Welcome:

Florida Bonsai
August
2004

I sincerely hope you enjoy this issue of Florida Bonsai.

A few points to increase your enjoyment:
* To make usage easier, this is the screen version specially formatted for easy reading on your screen. Set the magnification
on the top bar at 100% or, if you have a large screen, use fit
page. If you want to print a colored hard copy down load the
Print version, it is in book format and will print much better.
* You will note a different page numbering in this screen version
to fit the format of the Adobe Reader.
You are viewing 2 pages in one window. That makes the page
numbers at the bottom of the Adobe window disagree with the
book pages.
To make it easier to find things all pages have two numbers.
The magazine page number and the Adobe window number,
such as (28/18). This means the magazine page 28 is on screen
window page 18. It should get easier as you use it.
* NOTE: Wherever there is a page reference, including the numbers on the Contents page, you can place the cursor on that
page number and go directly to the referenced pageand use
the
button at the bottom of each page to go back to the
Contents page. Go to the Contents page:
* Take particular note of the web page addresses, indicated as this
sample: http://www.bonsai-bsf.com . If you move your cursor
over the above sample, it will change and afford you the ability
to go directly to that web page by simply clicking the address.
Be sure to try this with all the advertisers, I think you will be
pleasantly surprisedespecially where there are club sites.
Enjoy. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. My Email
address is dmiller444@adelphia.net (Sorry, I dont know how to
make this link to Email.)
See you at the club events - page 16/12,

Dick
Miller

In a tiny forest
The studied spaces
Between butterflies

BONSAI SOCIETIES
OF FLORIDA, INC.
VOL XXXIV NUMBER 3 ISSUE 139

Vaughn Banting
of John Naka

Autumn

B ON
SA
I

R
O
F
1

toMORROW
2

i/2

Aug 2004

Florida Bonsai

ii/2

BONSAI SOCIETIES OF FLORIDA

The Bonsai Societies of
Florida shall provide, for
the various bonsai societies, clubs, study groups, and
bonsai related organizations
having various names, a statewide organization to deal with
common issues and needs, and
to support their programs.
MEMBERSHIP

Individuals acquire BSF membership as members of a local

Member Club.
Other memberships include:
Member-At-Large,
Member Organization At
Large,
Donor Membership, or
Special Life Membership.
For membership information
contact your local club, the BSF
web site, or:

OFFICERS:
President
George Henderson
1st Vice President
George Hutson
2nd Vice President
Gene Callahan
Treasurer
Ed Lippencott
Assistant Treasurer Dave Bechtold
Corres. Secretary
Vladimir Foursa
Recording Secretary Carol McKinney
Past President
Louise Leister
Trustees:
Dist. 1
Lynn Fabian
Dist. 2
Steve Chapman
Dist. 3
Ray Malin
Dist. 4
Stan Orsolek
Dist. 5
Al Harnage
Dist. 6
Judy Gore
Committees:
Archives
Open
Education
Ray Malin
EPCOT/BSF
Peter Wood
Membership
Tammy Malin
Publications/Editor:
Dick Miller
Speakers
Open
Internet:
Web Master:
Tom Zane

Ficus - Ficus microcarpa retusa

Interview ..................................
The best part of this job is learning about
great people

k
Dic

ler

Mil

Photographing Bonsai ...............

Learn simple things to do to record and enjoy Zane

your bonsai moreHelp the editor too.
Tom

What Bonsai Means to Me ..........

We are reminded again what bonsai is all
about.

th
ia
Ru sgan
O

Morikami Museum .....................

ille

Another myth destroyed, Museums are not ick M

D
boring. (If they have bonsai) See whats going on.

Matt Sadowski ...........................

Another great one. . .

Jr
rl
Ca les,
w
Bo

Bonsai Stands............................
A great club program, and a reasonable
way to have one.

ne owel
H

Ge

Photographing Bonsai NOT ..... Miller

k

Dic

What not to do for better bonsai photos.

ver

hene

W
4 5
1 2 3
12
9 10 11
6 7 8
17 18 19
13 14 15 16
26
23 24 25
22
21
20
27 28 29 30

Club Events-Calendar ................

s
iou

We so many good responses from some ar

V
clubs it is too much for the Contents page.

bs

Clu

EPCOT Information ....................

2005 EPCOT information for you to
display your bonsai in Japan. (Exhibit)
2004 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival
A BSF bonsai show.

er
Pet

o
Wo

e
Se

Bonsai for Tomorrow, another excellent

array of Florida Bonsai.

2005 Convention .......................

Climbing panda

Tim Watts
Aug 2004

Florida Bonsai

dit

Cre
ee

Just a note to reserve the date, and get ready ne

e
for another good one. More in November. G

dit

Cre

Convention Gallery ....................

Email for information:

bsfmembership@yahoo.com

1/4
3/5
4/6
5/6
7/7
8/8
10/9
14/11
16/12
28/18
30/19
34/21
36/22

e
n
org so
Ge nder
He

EPCOT Gallery............................

Tammy Malin
Membership Chair
905 Heron Ave.
Fort Pierce, FL 34982-6980

38/26
iii/3

George says . . . . .

OFFICER S / T R U S T E E S &
CO M M I T T E E S

CONTENTS

PURPOSE

Presidents page ........................

ha

lla
Ca

iv/3

FLORIDA BONSAI

FLORIDA BONSAI IN COLOR

444 MUIRFIELD DR.

ATLANTIS, FL 33462-1206

A black and white printed version of the magazine is provided

to members of the Bonsai Societies of Florida.
It is also available to them in
full color by downloading from
the BSF web site:

Editor:
Richard M. Miller
dmiller444@adelphia.net
President:
George Henderson
2308 NE 20th St.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
33305-2636
Bsfpresident03@aol.com
FLORIDA BONSAI is the
official publication of the
Bonsai Societies Of Florida.
It is published quarterly, in
Feb., May, Aug., and Nov., and
is provided to each member.
Be sure to visit our web site at:
http://www.bonsai-bsf.com
Web Master:
Tom Zane

tomz50925@aol.com

ADVERTISING
ALL ADVERTISING RATES
HAVE CHANGED.
Contact the Editor, noted above,
for rates and conditions.
DEADLINES FOR MATERIAL
& ADVERTISEMENTS:
Spring. issue
Summer issue
Autumn issue
Winter issue

v/4

. . . . Dec 10
. . . . Mar 10
. . . . Jun 10
. . . . Sep 10

http://www.bonsai-bsf.com/color_cy.htm

There is a version for printing a

booklet, and another one for reading on the screen.
Be sure you have a current version of Adobe Reader available free
on the first Publications page.

