own web site, pfm bonsai studio, where you can read about/see images of her nursery, bonsai, workshops, and other programs.
AUGUST 2, 2009: WORKSHOP WITH PAULINE MUTH
On the Sunday after the picnic there will be a workshop for members of the club with Pauline Muth.
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