Our regular meeting will begin at 7 pm in the Community Room of St. Mary’s Woods Retirement Community. This month, being a winter meeting, we will be exploring soils and pots. Feel free to bring in samples and examples, your favorite pot, or a difficult pot. If you need help with a tree, please come early.

This event is being rescheduled by David B. Please contact him directly for details or email us at info@richmondbonsaisociety.org

Ongoing 2019 Bonsai Basics Class

RBS is offering a new Bonsai Basics class to members using junipers in winter/spring 2019. For those that want to expand their bonsai skills or refresh their skills, this is the class for you. The class will be taught by Dave Barker and will be comprised of three monthly sessions covering the basics of styling a tree, cleaning a tree, use of bonsai tools, pruning, wiring, soil, pots, repotting, and bonsai horticulture.

The class will run 40 minutes, from 6:15 to 6:55, composed of 20 minutes of lecture/discussion and 20 minutes of practical application – working on your tree. The first session will expose the nebari, find the front of the tree, and do basic cleaning of the tree. The second session will involve pruning the tree to shape and style, and wiring the trunk and main branches in place. In the third session, the tree will be root pruned, wired securely in a pot and finished. In addition, basic care to keep the bonsai healthy and growing will be discussed.

The cost of the basics class is for materials: $25 for a 1 gallon juniper, pot, and scissors; $10 for scissors only; and free to members supplying their own juniper and scissors. Wire, pot, and bonsai soil will be provided. The class is limited to 15 members, with 7 slots remaining after signups at the January meeting. All members can be silent observers. To secure your place in the class, email Dave Barker at dtbarker_sd@yahoo.com or come at 6 pm to the February meeting if spots remain. Payment can be made via paypal anytime or by cash or check at the February class.

RBS is also planning a summer class in June, July, and August as well using a tropical tree (ficus or serissa). More information on the summer bonsai basics class will be in a future newsletter.

Our February Regular Meeting will about Fused Trunks for Bonsai.
This meeting will take place in the Community Room of St. Mary’s Woods. If you have fused trunks, please bring them in to show and discuss.

Richmond Bonsai Society Beginner Bonsai Workshop with Outdoor Tree

March 16, 2019, 10:00 A.M. and ending by 12:30 P.M.

Our workshop is officially FULL. We will start a waiting list in case anyone drops out. However, everyone is invited to come and watch. You will learn the same skills and likely be able to do the workshop content on your own afterwards. To get on the waiting list, please email us at info@richmondbonasisociety.org.

Come join the members of the Richmond Bonsai Society and learn about the art and science of growing and training bonsai (bone–sigh) trees. You will learn how bonsai are developed, the types of trees suitable and you will create you own bonsai to take home and enjoy. Plants and pots and other materials are provided. Come, learn and have fun!! (Price includes 2019 RBS membership, a $25 value)

Great Big Greenhouse, Huguenot Village Shopping Center, 2051 Huguenot Road, North Chesterfield, VA 23235-4305

Workshop Fee is $35.00 paid in advance

INTERESTED?: Send an email expressing your interest to richmondbonsaisociety@yahoo.com by

Our workshop is officially FULL. We will start a waiting list in case anyone drops out. However, everyone is invited to come and watch. You will learn the same skills and likely be able to do the workshop content on your own afterwards. To get on the waiting list, please email us at info@richmondbonasisociety.org.

This event is being rescheduled by David B. Please contact him directly for details or email us at info@richmondbonsaisociety.org

Ongoing 2019 Bonsai Basics Class

RBS is offering a new Bonsai Basics class to members using junipers in winter/spring 2019. For those that want to expand their bonsai skills or refresh their skills, this is the class for you. The class will be taught by Dave Barker and will be comprised of three monthly sessions covering the basics of styling a tree, cleaning a tree, use of bonsai tools, pruning, wiring, soil, pots, repotting, and bonsai horticulture.

The class will run 40 minutes, from 6:15 to 6:55, composed of 20 minutes of lecture/discussion and 20 minutes of practical application – working on your tree. The first session will expose the nebari, find the front of the tree, and do basic cleaning of the tree. The second session will involve pruning the tree to shape and style, and wiring the trunk and main branches in place. In the third session, the tree will be root pruned, wired securely in a pot and finished. In addition, basic care to keep the bonsai healthy and growing will be discussed.

