Wirral Bonsai Club Show

Thanks for all the comments.I think one of the big factors to the Wirrals success is that there are no ego`s we`re just there to help each other and anyone else whose into bonsai and if we help to push British bonsai forward in our own little way then great, but when we`ve got people like Tony Tickle, Peter Warren, John Armitage, Steve Tolley, The Willowboggers, to name a few with their drive, passion, determination, energy and ability I would say British bonsai has a great future.

Ian.

Steve Tolley visited our show on Saturday for a pre-pre-selection of potential trees for Best of British Bonsai 2011, he chose 13 individual trees/shohin compositions to go forward for selection. We are delighted that 10 members trees have reached the standard that Steve has set. A further 6 trees had been in this years exhibition, quite a high standard for a club show, of which we are extremelly proud. If you visit Wirral bonsai blog you can see a list of those selected.

The club show is very much a team effort and we were keen to maintain or improve the standard we have set in previous years (you can see the work that went on to build the staging on our blog). Thanks to everyone in the club for the effort they put in and to the members from other bonsai clubs who made the effort to visit us and give such positive feedback on our "little" show.

Finally I would like to thank Peter Warren and John Armitage for giving their time to come and judge the show and spend time with members discussing the trees and the English Pirate for acting as MC during the awards presentation.

Downt no wot ewe meen, eye cudnt sea anything rong with my spellin

I'm sick of these people who keep posting jokes about dyslexia.
It's not big and it's not furry.

Lee Kennedy wrote:I'm sick of these people who keep posting jokes about dyslexia.
It's not big and it's not furry.

dislexia is not a dysease... do you ever wonder if dislexic people get the full effect of alphabet soup?

Some of the stars of the show

Talking about big and furry, here is Lee's entry for next year's Shohin class in the Show:

Since of course that's a Shohin, here are two of the seven dwarves getting it ready for its Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's way oop north I go trip:




You have to admit, they put a brave face on it!

That picture does not do the size of the tree justice, believe me, I helped carry it! I mean struggle with it No wonder half of us Wirral boys have bad backs, bad hips, bad kness and hernias

Ian Warhurst wrote:That picture does not do the size of the tree justice, believe me, I helped carry it! I mean struggle with it No wonder half of us Wirral boys have bad backs, bad hips, bad kness and hernias

Which is why the shohin section of the show is increasing in number

I think Lee's plan is to chop it a quarter of the way up the trunk and make it into a Shohin!

Can someone tell me why the posts on this thread keep changing just as I'm trying to respond to them? It's like that Two Ronnies sketch where he's answering the question before the current one. Les, your spelling is fine by me because you're my hero!

I think that this is not a new trend, but a natural one that is mirrored worldwide. I'm certainly finding the merits of a beautifully prepped small tree more and more appealing!

Lee Kennedy wrote:Some of the stars of the show

I didn't know that Paul Goff had made it to the show

Tony wrote: I didn't know that Paul Goff had made it to the show

Hey that's weird! I had already made that connection, but hadn't liked to post it in case it Paul was offended!

I was, at this juncture, going to post the pics I took on Sunday at the Wirral show, but Mr Bailey has beaten me to it. There are a few 'crowd scenes' I could share but I need to upload them to photobucket first.

I bet we looked a right pair, following each other round the displays, cameras at the ready!

ME: "Right, I think I've got them all. You?"
KEV: "Yeah, I think s....oh, hang on." CLICK "Yep, that's me done."
ME: "Oh (Insert expletive of choice)! I forgot that one" CLICK "Damn! Someone walked in front of me."
KEV: "Ooh! Why didn't I see that one before?" (Wanders off, politely knocking people out of shot.)

After feeling very pleased with myself for reaching the right motorway exit without recourse to my map, I found the road I needed to take blocked by roadworks. Putting my trust (foolishly, as it transpired) in the diversion signs, I set off in what I assumed to be the right direction. No such luck!
God only knows where I ended up, or how I got there, but I found myself on completely the wrong road, going in completely the wrong direction. After asking at several garden centers/nurseries if they could direct me to one of their rivals, I eventually found one who was only too happy to point me the right way. Maybe it was the sight of a (by this time) very irate biker pulling up outside his shop on a very large, very loud motorsikkle, then clomping towards him at speed that did it?
I had to chuckle though, he was watering the plants and he held onto that hosepipe like it was a 45 magnum or something. "Hold it, punk! One false move and I'll fill you full of Miracle-gro"

Having eventually found the right place and stowed the bike, I bought a map of the nursery shop and began the long trek past the myriad racks of 'essential' equipment for todays gardener, such as flowery gloves woven from finest angora, spades, forks and hoes cast from left-over shuttle tiles.......and paintings.....? Every so often a smartly-dressed assistant would appear from the undergrowth like Henry Gibson on Rowan & Martin's Laugh In. (All you young 'uns will have to Google it). "'Scuse me love/mate (delete as applicable), where's th'bonsai show?" "Just down there to the right, sir" Clomp, clomp, clomp, clomp. "'Scuse me, is the bonsai show down here?" "No, sorry. You need to go back to the patio sets, turn right, and then left at the birthday cards."
Now I remember why I hate these places.