CREDITS/THANKS
Many thanks go to Larry Duke,
Martha Goff, Louise Leister, Tom
Zane, and many club members for
all the photosI would have to add a
page just to annotate those I used. I
made the bad shots-youll see. I never
discard any, you never know when I
will use yours. THANKS!
I cant say enough about the assistance from Tom Zane-almost daily
when I am putting this together. Likewise, Allan Gouldthorps futile efforts
to give me english lessons.
This goes on for every issue, I dont
have the space to do this every issueso many thanks.
A special thank goes to Ms. Yukina
Iyori, of the Mitsukoshe Restaurant for
adding class to the EPCOT Photos.
See page 42-43/25 for letters to editor.
Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

irst of all, I have

to hand it to
the Brevard, and the
Treasure Coast Clubyou guys can hold
a convention every
year-what a great job
you did. That was a
great one, and I am
glad some of you
are participating in the next one in
2005.
Anyone complaining about
the workshop material cannot be
satisfied by anyone or anything-the
material was some of the best I have
seen in past conventions.

whole new world

opened up when I
became a member of
a local bonsai club
I hope everyone
who reads this magazine repeats this to
ten other people.
Now comes the
hard partgetting our ducks in a
row for 2005. I cant say enough
about the effort of Gene Callahan,
our trusty 2nd Vice Presidenthe
has busted his derriere to provide
a convention for us. However,
the time is very, very short, and it
will take a lot of effort to make it
happen.

How many people out there know

Ruth Osganian? Maybe on the west
If you have anything to contribcoast they do, but few of us know
ute, anything they can use, includher on the east coast. She may
ing your knowledge and talent,
personify the very best in bonsai.
contact Gene.
She struggled when bonsai was very
To those who know Joe Samuels,
hard to get, little if anything was
it is great to learn more
known about tropical
bonsai, and learned Buttonwood - Conocarpus erectus about him in the following interview. For
the hard way. See
those who never had
her article, What
that opportunity, here
Bonsai Means To
is Joeyou need to
Me in this issue. I
meet him in person to
have to restate her
appreciate what a great
comment, which may
guy he is.
be the quote of the
year, I never realConsider the outized what a wealth
standing exhibit our
of knowledge and
members put on over
fellowship that the
at EPCOT, and still
society had to offer.
there is more than
Reggie Perdue
Ten years ago a
See Pres page 2/5 >
Florida Bonsai

1/4

JOE SAMUELS

> Pres From page 1/4

enough championship bonsai to

display an exhibit like we saw at
the Cape. Florida has great bonsai.
Congratulations to those who
contributed to the great EPCOT
exhibit, and the bonsai at the convention. Makes you feel good to
be the President of a Society with
that kind of quality. I didnt even
include the materials that have
been collecting at the Morikami
exhibit. Florida may truly be the
new bonsai capital of the US if not
the world.
Take some time and read the
enclosed EPCOT information carefully. You dont have to be an expert to show a nice looking bonsai.
But, you do have to start thinking
about it now for 2005. Get that
bonsai in shape, take a flattering
photo, and send it in before the
end of the year. If you dont do it
now, and you are like me, you will
probably forget about it and miss a
great opportunity.
Looking for volunteers for Speakers
Bureau and Archives
Committee Chairpersons.

An Interview

Editors Notes:
Where you see a bonsai
in a frame like this, (below)
it is from the Convention
Exhibit.
There were so many
really good display bonsai
it would have taken too
many pages to show them
alland, it would be boring.
So I spread some all over
this issue.
The location of these
bonsai has nothing to do
with the article on that
page. It just makes the
pages look nice. Hope you
like it.
What do you think?
Editor
PS: Can you find the District
Trustees together in this issue?

Lantana lantana camara

Joe: Out of work, with $50

in my pocket, I struck out
for Miami Beach in 1945with no job there, and I
didnt know anyone.
Ed: Where did you leave?

Ed: Do you still have family

here or there?

e
eorg

Jim Van Landingham

2/5

Ed: When did you come to

Florida?

Joe: My old home town,

Aliquippa, PA, about 15
miles NW of Pittsburgh. I
was born Jun 21, 1919,
raised and worked in that
steel town.

Have a good summer,

and watch the calendars for
bonsai events throughout
Florida.

If someone
asked me, I
would say this
is the father
of bonsai in
Florida. There
was no one to go
to in 1958, and
what we take for
granted these days wasnt
even considered for
bonsai species then. This
crusty ex-steel worker is a
visionary and self taught
bonsai masterrecognized
throughout the world.

Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

Joe: My sister still lives

there. My last brother died
Florida Bonsai

in 1997.
When I was 7,
and the country was going crazy, our
family came
apart and, I
spent the rest
of my youth
in a Catholic
orphanage.
I even spent
five years as a choirboy.
Ed: Where did you go to
school?
Joe: I graduated from
Aliquippa Highwith some
very famous people. Henry
Mancini, for instance, was
in my class. He was mostly
a loner, but stood out in
music. He filled in for our
drunken music teacher and
lead the band-quite well
in fact. The errant music
teacher was an assistant to
John Phillip Sousa.
Ed: You toughed it out as a
youth through the depression, what did you do after
graduation?
Joe: Like all families, my
two brothers and I did what
our fathers did, worked in
the steel mills.
Ed: What happened during
the war?
See Joe page 23/15 >
3/5

WHAT BONSAI
MEANS TO ME

PHOTOGRAPHING BONSAI:
Some Important Points to Remember
By Thomas L. Zane

Why Photograph?
There are any number
of reasons why you would
want to take a photograph
of a bonsai.
It might be to:
Record the evolution
of the bonsais design
from material tree to
ready-for-exhibit status.
Provide a visual
reference of a design
you particularly like and
would like to emulate.
Use as an attachment
to a database of your
collection.
Substantiate an
application for an award
or exhibit entry.
Use in conjunction
with an article, story
or catalog for print
or for viewing on the
Internet.

image you take is going to

accompany an application for
an award or in a competition
like the EPCOT International
Flower and Garden Show.
Your Equipment >
I will assume you know
the specifics of your camera,
and if you are hazy on
one or two points, get out
the Owner Manual and
do some reading. A few
technical items which can
impact on the quality of
the final product are worth
mentioning.
The light sensitivity of
print or slide film, as well as
that of digital cameras, is
expressed in the ISO. It is
usually best to use film
See Photo page 12/10 >

Chinese Elm Ulmus parvifolia

Document the
existence for insurance.
What ever your reason
for taking the picture,
you want it to be the best
possible representation
that you can get. This
is especially true if the
4/6

Terry Salber

Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

by Ruth Osganian

collected
When Peter
while on
Wood called
a walk in
to inform me
the woods,
that the BSF
became my
committee had
first attempt
selected my
at growing a
Ficus Aurea to
tree in a pot.
be displayed
It did well,
at EPCOT, it
considering
was an exciting
it was grown
day for me
on a window
and my family.
sill. In the years that
This brought a reminiscence
of when I added Bonsai to
followed experiments with
the interests of my life. Books
more collected seedlings
have always been
I never realized what taught me that I
one of my loves.
must use patience
a wealth of knowledge
Forty years ago I
and fellowship that the
and persistence. A
purchased the book society had to offer.
bonsai requires the
The Japanese Art
Ten years ago a whole passage of time to
of Miniature Trees
new world opened up
adjust to the life
and Landscapes
when I became a member that is expected
by Yuji Yoshimura
of a local bonsai club.
of it, as it grows
and Giovanna M.
in the confined
Halford. Even though
it was a subject I was unfamiliar space of a pot. I learned to
be aware of the individual
with it still pertained to plants
horticultural needs of each
and growing things, a hobby I
tree that I added to my
have enjoyed since childhood.
growing collection.
I began to read, study and
absorb the ideas and knowledge
The enjoyment of adding
in the pages of that book
new reading material was
and for years this was all the
and still is a good part of
information I had available on
this hobby and pastime that
this new and exciting addition to
I have pursued all these
my gardening hobby.
years. All this studying and
A seedling of a fir tree
reading of books and
Florida Bonsai