The cost of the basics class is for materials: $25 for a 1 gallon juniper, pot, and scissors; $10 for scissors only; and free to members supplying their own juniper and scissors. Wire, pot, and bonsai soil will be provided. The class is limited to 15 members, with 7 slots remaining after signups at the January meeting. All members can be silent observers. To secure your place in the class, email Dave Barker at dtbarker_sd@yahoo.com or come at 6 pm to the February meeting if spots remain. Payment can be made via paypal anytime or by cash or check at the February class.

RBS is also planning a summer class in June, July, and August as well using a tropical tree (ficus or serissa). More information on the summer bonsai basics class will be in a future newsletter.

Our Regular March Meeting will be held in the community room at St. Mary’s Woods.  Our meeting will be about developing trident maple bonsai. If you have tridents, please bring them in to share with the club.

More details to follow.

Bob Mahler will be visiting us to demo and assist with Shohin Bonsai. Because of this, we are meeting on the 29th (5th Monday) and starting earlier (6 pm) to have extra time with him.

More details to follow.

This event is being rescheduled by David B. Please contact him directly for details or email us at info@richmondbonsaisociety.org

Ongoing 2019 Bonsai Basics Class

RBS is offering a new Bonsai Basics class to members using junipers in winter/spring 2019. For those that want to expand their bonsai skills or refresh their skills, this is the class for you. The class will be taught by Dave Barker and will be comprised of three monthly sessions covering the basics of styling a tree, cleaning a tree, use of bonsai tools, pruning, wiring, soil, pots, repotting, and bonsai horticulture.

The class will run 40 minutes, from 6:15 to 6:55, composed of 20 minutes of lecture/discussion and 20 minutes of practical application – working on your tree. The first session will expose the nebari, find the front of the tree, and do basic cleaning of the tree. The second session will involve pruning the tree to shape and style, and wiring the trunk and main branches in place. In the third session, the tree will be root pruned, wired securely in a pot and finished. In addition, basic care to keep the bonsai healthy and growing will be discussed.

The cost of the basics class is for materials: $25 for a 1 gallon juniper, pot, and scissors; $10 for scissors only; and free to members supplying their own juniper and scissors. Wire, pot, and bonsai soil will be provided. The class is limited to 15 members, with 7 slots remaining after signups at the January meeting. All members can be silent observers. To secure your place in the class, email Dave Barker at dtbarker_sd@yahoo.com or come at 6 pm to the February meeting if spots remain. Payment can be made via paypal anytime or by cash or check at the February class.

RBS is also planning a summer class in June, July, and August as well using a tropical tree (ficus or serissa). More information on the summer bonsai basics class will be in a future newsletter.

Workshop With Mauro Stemberger, May 14th from 9 am – 4 pm

There will be a special workshop for intermediate  and advanced skilled members with Italian bonsai master, Mauro Stemberger at Strange’s nursery in Short Pump.  It is a bring-your-own-tree(s) workshop and the cost is $125.  There is one opening available, contact Randi Heise  if interested.  All members are welcome as silent observers.

RBS Picnic and Auction, May 19, 3 PM, BYRD PARK 

This event is a great way to find bonsai plants, pots, tools, and other supplies for a great price. RBS will supply the main dish (fried chicken), ice, drinks, paper goods, and utensils. Members should bring a side dish or dessert to share. The picnic and auction will be held at the BYRD PARK Carillon Shelter. Please note, this event will serve as our regular meeting for the month of May. There will be no meeting on May 27.

You must be a current RBS or PBA member to sell or bid on items at the auction (but you can join that day). Auction items should arrive from 2-3 pm, we’ll eat at 3 pm, and the auction will begin about 3:30.  A minimum 20% from each sale is donated automatically to the club, but you keep the rest of the sales. Typically, members bring 3-5 items each to sell. If you have more than that, consider grouping them into lots.

The Carillon Shelter is near Barker Field and the Toll Booth. The closest searchable address is for the Carillon, (1300 Blanton Ave, Richmond, VA 23221) which is nearby. Enter teh Carrilon Parking from Park Dr. and go south through the entire Carrilon Parking area to the end. There is a Carillon Shelter sign at the edge of the parking to mark the “road” to the shelter. There is parking near the shelter. There is another shelter closer to Maymont’s Nature Center, so do not get them confused. Watch for “RBS” signs marking the path to the shelter.