Kia ora,
The month began with a shared lunch date with Bev and Tom, Rob and Julie.
We also had a trip over to Matamata to see a bonsai collection for sale. Ann bought a Japanese maple ‘acer chisio’ which has stunning bright pink/red leaves which change to green over the summer then orange in autumn.
Half way through the month was chocolate brownie time with Azaria and Carolien.
Ann and Melody ran the club meeting – talking about accent plants and display stands – in preparation for the club’s annual show.
We spent a lot of time sorting out stands and tidying up trees ready for the bonsai show.
Peter set up a table outside the main doors to help attract visitors. On Saturday he created a Penjing landscape from native coprosmas and on Sunday he worked on a couple of trees.
The show was the Hamilton clubs’ largest yet with over 150 trees on display. Peter got a Merit certificate for his Chamaecyparis. On Saturday evening we had a club meal at Hamilton Gardens cafe to celebrate the clubs’ 40th birthday.
As well as the show we had guests over the weekend. Dianne and Noel came down from Kerikeri for the weekend and Gordon came over from Thames.
It was not until late Tuesday after the show that we finally put away all the trees, stands and display kit.
On the Wednesday after the show, Peter was working at the Gardens and was asked to meet a delegation from Hamilton’s sister city, Saitama in Japan, as they were touring the gardens. Saitama (formerly known as Omiya) has a bonsai village and museum which will be celebrating their 100th anniversary next year. He had a brief discussion on Hamilton Bonsai Club, our show and bonsai artists and came away with a brochure and two cotton bonsai hangings from the Omiya Museum as well as contacts in the city council including the Mayor.
Near the end of the month Peter went to the Hamilton model railway show. He’d been looking forward to it for months but was disappointed with the lack of traders and left without opening his wallet.
We’ve been so busy with bonsai all month that photos of the girls are almost non-existent! However they’ve still been pampered and fussed over – of course!
One of our wisteria arches showing off its stunning flowers. By December the flowers will all begone but the star jasmine hedges to either side of the arch will be in full flower and smelling heavenly!
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