See Ruth page 6/7 >

5/6

> Ruth From page 5/6

need for display

publications
shelves, benches,
gave me the
watering systems,
knowledge
turntables, slabs,
and underlarger pots, trays
standing that
and on and on.
I needed for
Years ago where
the nurture
could these items
of my bonsai.
be purchased? It
I was a
was at this time
self-taught
Here is the one who started
that my husband
solitary
it, our daughter Rose.
became my very
bonsai
They both grew up, and
turned
out
pretty
well.
able construction
grower
assistant. As
for many
always, each or our skills
years, never realizing what
filled in where the others left
a wealth of knowledge and
off, and thus we have always
fellowship that a society
been a team.
had to offer.
I have learned two
Ten years ago
Almost thirty years ago
things; one, bonsai
a whole new
require patience and our daughter, Rose, while
world opened persistence; and
climbing a tree, found a
up when
Ficus seedling growing
two, big trees start
I became
in the fork of the limbs
small.
a member
and said Mama there is
of a local bonsai club. It
a little tree up here. Do you
was great to find other
want it? and I said Yes,
enthusiasts of Bonsai to
bring it down. The finding
learn from and share with.
of this toothpick size four
inch tree started a journey
The bonsai that made up
my collection, some showing that brought this exciting
experience of having on
promise of being major
exhibit at EPCOT. That same
specimens, were almost
little mame matured, and
all from seeds or cuttings
displayed in a pot, made by
started out in mame pots.
my husband.
As the number of trees
increased and progressed in
(See photo in EPCOT article.)
their growth, this created a
6/7

Return to beginning

Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

From The Morikami

Since the
Hatsume
Fair there
has not
been a lot
of things going on.
The logo tree is doing
very well. I can tell, we
have to trim it almost every
week. It is a fitting bonsai
to put at the entrance.
Speaking of entrance,

is going gangbusters.
Remarkably, we have only
lost one tiny 3 inch tree we
put on it. Of course, the
half a dozen in the lava flow
were burned, otherwise
they are all doing well.
Helpful hint: if you want
to put a saikei together,
including rocks or wires
to hold trees in place, get
Gorilla Glue. All else
pales in comparison.

Morikami Bonsai
Gulf Stream Collection

6 x 16 Wall

Here is bonsai
trivia: What
event took place
on Feb 2, 1992
that made a big
impact on the
presentation of
bonsai in Florida?

Hint; the
following people
know first hand;
Sue Marr, Frank
Bonsai Stands
Geiger, Jim
get a load of the proposed
Bullock, Ramsey Silva, Tony
Palma, Joel Harris, Mitch
entrance wall.
Leefar and Jerry Seligman.
For those who wanted
I left one name off Name
to donate to Jim Moodys
of the group, what did they
memorial for something
do and who was left off?
special, this is it. About
See the end of the article.
one third of the people who
There will be a Bonsai
ask about it have donated
Cruise to be scheduled Nov.
so far.
27 to Dec 7, 2004.
Our incredible saikei
See Morikami page 32/20 >
Florida Bonsai

7/7

Matt Sadowski;
A happy man.
by Carl Bowles Jr.

All too recently

A long
the account of
time
the passing of
dream
several special
of a trip
bonsai people
to Japan
was noted in the
from
May issue Florida
whence
Bonsai. Now we
the
It Doesnt get better
say goodbye to
masters
than this.
Matt Sadowski of
came
Port Richey, who died March was realized a few years
25th.
ago as a celebration of
Matt was a familiar face at
conventions, always smiling
and ready to talk about his
plants or yours--or your
problems or concerns,
never his own problems.
Matt was an encourager,
urging novices on to
greater things. He was
wonderful about sharing his
knowledge and expertise
whenever asked.
Many were the visitors to
his home and garden and
often you might enjoy a
bowl of Matts special chili.
Matt was a Renaissance
man--a man of many
talents----from mixing his
own soil and making some
of his pots to crafting lovely
display tables to enhance
the beauty of the special
bonsai he created.
8/8

Mary and Matts Golden

Anniversary. Their home
held many treasures
reflecting his love of this
culture.
When Matt retired
to Florida in 1981 he
immersed himself in the
Willowleaf Ficus - Ficus salicifolia

bonsai world, joining

several bonsai societies and
serving as the President of
the St. Petersburg Bonsai
Club.

behind. We that were

privileged to know and
work with Matt felt his
touch---understanding,
love, helpfulness, kindness
and an interest and concern
for others.
Matts family wishes to
thank all the members

What a way to live.

Matt did his bonsai
thing right to the end,
but it was his heart
that failed him. It was
such a big heart---full of
love for his family and
friends and the plants that
God created for everyones
enjoyment.
Matt has left heartprints

Matt and some

of his friends.
and friends of Bonsai
Societies of Florida for
their friendship and caring
support.

Wigerts Mango Grove & Nursery

Erik Wigert
15857 Quail Trail * Bokeelia, FL * 33922
239/985-0036 or 239/283-2910
By Appointment

Jim Smith
Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

Your new South West Florida source for Quality

Pre-Bonsai, Bonsai, Mica Pots, Soil & Tools
Florida Bonsai

9/8

wood as a bonus.
Stand Making:
We tailored our design
as a Club Project
By Eugene Howell

In a concerted effort
to make the 2004 BSF
convention a roaring
success, many members of
our society were
involved in a
bonsai-stand
making
workshop.
The goal was
to make enough stands so
that one could be in each of
the convention raffles.

to the power tools and

equipment he had. We spent
two days cutting the parts
for 33 stands and doing the
coarse and medium sanding.
For variety, we made
four different sized
stands with three
different styles
of legs.
Early
Saturday
morning we were able to
accomplish the fine sanding
in about an hour and started
the assembly. We completed
the assembly and had
sufficient time to apply the
first coat of stain .