The sun beat down relentlessy through the glass roof, and paramedic crews were fanning old ladies at the end of every aisle. I stopped to slake my thirst at an extremely over-large and ornate water feature when suddenly a voice accosted me. "D'you want any raffle tickets? Y'can 'ave five fer four quid." Looking up, I saw a silhouette blocking the sun, waving a wad of pink tickets in my direction.

Having parted with the best part of a fiver before I'd actually set foot in the show, I was relieved when I spotted several familiar faces dotted around the very busy displays. Hastily trying to remember names (futile), I was relieved again when I noticed they all had name tags on. I was amazed at how many of the Wirral lads are called Steward. It must be a common name round there.

Several hearty handshakes later, a face approached me whose name I knew. Lee bore the pained expression of a man who just wants to sit down, shove his feet into a bowl of hot Radox, and pour the contents of an ice-cold six pack down his neck.

We wandered slowly around the hall, with Lee pointing out which trees were his, which seemed to lift his spirits somewhat but did absolutely nothing for mine. How long will it take me to produce trees of this quality, I sighed inwardly.
Everywhere I looked I saw trees, large and small, which redefined the meaning of excellence. Try as I might, I couldn't find a single specimen that didn't deserve a trophy of some sort. Even the material on the 'Treebay' table put my collection to shame!

Ooh, hark at me. Waffling on like there's no tomorrow! I could go on for a while yet, but I'll just give you a brief run-down of further events that day......

Lee grew increasingly frantic as the day wore on. Fiona had his red pine in the back of her van, and as the sun began to set he was convinced she'd done a runner with it back to Sconny Botland. Fortunately, I found her as I was trying to hire a team of bearers to guide me back to the exit. She's been wandering round in circles for half an hour and was on her last legs.
Having followed the trail of akadama granules I'd been dropping, Lee, Fi and me repaired to the car park where I got my first look at The Beast, or Big Red.
As Fiona opened the back doors of the van, we were engulfed in a dazzling golden light and an angelic choir began to sing. As the light and music subsided, revealed before us was "The Tree". Ye Gods! You could build a bloody park round that thing! It should at least have it's own post code.
Having offered to help carry it to Lee's car, I was suddenly feeling my bad back telling me where I could shove that monster. Even enlisting the help of another club member did little to increase our chances of shifting it. It was decided that Fiona should take it round to Lee's house, where fence panels would be removed, assistance called for etc. This was my opportunity to escape, and I feel no shame in admitting that I grabbed it with both hands!

I found an interesting piece of slate for sale outside in the nursery. £2.50 it was. So I got it, realised it was too heavy for the panniers, and asked Lee if he'd take it to Tony's for me, which he graciously agreed to do. On the ride home it suddenly occured to me.........I hadn't actually paid for it! Oops.
So, Lee. If the dibble raid your house in the early hours looking for contraband slate, I can only apologise, my friend.
On the upside, It's got a nice hollow in it which will do for either a small plant or, if I get my stonemason mate on it, a small tree.
And yes, I did say small plant. Those of you who know me will know my abhorance of accent plants. My wife, on the other hand, loves stuff like that. So it'll make a nice peace offering the next time I spend some of my own money without asking her first!

Being cursed with probably the worst memory in northern England, I was more than a little suprised when everyone I had met at Tony's BBQ remembered my name. My REAL name, that is. I'd only met them the once, and they greeted me like I was an old friend. I can only apologise to those of you whose names I forgot (I know another one now. Thanks Doug! If I remember an new one every time, I should have them all by this time next year!)
I was even more taken aback when people I'd never seen before came up to me and greeted me with "You must be Harleyrider, I take it?" Firm handshake "Glad you could make it."
I was beginning to wonder if psychic ability was a pre-requisite of membership of the Wirral crew, when I realised that My Harley Jacket, t-shirt and helmet were a dead giveaway. Either that or the big, flaming HARLEY tattooed down my forearm.
.....................................................................................................
I've just been summoned downstairs. Please excuse me a moment....

Congratulations to all the Wirral guys.What a great show. Even the wife shied away from her usual "them bloody trees" comment to say she enjoyed it.She even bought me some raffle tickets .( by the way I still haven't had a phone call to say I've won that tree ).Like Steve I was pleasantly surprised to be recognized after meeting the guys at Tony's BBQ. .Well done to all involved.

Bob Brunt wrote:Like Steve I was pleasantly surprised to be recognized after meeting the guys at Tony's BBQ.

I personally think one achieves a form of immortality after meeting the Wirral crew, especially at a Tony BBQ.

Possibly something to do with a pickling effect from the alcohol fumes?