outdoor viewing stone display for winter

I wanted to share my experience, while volunteering at the Weyerhaeuser Bonsai Display in Federal Way, Washington yesterday. Curator David Degroot, in an effort to utilize a colder more shadowed space in the bonsai display area ( not enough light in winter for bonsai that need light ) decided to display a dozen stones. This area is surrounded by forest with lots of fir needles that get blown around in the storms of winter, creating the need to each morning, before opening, to blow off the needles from the displays. because of being open to the rain,snow, cold of winter, daizas and stands were not an option. This left suibans. The problem was how to make a proper display that would hold up to the strong advances of winters in the Pacific Northwest. Here's what Mr DeGroot came up with, that i thought made sense and you would appreciate hearing about.

Suibans were selected to fit the stones properly and then the thickness of the depth of the pot was cut to fit the shape of the pot from stryrofoam. where needed, the foam was removed to fit the shape of the stone so it settled properly. The stone was then extracted and the surface of the styrofoam was covered (brushed or rollered) with glue. Sand was then poured over the surface and patted in place to make sure it bonded and dried. Then the rocks were rejoined with the pot/stryrofoam. This gave a proper look of the presentation, and only time will tell how well it holds up to the morning task of leaf blowing to wisk the fir needles off the display, yet retain the sand in place.
I'm back on Monday to help create the actual display on the display tables. Many of our volunteers for the collection are from the Puget Sound Bonsai Association, that within the club also hosts a suiseki interest group.
We're always looking for a chance to educate the public, so David had plenty of willing volunteers for the project.

Thats a stroke of brilliance!

If we could see some pictures it would be great, I'd love to see an outdoor suiseki display through winter.
-Jay

Hello,
What about water, natural cracks and frost?
I know this is the way to split a stone to pieces?
I get for this reason some stones inside during winter.
Sunip

We got the display up today and it looks fabulous. In talks with David I discovered that others have used car bondo, and greased the rock and pot to use it for outdoor exposure to the elements. It (bondo)can even be stained and carved later like a daiza. Hmmm LOL!

we have two stones of the 10 on display, that would be of concern if it rained or snowed and froze. We always have a designated on call person so that security can check the temperature and call us if it gets below freezing. If we know ahead of time before we go home at night we will just bring it into the office. But your right, it is a concern with some stones.

On two other occassions (threads) i have been asked for photos. I took time to explain that I could not figure out how to post them and had asked for assistance, explaining I've read the how to, dozens of times to but doesn't work for me. What works for me is a phone walk thru. I just have never had anyone volunteer to do that. So until someone does, I either quit posting and just read or get the courtesy of an assistance so i can share with all.

Hi Dick... Give me your number & I'll gladly walk you through posting photos. I'll send my phone number through the Personal Message system, here.

The type of stone that would worry me in winter are any limestones or vertical stones that could be tipped by a wind, hard rain or critters. I leave my Lake Superior stones on benches all year but these stones have come from harsh conditions.

Hope you can post!

Here is a photo of my hut stone in a bondo daiza....

Best wishes,
Norma

thanks for posting Norma. Impressed how well your hut stone looks. At the collection, the wind comes from the southwest and the display is behind walls on the northeast side. I plan to talk to Chris in about an hr from this posting

well it's been about 5 weeks since this initial post was made. We've had some good storms, lots of cold and driving rain. Some of the displays are NOT holding up so expect to meet this month in an effort to go to a plan "B"
with other adhessives. If something comes of the plannng session will share it as well.