Success depended on
having a stand design that
could be fabricated with
ease, so they could be
constructed by amateurs;
The following day, we
but not so simple that no
applied the second
one would buy
Ilex Ilex vomitoria schillings
coat of stain and
tickets to win
polyurethane.
one.
We learned
Stand making
some
things that
is a matter
should make
of the tools
any clubs stand
available. One
making effort
of our newer
easier.
club members,
Dr. Robert
Mandel, offered
the use of his
well-equipped
wood shop and
threw in all the
10/9

Mike Cartrett

Unless everyone
has LOTS of
wood working
experience, you
can get too many
involved, and

See Stands page 20/14 >

Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

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Bonsai Wire & Jin Tools
Potting Tools
Potting Supplies
Go to our web site below, and watch
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Start small,
buy a few good
tools, then build a full set with high Great Gifts
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Tool pins for him or her. ($10ea.)
We have four grades of tools, for all Get one free with $60 purchase.
your needs.
Start with Meehan, we have it all.
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Order by Email, Fax, or
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Write or call for Catalog 1 - 800 - 747-7134

Write, emeehan@piasanet.com, or call for Catalog 1 - 800 - 747-7134
666 Leslie Avenue, Wood River, IL 62095
Florida Bonsai

11/9

> Photo from page 4/6

with a medium ISO rating

such as 100. The ISO (light
sensitivity) on a digital
camera may be automatic
and usually should be
an ISO of 100. This will
provide the sharpest and
most static free images.
Color reproduction differs
depending on the lighting
conditions. The shade of
lighting reflected on white
paper differs depending on
the light source natural,
incandescent or fluorescent.
Print and slide films are
available for either indoor
or outdoor use. Digital
cameras compensate for
these conditions with their
white balance settings. Be
sure to have the correct
film or setting to get
accurate color rendition.
Some Important Points
to Remember >
Whether you use a
point-and-shoot automatic
camera or one with bells
and whistles, there are
some things you can do to
optimize the final product:
* Background >
When possible, place
your bonsai in front of a
plain background. This
12/10

will enhance the trees

details and keep them
from getting mixed into a
cluttered background. If
this is not possible, spot
focus specifically on the
tree rather than the whole
scene. This will usually
cause the background to be
indistinct. The background
which is behind the tree
should be behind the entire
tree so that branches and
tops do not extend beyond
the background. When you
can create a studio type
of setting, consider using
photo gray color screens
or boards. They provide a
uniform background which
has little or no influence on
the exposure. I use 3 x 4
Crescent #1019 photo gray
color poster boards available
at most art supply outlets.
* Exposure >
A photograph, whether
recorded on film or digital,
is totally dependent on
reflected light. Excessive
light causes extremes in
contrast - the relationship
of bright areas to less
bright areas. Inadequate
light produces images that
are flat and indistinct.
Outdoors, a bright and
sunny day with a thin film of
Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

clouds produces a pleasing

light level. Inexpensive
floodlights work well indoors
or as supplemental lighting
outdoors. Experiment with
their placement to give the
most pleasing results.
I prefer to take several
photographs of the same
subject in order to give me
selection options.
I usually take a shot of
the general scene without
any specific tweaking.
Then take the light reading
(and point of focus) on the
trunk of the tree (this has
been my most successful
method).
If the interior of the tree
is dark, Ill use a fill flash
to illuminate the darker
areas.
* Positioning >
Most bonsai are
designed to be
viewed only from
the front and with
the eye looking
straight into the tree
- not from above,
below or from the
side. The lens of the
camera should also
be positioned the
same way looking
straight at the tree,
Florida Bonsai

with just a bit of the back

rim of the container visible.
Before depressing the
shutter release, compose
your picture in the camera.
This is done by filling
the frame. You literally
fill the viewing frame (or
screen) of the camera with
the image to be captured.
Include all that is important
and exclude that which is
not important.
* In Summary
If you integrate some of
these suggestions into your
photography of bonsai,
the resulting pictures
will provide a creditable
documentation of your
bonsai subject.
Return to beginning

Buttonwood - Conocarpus erectus

Dantes Inferno

Rob Kempinski
13/10

Tom
Zane
tells
you
what
to do.

This is a truly beautiful

setting, with an
outstanding bonsai. You
cannot see the setting,
and you surely cannot see
the bonsai.

Here are the results

if you dont do what
Tom tells you.

Disclaimer: All bad photos taken by Editor

PHOTOGRAPHING
BONSAINOT
More on photographing
bonsai from the Editor:
There is an excellent
article in Spring of 1987,
XVII #2;page 3-8 by Tom
Zane that gives a thorough
discourse of the technical
matters regarding good
photography. There is
another article by Dan
Barton XXII, #1;19-21 on
photographing bonsai, it is
more literal.

Here a crime is committed on this awesome

pyracomeles. No pot, soil or
stand can be seen. You cannot tell the branches from the
shadow, and the camera was
so close that the distortion
makes the companion plant
look like it is falling over.

Dont
do
this!

These two photographs show

about everything that can go
wrong. The shadows are overpowering. The bonsai goes off
the background, and you cannot see the beautiful nebari
nor the pot and soil it is in.
Anyone see the beautiful (expensive) tables?
14/11

Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

Just to keep you from being discouraged, this is the

same photo used for the
cover page. They can be
fixedsometimes. Just pity
your poor editor.
Be sure there is light on the
trunk(s) and the soil. Be sure
the pot and stand is lit up.
Use a light color cover on the
table so the pot and stand
can be seen.
Florida Bonsai

Last but not least

NEVER USE mirrors.
I learned this from
a very good friend of
ours.
She took a picture
of a china closet with
beautiful art ware
in it. However, the
back of the china
closet was a mirror.
It wasnt until she
got her prints from
the store that she
noticed she had no
clothing on when she
took the picture.
The moral of the
story:
check
the
background.
Never
ever use a mirror!
Toms article on photography reminded me, maybe I
should show some common
problems.
Editor
15/11

CLUB EVENTS CALENDARS

Kawa Bonsai Society
Presents their Third Annual

THE BONSAI SOCIETY

OF MIAMI
PRESENTS

Joy of Bonsai

Friday, Saturday & Sunday,

October 15 - 17, 2004
Flagler County Extension Office
150 Sawgrass Road, Bunnell, FL
(Located West of US 1, just North of SR 100 overpass)
An evening and two full days for the bonsai enthusiast or the
bonsai curious. Watch demonstrations, amble through the exhibit
of members bonsai, take a chance on the raffles and bid on demo
trees at the end of each day. And have fun.
Friday evening:... hands on workshop, by Mary Miller
Sat. and Sun.: .... demonstrations by bonsai artists:
Mike Cartrett, Mary Miller and Mike Rogers.
Sunday: ...............hands on workshop, by Mike Rogers.
Sat. and Sun.: .....coffee and breakfast treats.
Lunch, will be available for purchase.
Vendors: ..............buy bonsai, pre-bonsai, pots and tools
Admission: ..........$10 one day, $15 two days. Workshop fees
are $25 with advanced registration.
Workshop info/registration: Louise Leister, 386/446-1233.
For information: ...http://www.bonsai-bsf.com/calandar.htm, or
Email: ..................tomz50925@aol.com.

Sho Fu Bonsai Society, Sarasota, FL

Sep. 2: Thur.................Mary Miller will be giving a demo to the

club on our regular meeting night (first
thursday of month).
Sep. 3 & 4: Fri./Sat.....Workshops with Mary.
Oct 7th: ......................Julie Trigg will be doing a slab building
demo and workshop in

Contact, Julie Trigg, 941/355-9186, Email: info@shofubonsai.com.

