Louisiana Bonsai Society News

The Louisiana Bonsai Society has had a very busy and active spring with special bonsai workshops, participating in garden plant sales, annual spring bonsai show, and regular monthly bonsai club meetings. Howard Merrill coordinated manning the informal bonsai booth at the annual LSU Horticulture Plant Sale at the Parker Coliseum March 12 and 13.

 

Howard Merrill Manning the Informal Bonsai Booth at the Annual LSU Horticulture Plant Sale at the Parker Coliseum

  

The Annual Spring Show was held at the Baton Rouge Garden Center March 19 and 20, Zach Smith did a bonsai demonstration creating a bonsai using a nursery stock Elaeagnus, commonly called silverberry. Robert Reed did another bonsai lecture/demonstration developing a green mound juniper into a cascade style bonsai. 

Zach Smith Doing a Bonsai Demonstration Creating an Elaeagnus Bonsai

Robert Reed Conducting a Bonsai Lecture/Demonstration Developing a Green Mound Juniper into a Cascade Style Bonsai.

The bonsai club participated in the Master Gardener’s annual plant sale at the Burden Botanical Gardens, April 9, and the Baton Rouge Botanical Gardens at Independence Park, April 16, by having a bonsai informational Booth.  Chip Thompson coordinated manning the booths for both plant sales

Chip Thompson Manning the LBS Booths for the Baton Rouge Botanic Garden Plant Sale

The club is a member of both the Bonsai Societies of Florida and the Lone Star Bonsai Federation which sponsors bonsai expert speaker tours. One of the bonsai experts was Ted Matson from California who conducted a bonsai workshop for members at the March monthly meeting, March 18.  Ted has been teaching bonsai, conducting bonsai workshops and lecture/demonstrations since 1988.  He was sponsored by Bonsai Societies of Florida and Louisiana Bonsai Society has scheduled the next Bonsai Societies of Florida expert, Pauline Muth, who will conduct a bonsai workshop for members and guests June 22.  Pauline is from West Charlton, NY, and has been studying, learning, practicing, and teaching bonsai for more 40 years.   

Rodney Clemons, bonsai expert sponsored by Lone Star Bonsai Federation, conducted a bonsai workshop at the April 19, monthly bonsai club meeting.  He is from Atlanta, GA, and been conducting bonsai workshops, doing bonsai lecture demonstrations, and teaching bonsai for more than 25 years.

Jim Scarton and Rodney Clemons Looking at and Discussing His Bonsai Collection

 

On Wednesday, April 20, he visited and critiqued Jim Scarton’s, Howard Merrill’s, and Lowell Tilley’s private bonsai collection.

At the May 18 meeting, many Louisiana Bonsai Society members bought bonsai to study and discuss bonsai techniques to improve them.  They also reviewed the bonsai created by Zach Smith and Robert Reed spring bonsai show to see and discuss their progress.  Lowell Tilley demonstrated led the discussion about trimming bonsai branches to reduce leaf size.

The bonsai club is doing a lot to improve all the members’ bonsai skills and collections. The club now is able to afford three to five world renowned bonsai specialists each year to lead bonsai workshops and lecture demos.  They now have the resources to aid members just beginning bonsai skills to all the way to very advance bonsai techniques. The members’ bonsai collection are continuing to improve and the bonsai at each show are getting more unique and exotic.

  

Joey Dupre’ Talking About Development Techniques to Create Bonsai

Chip Thompson Talking About the Development of His Bonsai

Howard Merrell Showing and Talking About His Bougainvillea Bonsai

The Louisiana Bonsai Society is a not for profit organization open to all who are interested in the hobby of bonsai.  They meet on the third Tuesday of each month at the Baton Rouge Garden Center, 7950 Independence Blvd.  The next meeting will be June 21.  Guests are welcome, for more information call Lowell Tilley, 272-6744 or email lowelltilley@gmail.com .