Bonsai Autumn

I am here at Bonsai Autumn in Switzerland, I have net connection at the event but no means of uploading photos. They will come when I get home to the UK.


IBC member Budi Sulityo is being interviewed by Walter Pall, he has been given a Spruce to work with... Interesting because he has never worked with this species. The tree is twin trunk and he has cut off one of the trunks. Budi explains that the first Indonesian Bonsai event only 7 people attended in 1974, and they were learning from English books from the USA by John Naka. They found it difficult to learn and read Chinese and Japanese books. They built the organisation from a base in Jakata. They now have over 100 clubs across the country 20,000 active participants! (Walter translates) Bonsai is very well represented in the press and TV They have a government minister who is interested in bonsai.... This helps raise the interest. Budi is considered 'the godfather' (Walters words) Budi's first books is in it's 16th edition. Indonesian conventions are very well attended, the first was in 1991. Over 400 trees in the exhibition with visiting artists from across the globe.

The show is a VERY high standard.

Bonsai is not Budi's profession, he is a developer? Indonesia does not have pines but they have a rich variety that grows well. Many from the seaside!
Walters question: what does Budi think of the quality of the show/exhibits
Budi's answer: he is surprised that we do follow a Japanese way of refining, 'very neat' foliage, he says European level is 'better' (whilst joking) than the 'other' continent.

If I get the chance I will post as it happens... Photos later. An interview with Randy Knight from Oregan Bonsai coming up.

Here is a live video stream http://www.livestream.com/bonsaisensei

All today and tomorrow...follow it now.

Randy Knight interview

I am coming into this halfway as I have been judging the show... (I know the winners now)

Randy: The quality of this show and material for demo's is a lot higher than you get in your average US show. But because USA is so large that folk do not travel so taking great trees a long way is not a very good idea.

Collecting yamadori... When he started it was very difficult many miles traveling with little success. Finding the area is the difficult he walks at least 10 miles a day and carries binoculars.

How to collect: use a very strong shovel... A big bar is useful too! He collects average 30 days is a good day, sometimes 50 trees some are 100kilos... Also work alone as with a companion... You talk too much and don't dig enough. Do you have a permit: Randy collects with permission and has permits for federal land... And collects from private land, after discussion with the owner... They almost always say 'yes'.

How to establish: Randy plants almost exclusively in boxes. Planted in pure pumis (Bimms) he try's to make the smallest root ball as possible... Customers are reluctant to buy a good piece of material if it is in a very large box as they are cautious about repotting into a smaller container. Randy is doing a lot of the prep work ready for first styling as the some clients usually lack the vision to see the bonsai within the raw material.

Who are your customers: there are some customers who know how to maintain the material (like Walter) who can buy before the material is fully established, but Randy will only sell material after 3 growing seasons.
He collects from May to November. Survival rate on average is high 90's he has more success from the mountains that he does in his growing fields with tiles under the roots.

Randy only collects trees with a high percentage rate of success.. He knows this from experience and the amount of good root. He has 30/50 world class trees in development for shows...with over 300 amazing bits of raw material!

1st:Enrico Savini, Itoigawa Juniper
Runner up: Mauro Stemberger, Itoigawa Juniper
Runner up: Stefano Frisoni, Taxus Baccata

Nominations
Marija Hajdic & Andrija, Pistatio
Hartmuth Münchenbach, Mirabelle Prunus
Tino Rongo, Quercus Ilex
Elisabeth Ruo, Azalea
Xavier Dreux, Acer Palmatum

Special Prize for best Native tree in natural style from Bonsai Museum, Dusseldorf
Marija Hajdic & Andrija

tony wrote:1st:Enrico Savini, Itoigawa Juniper
Runner up: Mauro Stemberger, Itoigawa Juniper
Runner up: Stefano Frisoni, Taxus Baccata

Nominations
Marina Hajdic & Andrija, Pistatio
Hartmuth Münchenbach, Mirabelle Prunus
Tino Rongo, Quercus Ilex
Elisabeth Ruo, Azalea
Xavier Dreux, Acer Palmatum

Special Prize for best Native tree in natural style from Bonsai Museum, Dusseldorf
Marina Hajdic & Andrija

Congratulations to the winners !!

tony wrote:1st:Enrico Savini, Itoigawa Juniper
Runner up: Mauro Stemberger, Itoigawa Juniper
Runner up: Stefano Frisoni, Taxus Baccata

Nominations
Marina Hajdic & Andrija, Pistatio
Hartmuth Münchenbach, Mirabelle Prunus
Tino Rongo, Quercus Ilex
Elisabeth Ruo, Azalea
Xavier Dreux, Acer Palmatum

Special Prize for best Native tree in natural style from Bonsai Museum, Dusseldorf
Marina Hajdic & Andrija

congratulations to everyone , especially Marija and Andrija who have achieved so much

tony wrote: ... An interview with Randy Knight from Oregan Bonsai ...

What! No interview with you, Tony? Or is it just that they bypassed the monkey in favour of the Oregan grinder?

Well, you really didn't think I was letting you off with that spelling mistake did you?

But seriously; have a really great time and let us at those pics whenever you get a chance. And of course, a huge well done to the winners.

This is a good win for Marija & Andrija, the tree is in great condition, well presented and simply looking fantastic. Two prizes... Well deserved!

Huuum I have just read thru my posts... Please be kind as I am typing this live as it happens... So I am listening... Typing and trying to make sense of it all... Fiona... Walter tells me that my 'interview' is tomorrow sometime (but who will post it?)

Check in tomorrow and see if I havetime to post

Great post. Thanks for sharing Tony. Started my Sunday off with a nice bowl of porridge and Bonsai. And congratulations to all the winners and all who took part in the event.