16/12

Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

The Consulate General of Japan

in Miami and the Fairchild Tropical
Botanical Garden, in collaboration
with The Bonsai Society of Miami,
and Ikebana International Miami
Chapter #131

Presents

150 year friendship anniversary

between Japan and United
States. Demonstrations, exhibits,
performances & lectures on
Japanese culture, gardening, sushi,
bonsai, ikebana, including Koto
musicians & Taiko drum concerts:

AKI
MATSURI

Autumn Festival of
Japanese Culture
October 9th/10th

The juried exhibit will display the

best of South Florida bonsai.
Sat & Sun Oct. 9/10th, from
9:30 am 4:30 pm.
LOCATION: Fairchild Tropical
Garden 10901 Old Cutler Rd.,
Coral Gables.
ADMISSION: Free with Garden
admission of $10.
Additional Info:
Phone: 305/389-3243 or 667-1651
Check the following websites:

http://www.bonsaisocietyofmiami.org

The 18th Annual Bonsai Exhibit & http://www.fairchildgarden.org

Sale of The Bonsai Society of Miami. http://www.miami.us.emb-japan.go.jp

Bonsai Society of Southwest Florida, Ft. Myers, FL

St. John the Apostle, 3049 McGregor Blvd. Ft. Myers, unless noted.
Aug 7: Field trip to Homestead, Florida--Mary Madison, Miami
Tropical, Oriental Nursery
Aug 14: Mary Madison
Sep 18: Paul Krupick--training Black Pine
Oct 9: Field trip to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden--Bonsai
Society of Miami show and Aki Matusura.
Oct 16: 3rd of 3 Root-Over-Rock program-Judy Gore/Virginia Boka
Nov 12: Friday, and 13, Saturday, all day, ANNUAL SHOW:
Demonstrations, raffles, exhibit, and vendors. 10 am to 4 pm.
Nov 20: New members meet and greet
Dec 18: Holiday Party
More on page 18/13
Florida Bonsai

17/12

Tri-Cities Regional Bonsai Show

The workers,
Allen, Lynn, & Russell

Oro Hime Nadina,

by Jerry

Marion Bonsai Society Fun Day

April 2004

Presentation of the
new club plaque

Wakaebisu Satsuki Azalea

by Lynn

Mike Rogers and Guy Guidry

performed demos, and they
brought materials to sell.

Jaboticaba
Trident Maple
Fringe Tree
by Dave

Gardenia
Shohin Lace Leaf
by Lynn

by Russell

Lantana
by Lee

This annual event is sponsored by the Mobile, Pensacola, & Ft.

Walton Beach Clubs. Locations are rotated, in 2004 it was on
May 22, in Mobile, AL, at the Bel-air Mall.

18/13

Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

Good times with old friends. We

learned a lot and replenished our
stock from the vendors.

Guys demo was a flat top

bald cypress forest on a slab.
The slab was built by the
Chapmans as a result of the
2003 BSF convention in Ft
Myers. The slab was 18 wide
and 44 long. We all can learn
from our conventions.

Above: Mike brought his Bald Cypress

Literati that he and Guy did last year
(You have to see the sample at: http:
//www.bonsai-bsf.com/bending_cypress/
bending_cypress.htm).
Florida Bonsai

Thank these guys for

the goodies.
19/13

> Stands from page 10/9

the quality of the parts

goes down-hill pretty fast.
A prototype of the design
needs to be made to verify
that the design looks as
good as envisioned and that
it can be assembled easily.
Even with our experience,
Bob and I made several
adjustments to our design
before we were satisfied
that it would do the job.
During the assembly we
all made some interesting
mistakes. Fortunately all
were correctable. We did

L
BO

MIA

TROP
I

CA

MI

things like assembling the

legs upside-down, putting
them on backwards,
attaching them to the top
rather than the bottom, and
assembling mismatched
styles of legs to the stand.
Experience is especially
important for finishing the
stands. It is not difficult at
all to wind up with stands
having so many runs and
drip marks that they look
pretty terrible. We had
several that needed some
intensive restoration work.

MIAMI

TROPICAL

Call us toll free at 1-800/777-0027

Monday-Saturday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Fax us any time at 305/258-583.

NSAI

We buy Bonsai Tree Collections

and Large Specimens.
Call for details.

If the stands being made

are for sale or raffle,
the people making them
need to be reasonably
experienced. On the other
hand, if a stand is being
made for the person
making it, then you can
turn them loose and let
them have at it.
We had fun doing the
workshop, and the stands
helped the conventions
bottom line.

Hornbeam - Carpinus caroliniana

Mike Rogers

Return to beginning

BONSAI

Large Bonsai
Styled Bonsai

Nursery Stock

Call about:
Classes (All Levels)

Pottery

Nursery Stock

Demonstrations
Tours

Tools

Other Stuff

Soil

Workshops

Try our web site http://www.miamitropicalbonsai.com

20/14

Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

14775 SW 232 ST Miami, Florida 33170

Florida Bonsai

21/14

> Joe from page 3/5

October 23 & 24, 2004

e
l
a
s
l
!
!
!
l
E
L
A
S
n
a thing o ings !!!

8:00 am
to 6:00 pm

Big

NE 97th St. Rd.

Old 301-CR200A

Anthony
70th-SR 326

y
r
e
v
!! E

US 301

I-75

US 27

Ocala
20
0
SR

SW 7th Ave.
O

MAP

!!!

N E W L O C AT I O N
4300 NE 97 St. Rd.
(Grass Road)

Directions

15 miles north of the old Location:

North up US 301 to SR 326, East to
County Rd 200A(Old 301), North
Through Anthony to NE 97th St. Rd.
2 miles East to grass road.
Watch for sign on right.
SR 40

17th St.

Old Location

22/15

! ! ! D r aw
!!! Free Stuf
f

US 301

Tom Brantley
P.O. Box 893
4300 N.E. 97th St. Road
Anthony, Florida 32617
352/816-7409
Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

Joe: My brothers both

went overseas during the
war and came back in bad
shape. Twice the doctors
rejected me for a bad heart.
After working in the steel
mill for a couple years I got
a job as a welder. We used
Atomic welding on propellers with special rodswe
about fainted when they
dropped the atomic bomb
to end the war. That was
tough welding. Again, end
of warend of job. Off I
went to Florida.
Ed: Ever miss Aliquippa?

Joe: I went to Miami Beach,

no friends, no money, and
no job. I got a job at the
Black Stone Hotel because
I had unique qualifications.
They had one uniform, and
I fit itso I got the job.
After 12 years I realized
that my real love was the
out-doors, and struck out
on a landscaping job in
Plantation. Drove to Plantation for a measly $39 a
week pay. What my boss
didnt know, I was getting a
phD in growing things and
keeping them alive.
Ed: No bonsai?

Joe: My first interest was

orchids, and like all things
I got carried away with the
subject. I got pretty good
at it, eventually serving on
the Board Directors of the
South Florida Orchid Society. Having over 75 special
species, several hybrids I
developed, I got to know a
lot of people. Around 1960,
while doing some work in
an orchid nursery, the Mayor of Miami Beach heard of
me and needed help with
the citys landscaping. By
now Jackie Gleason had
made Miami Beach famous
A picture a steel worker could love.
and they were awash in
Ed: How were you received landscaping. After telling
in Florida?
the Mayor what the probJoe: It was home, but it is
hard to miss that kind of
work and the way we lived
in those hard times. I love
it here in south Florida.
Just to keep things in perspective I kept this framed
photo of the steel mills in
their glory in my home.

Florida Bonsai

See Joe page 24/16 >

23/15

> Joe from page 23/15

before that.
Joe: I got into bonsai around
1958, and by 1978 was into
it full time. Bonsai got hold
of me, and hasnt quit yet.
I got married in 1963 which
lasted to 1976. We gave it a
good try, but it didnt workhave been going alone since.
Ed: And . . . ?

