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From Kongetsu,

West Michigan Bonsai Club Newsletter, April 2006

 

           This is a partial list from April 2006 of Gee Farms' plants, good for Bonsai Many of these are pencil-size around for the smallest size. This list has changed but some stock will still be available. Prices started at $15 unless otherwise noted:

Hornbeams

Ginkgo, many varieties (mostly $35 and up)

Mulberry

Fanciful Forest miniature conifers and Cotoneasters (around $9.00)

Full-sized and "Tom Thumb" Cotoneasters

Japanese Maples (definitely the most expensive)

Weeping Beech

Birches (I got a Chinese red or purple birch)

Weeping Junipers ($40+)

Pagoda Dogwood

Linden

Larch

Kingsville & J. Morris dwarf Boxwoods

European Beech ($20)

Hungarian/Italian Oak

Sophora (Chinese Scholar tree or Japanese Pagoda tree)

Dawn Redwood

 

Below is a letter written by Mollie Hollar to the editor. Because of space limitations I had to leave out much of the letter. I am printing the parts pertinent to BS-K’s upcoming visit to Gee Farms

 

Jean,

           When West Michigan Bonsai Club went to Gee Farms in April, we found a lot of other types of plants that will make excellent bonsai. I managed to procure two gigantic Shimpakus that had been growing in one of their fields for several years.  They're about three feet tall and at least as wide. 

           It's hard to convey how impressed I am with Gee Farms as a whole.  I suppose it helps that I went there as a child, but it's so much more than that.  The helpfulness and friendliness of their entire staff, bending over backwards to find what customers want/need, the sheer size of the place and thus variety and numbers of plants, bushes, trees and so much more -- it all combines to have made Gee Farms my favorite nursery -- and because of my business I've been to a lot of nurseries, especially in Michigan, looking for raw material to bonsai and sell. 

           If your club has the chance, I'd highly recommend taking a field trip over there.  They seem to continue to have many, many small trees that I'm sure your people would love.  And if you do go, try to get Mallory to help you.  She's my main contact and is definitely most knowledgeable about bonsai material.  Tell her I sent you!

           Tell your group hi for me!

 

Mollie K Hollar, Basically Bonsai, 520 South Street

Greenville MI 48838, Phone and fax: 616-754-2351

www.wmbonsai.org

Annual Mid-America Bonsai Exhibit and Show

2006 Annual Show

 

           The Midwest Bonsai Society will hold its 29th annual Mid-America Bonsai exhibit and Show on August, 18, 19, & 20^th, 2006, at the Chicago Botanic Garden,

1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL, 60022. General admission is free, however there is a $12 parking fee for non-members.

           The show will open at 1:00 PM on Friday, August 18 and close at 5:00 PM on Sunday, August 20.

           Anybody is welcome to enter their trees in the show. Trees to be entered must be brought to the Chicago Botanic Garden and the show tent on Thursday, August 17 for admission.

           Trees will be judged by the internationally known teacher of bonsai, Kathy Shaner. Ribbons and prized will be awarded.

           There will be eleven vendors at the show selling tools, trees, pots, and all the other bits and pieces that we bonsai people cannot get along without.      

           This year’s exhibition will be held in a tent due to construction issues. It is my understanding that this will offer more space for the vendors and specimens.

 

Free Demonstrations

Saturday, August 19, 10 A.M.--B ill Valavanis   A general introduction to bonsai, including history and development, and different styles of bonsai, as well as the practice and techniques of shaping and styling.

 

Saturday, August 19, 2 P.M.—Kathy Shaner  Our guest artist, Kathy Shaner from California, will style and shape a tree, explaining to the audience what she is doing and why, and answer any and all questions. Kathy is very down to earth and personable, as well as a great bonsai artist.

 

Sunday, August 20, 10 A.M.—Jim Doyle Jim Doyle will style Ezo Spruce, a smaller, very compact evergreen, and answer questions about single tree culture. Jim is a wonderful presenter, easy to listen to, and always informative

 

Workshops for all levels will be held throughout each day of the exhibit. Base charge for all workshops, unless otherwise noted will be $60 paid at sign up. Material fees will range from $30 to $175; and will be paid to the Instructor expert at the time of the workshop.

 

Because of Omake’s space limitations only the artists will be listed. They are Brussel Martin, Brian Ciskowski, Kathy Shaner, Frank Mihalic, Jim Doyle, Bill Valavanis, Martha Meeham, and Mike Hansen.

For more information visit www.midwestbonsai.org or contact bonsailar@comcast.