Joe: By 1972 I had a considerable collection of butFixing his latest creation

tonwoods and cypress among
other things. I atlem was,
tended my first
and what
convention in
it would
Atlanta in 1972.
take to fix
A couple of us
it the Mayor
drove up in a van
flipped and
with some South
didnt know
Florida bonsai.
what to do.
We knocked their
I told him
socks off. No
straight out,
Joes Salvador Dali
one had ever
you called me,
seen buttonwood bonsai.
I didnt call you. To make
Even the cypress shocked
a long story short, I was
them. A photographer took
hired, cleaned up the towns
some photos and sent them
landscape, and soon was in
to the New York times. They
charge of 150 people dealwere published and made
ing with 350,000 plus annuquite a stir in the bonsai
als up and down the beach,
community. I got to know
and over 10,000 orchids.
Brother Paul at the monasOne of the tough assigntery and made him a dupliments was annually going
cate of my ficus Cloud, and
to Central America to hunt
donated it to the monastery.
down orchidsthis became
my annual vacation. In
Ed: This must have impacted
1978, after 18 years, I retired. your orchid hobby.
Ed: You got into bonsai
Joe: Back in 1975, I casually
24/16

Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

told a guy he
two foot square
could have all
by 2 inch think,
my orchids for
and they took
$1,000. To my
pictures and
surprise, the
many notes of
next day the
them. They inguy showed
vited me to the
up with 10
Japanese azalea
$100 bills and
show, and some
walked away
friends slipped
An old friend(orchid)
with all my
hanging around my bonsai. me various fororchids.
bidden hybrid
seeds which I am afraid
Ed: By then you were pretty never sprouted.
active in the Bonsai Society.
Joe: I chaired the 1975
BSF/IBC Convention in
Miami Beach. We shocked
the world with our South
Florida exhibit. The Mayor
of Miami Beach invited the
Mayor of their Sister City
in Japan. Several famous
Japanese masters came.
They could not get over my
buttonwoods. They begged
to see my collection. I also
introduced them to the Bucida Spinoza we imported
from the Bahamas. They
were so impressed they
made me a member of the
Japanese Bonsai Society
which I maintained for 17
years. I have all the subsequent annual JBS hardcover books, the first one of
which is signed by Masakuni
and Murata. In my collection, I had made some great
benches with lime rock slabs
Florida Bonsai

Podocarpus, one of my
favorite bonsai.
After being on the Board of
Trustees for a couple years,
I was president of BSF in
1987/1989.
Ed: Joe was 85 on the 21 of
June, 2004, but he has no
plans of sitting in a rocking
chair. Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday you can find
him at Miami Tropical holding court in the potting
See Joe page 26/17 >
25/16

> Joe from page 25/16

shed. The guys under his

tutelage cant possibly appreciate the education they
are getting. Miami Tropical
better pay them well, they
will have a bunch of experts
in their nursery.
I know of no way to tell
you all abut Joe. Joe is an
extremely accomplished
painter and has many talents
in his home on
Miami Beach.
Here is a
photo of one,
The eye.

While attending the 1975

BCI Convention in Miami I
got my first glimpse at a
Ficus Nerifolia the Cloud,
I was impressed. Then I
got to know the man who
created it and I was really
impressed. Joe is a very
special person, someone I
call my friend.

Large/small Bonsai
Nursery Stock
Pre-bonsai
Stands
Tools
Pots
Soil
Wire

Jim Smith

Here are
some other
peoples
comments:
Joe Samuels
is an innovative, talented
and knowledgeable bonsai artist. I am
pleased to call him friend.
In many ways he is a very
private person, but when it
comes to bonsai he is ready
to share. He is encouraging and easy on newcomers and rightfully tough on
us old-timers! Joes years
of experience are there for
anyone who will listen.

Joe has given me many

inspirational comments
over the many years weve
been friends. The one bit
of advice he gave me many
years ago, one that I still
use, and one that I pass on
to others is;

Mary Miller

Ed Trout

Bonsai should always be

about the trees. Let your
trees do your talking.

(Thanks for the help Mary-Editor.)

26/17

Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

Call for information. 561/746-5074

Wholesale to the trade.
Retail, Demos, and Workshops, for
Bonsai Clubs, by appointment only.
Visit our web site:
http://jupiterbonsai.com
On the web based color issue, you can click the
web site for direct access.
Florida Bonsai

J
U
P
I
T
E
R
B
O
N
S
A
I
27/17

THE DISNEY AND BSF PARTNERSHIP:

PREPARING YOUR TREES FOR
THE 2005 EPCOT FLOWER AND GARDEN FESTIVAL
Peter Wood, Chairman BSF/EPCOT Committee

he 2005 Walt Disney International Flower

and Garden Festival will be held at EPCOT
from April 15 through June 5. For the past
11 years BSF has had an ongoing partnership
agreement with Walt Disney World (WDW) to
loan and maintain a bonsai display throughout
the show period. Local BSF members also
present a weekly lecture on bonsai basics for
EPCOT visitors. The trees on loan to Disney this
year (2004) were stunning, and were seen by an estimated
50,000 to 100,000 people in a 7 week period.

Consider applying to exhibit your bonsai at EPCOT next

year! (See the application in this edition) In addition to

the honor of having thousands of people see your art, each
exhibitor will receive two Disney World tickets (maximum
two tickets per family) that can be used at any single WDW
Park. Disney provides hotel accommodations (for out of
town people) for the nights prior to setup and strike, and will
reimburse for travel expenses. WDW also includes insurance
for trees and pots in the unlikely event of damage. Trees will
be exhibited in full sun or partial shade (as you designate)
for 7 weeks and receive regular care from local BSF members
and the WDW Horticulture staff.

30 inches height will be required. Trees

must be healthy, must be wired into pots,
and the pot or slab must not be cracked or
damaged. Photos are really the crux of the
selection process, so they need to be as
representative of the trees appearance as
possible in April through June. Ensure that
photos have good light contrast behind the
treethis is important. Other factors that
enter into the selection are the variety
of species, style, and artistic appearance
of each tree. This early notice for 2005
is to give you a chance to get photos of
your trees, especially deciduous trees, while they still have
their leaves. With a December 31, 2004 application deadline,
photos taken now are necessary.

or the 2005 exhibit we would like to see participants

from all Districts of Florida, and we hope the trial addition of
the smaller trees will open opportunities for new exhibitors.

We

encourage every member of BSF who has bonsai

meeting the requirements to enter one or two of them
to be selected for the show. The enclosed form gives the
information needed to enter. One or more photos of the tree
must accompany each form. Send the application form(s)
and photos to the address noted on the form no later than
December 31, 2004.

he honor and satisfaction of exhibiting

a tree at this International Festival is
tremendous. The BSF/EPCOT committee
uses a fair and demanding process for
considering applications, and will do all
possible to assist you in the exhibition
process should your tree(s) be selected.
Get your photos of entries ready now!

The

BSF/EPCOT Committee will meet

and make its selection in February 2005,
so applications for 2005 must be received
by December 31, 2004. The BSF/Epcot
Committee will select submissions on a
nameless basis.

or 2005 BSF will again select a total of 20

bonsai. Consideration will be given for up to 5
of the bonsai selected to be of a size between
15 and 30 inches. Otherwise a minimum of
28/18

For additional information see the BSF

website, http://www.bonsai-bsf.com, or
Email; woodpk@juno.com.
Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

Florida Bonsai

29/18

2004
Here are some stories of the
bonsai exhibited at EPCOT. The
entire display has been on the
web site for over three months.
Schefflera
Schefflera arboricola
20 yrs. old, 6 yrs. in training
34 x 60 banyan
Jim Moody
Dwarf Jade
Portulacaria afra
20 yrs. Old, 17 yrs. in training
25 inches tall
Ray & Tammy Malin

Ahh . . .
Strangler Fig
Ficus Aurea,
A 28 x 36 banyan style, in her husbands pot. See What Bonsai Means
to Me for the rest of the story-you
wont believe how she got this beauty.
Ruth Osganian
15 years ago this trunk was too tall with
no taper in the top 12 inches. The base
was great and the first 15 inches was OK,
so I cut off the top 12 inches. The tree
looked like it went through a hurricane.
In the past three years the entire apex was
regrown and developed a nice taper in the
new top25 inches tall.

Fukien Tea
Carmona microphylla
50 yrs. old
30/19

The point? Dont be afraid to perform

major surgery to correct a flaw. It may
take years to come backthe final result
will be well worth the effort and time.
Gene Howell

Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

Ficus
Ficus rianne
20 yrs. old, 5 yrs training
42 inches high.
Cut from a tub of roots and trunks, 6
other 18+ inch bonsai and countless
lesser bonsai from the same pot. Every
cut off trunk or branch rootedgreat fun.
Dick Miller

Buttonwood
Conocarpus erectus
Design begun.
50 yrs. old
30 inches high
Shortly after harvesting-1999.
Ed Trout
A BONSAI EVOLUTION.
Florida Bonsai

31/19

> Morikami from page 7/7

The Morikami Museum

& Japanese Gardens is
sponsoring a cruise on the
Crystal Serenity out of Fort
Lauderdale. Visit Nassau,
St. Thomas, St. Barts,
Barbadoes, Antigua, and
Martinique.

during the treatment and

an after shot. All is well,
and we plan to put it in the
EPCOT show next year on a
special pedestal.

Take A Walk Through

BONSAI
With

I will do an article on this

Cruises start at $3,515

including round trip by bus
from the Museum. Includes
a beginners bonsai, pot,
tools with necessary
amenities, and a one
year membership to the
During Treatment
Morikami Museum.
treatment with plenty of
Your humble editor will
pictures. This will have to
be providing the workshops
do for now.
and demonstrations. Any
one with any amount of
knowledge is especially
welcome to give a hand.

Jim Smith

Study a Great
Collection

Learn From
the Master
In person or on
Video tape
To order,
Call 860-464-0312

The Dura-Stone Co.

Everything for The Bonsai

Enthusiast.

Reservation and deposit

is required, contact Harriet
Yarmis at 561/852-4994.
Sounds like fun, join us.
Just before sending this
to the printer, we found lots
of ground up foul looking
wood inside the trunk of our
newly acquired BSF Logo
bonsai. After research all
over the web and country
the bonsai got one powerful
clean out and chemical
treatment. Here is a picture
32/20

VHS $24
DVD $30

Bonsai to the trade.

Tours and Demos

Have
it
Your
way

by Reservations only.
After Treatment
Answer to question on page 7.
A clean-up crew from the Gold
Coast Club removed all bonsai
from the Morikami collection and
scrubbed the entire exhibit. Norm
Nelson is left off the list.

Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

Call: 772/562-5291
See our web site:
http://jimsmithbonsai.com
Florida Bonsai

ENJOY
33/20

BONSAI from
TOMORROW
Ficus over a meteorite

Fukien Tea - Carmona macrophylla

2004
Presidents
Award

Japanese black pine

Pinus thunbergiinia

Korean hornbeam
Carpinus turczaninovii

Chinese Sweet Plum

Sageritia theezans

Jim Smith
Design
Excellence
Award!
Convention
Logo tree

Jim Smith

Bonsai
Society Of
Brevard
Logo Tree.

Alan Gouldthorp
Dave Williams

Rob Kempinski
Larch
Larix laricina, (ferinner, yankeesis)

1st Place Exhibit Bonsai *

Small Bonsai:

Ron Miller

Ficus Toolittle
Ficus benjimina

Large Bonsai

Japanese maple
Acer palmatum
Mike Rogers
Medium Bonsai

Terry Salber

Dale Cochoy

Willowleaf Ficus
Ficus salicifolia

Buttonwood
Conocarpus erectus

Bald Cypress
Taxodium distchium
Ed Trout
Dwarf Black Olive
Bucida spinosa
Mary Madison * As judged by Ben Oki, Dave De Groot, & Gary Marchal
34/21

Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

Violet Allen
Florida Bonsai

Jim Smith

More convention photos on page 36/22 >

35/21

The outdoor display was great,

and drew a lot of public interest.
(Not to mention a lot of work!)

Live oak

Querus virginianna

Tropical Bonsai, Inc.

Welcome to the
Tropical Bonsai Page:

Sea Grape

My addiction started early in

We Sell everything:
life. Some were cute; some were
Pre-Bonsai to
plain. Some were large; and some were small.
E
There were those that would flower, and those that
x
h
would bear fruitit made no
i
difference.

Coccoloba uvifera

I was hooked!
Ed Trout
Reggie Predue

Slash Pine
Pinus elliottii

WATCH FOR MORE

INFORMATION ABOUT
THE NEXT CONVENTION.
Bonsai Societies of Florida
2005 CONVENTION

Bonsai
2005

Ed Trout

Simpsons Stopper
Myrcianthes fragrans

Simply
the Best

36/22

July 1st 4th, 2005

At The RADISSON HOTEL
Cape Canaveral, FL
Featuring
CHASE ROSADE
JERRY MEISLIK
&
JIM SMITH
MARY MADISON
MIKE CARTRETT
ED TROUT
JIM VAN LANDINGHAM

b
i
t

As I look back over the years,

C
I can recall with certainty the
l
actual event that kept me riva
eted to my hobby and down the
s
s
path of personal fulfillment.
I signed up for
and then a huge collection.
My wife and I knew, cared
my first hands-on
bonsai classes, and joined my
for, and named each and every one
first bonsai club. It was there
of our trees . . . they became our fun
that I could engross
family.
myself in the techAt Tropical, we sell wholeniques of this ancient
sale and retail.
art. Before too long
See our web site for materials
I was teaching the
and prices.
(Elizabeth & Emily 2/24/02)
craft becoming more
We are open to the public
and more immersed in bonsai
Saturday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm,
activities. Then I
and by appointment. We love having
joined a second
clubs or groups for special events-call
bonsai club.
to set a date.
By this time, my small collecOr, Email: tropbonsai@aol.com.
tion became a large collection,

Check out inventory and prices at our web site:

http://www.tropicalbonsaiinc.com
Save time and money
9401 Northwest 42nd. Street, Coral Springs, FL 33065
Harold Harvey
Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

(954) 752-8229 Fax (954) 227-2647

Florida Bonsai

37/22

al

Convention

un

L ADIES

AND. . .
A Better
Workstand
Can Mean A
Better Bonsai
These workstands will forever
change the way you work on your
bonsai.
They provide a stable and
adjustable work platform to
Workstands for Bonsai.
increase your bonsai enjoyment.
Created by a bonsai enthusiast for
Three models to choose from:
bonsai enthusiasts.
The Deluxe workstand
Efficient, comfortable, and adjustable,
The affordable LC Workstand
they not only provide a practical
Deluxe Model Shown
The traditional Table top
work area, but are artful display stands*
Workstand.
in their own right.
In Florida call 561/746-5074, or
Whatever model you choose, you will
Call 717/871-7900 for assistance.
get a dependable device that will give
MECHANICAL
COORDINATORS
LLC
you years of bonsai enjoyment.
Email:
info@mechanicalcoordinators.com
Click
Ask about our wire caddy, shown above.
here
http://www.mechanicalcoordinators.com
*Not intended for outdoor use as stands.
38/23

Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

Florida Bonsai

39/23

GENTLEMEN

Below is a workshop. . .

Which one is Mr. Wilson?

Im not tired.

YEAH !
Im telling you, the
trunk was that BIG!
Thats another
fine mess you got Worked two days
and nights on the
me into, Ollie!

How many guys does it take

to cut a branch?

exhibit-no sleep.

We have a problem Houston.

Ill drink to that.

Poor
little
fellow!

B O N SAI-MART.COM
OUTFITTERS FOR
ALL YOUR BONSAI
TREE NEEDS
Bonsai products under roof.

Maybe we cut too much!

40/24

Need Help?

All size trees and pots, with supplies to keep your bonsai healthy.
Convenient from four States! Open 8-2, Mon. - Sat.
Check our MONTHLY DISCOUNT ITEM on our web site.
(Ever seen an Air Layer Kit?)

Big saw,
small
tree???

You can quickly buy anything, and save time and money.
Our web-mart is your link to bonsai.

Maybe
it was a
big tree.

http://www.bonsai-mart.com

Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

See the variety of materials displayed retail or wholesale at:

http://Bonsai-wholesale.theshoppe.com
Mail to: Allen Roach, Bonsai-Mart
721 N. T Street, Pensacola, Florida 32505
Florida Bonsai

Email: bonsaimart@isp.com or,

call 1-850-432-8238
41/24

Letter to the Editor

George Henderson,
President BSF
Thoughts on the Editorial
concerning the BSF
Convention
In the (February) issue of
the Florida Bonsai magazine
an editorial appeared
concerning the finances
of BSF Conventions. The
major premise being that
BSF should stop taking
50%. I believe the article
did not present a fair
picture to the membership.
As I have stated at Board
of Trustees meeting for
many years and publicly
BSF lives on the Convention
profits. (Due) to the efforts
and new techniques used
by the new Editor the BSF
expenses have come down
over the last year.
Over the last five years
there have been two years
when BSF could have
sustained large convention
losses. However a good
profit was made (due)
to the hard work of the
Convention Committees.
Yet it is important to
remember that BSF
provides the seed money
for all BSF Conventions
42/25

and is responsible for ALL

LOSSES.
The way the Convention
expenses are broken down
the split actually works out
to be approximately 1/3 for
BSF and 2/3 for the clubs.
It seems that it has worked
this way for several years.
BSF operates on two
sources of income the
convention and the dues.
The dues are about a
break-even amount so most
operations funds come from
the convention split.
I find it interesting
that each year at the
BSF Convention we have
on average 140 to 170
members in attendance.
That means that those 140170 members that attend
the BSF Conventions really
pay for the major portion of
the operations of BSF each
year for the other 500 plus
members. Those people
also have exposure to
GREAT CONVENTIONS while
furthering the art of Bonsai
and having a wonderful fun
filled learning experience.
I think all of you who have
been loyal convention
attendees should give
yourself a hand. Go ahead-CLAP.
Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

Letter to the Editor

Gene Callahan
2nd V.P. BSF
A Different Opinion
In the February issue
of the Florida Bonsai
magazine an editorial was
written that stated It is
time BSF stopped taking
50% of convention income,
or anything near that
amount from clubs who
host it. Im sure that this
editorial made sense to a
lot of members because
no facts were presented.
The editorial also stated
that this was the Editors
opinion and asked for other
opinions and that he would
print them.
There is an old adage
that when words are
assembled with no facts
you can make STINK smell
pretty. Hmmmm! Was
this a saying or did I just
invent it? This editorial
did not give any of the BSF
convention costs. There
are two types of expenses
that BSF incurs. One is
taken directly out of the
50/50 split as a Pay Back.
This pay back expenditure
has averaged $2,374.00 for
the last four years. We had
Florida Bonsai

a high of $2,550.00 and a

low of $2,251.00. Then,
after BSF gets their reduced
share there are certain
costs that the BSF treasurer
must pay. These costs can
range from $2000.00 to
$3000.00 per convention.
I think that you can see
from these figures that BSF
could not operate under the
formula prescribed in the
editorial.
As an example, under
the current 50/50 split last
years convention profit
ended up with the Host
Club getting 65% and
BSF 35% of the net profit
after the pay back was
deducted. Then, from this
figure the BSF Treasurer
had to pay the other
authorized costs.
Even though we have
had our most successful
conventions the past three
years, the BSF cash balance
has remained virtually
the same due to the
rising costs and expanded
programs. If the editorial
proposal or $3,000.00
maximum for the BSF share
were in effect, we would
have $9,768.00 less in the
treasury than we have now,
and it would be a continual
See LOE page 44/26 >

43/25

Here are the Editors Awards given at the Convention banquet

to members who wrote so many-good articles.

> LOE from page 43/25

loss. Dont forget BSF

advances the Host $3,000
start-up money, and is
responsible for any losses
that a convention incurs.

Japanese Yew Podocarpus macrophyllus

This award is presented on May 30, 2004

M ar ge Pi erc e

To show that all

conventions are not moneymakers, BSF got less than
$3,000.00 in 1999 and 2000
after the pay back was
deducted and the treasurer
still had to pay the other
authorized costs.
Hopefully, these facts will
give you a different viewpoint
about conventions and the
money that BSF gets from
them. Remember the money
that BSF receives to operate
comes from two sources,
dues at $9.00 per member
and the convention share.

by the Editor: Dick Miller

Richard & J.J. Turner

Article ................... Year:Volume

Atlanta in the Spring............... VII:4
On Ancient Bonsai - Where are the Rules? VIII:1
Perfect Tree, The ................... VIII:4
Naka Critique, The .................. IX:1
Perched Water Table, The ......... IX:2
:2
Trials of Training Tabebuia ......XIV
Tips for Beginners .................. XV:2
XV:2
....
Users
Camera
News for Disc
Serissa foetida, Snow rose ....... XV:2
:2
Sometimes You Cant See the Trees for ForestXV
Picture Story ......................... XV:2
2
AllXVI:
by
Had
Was
Time
And a Good
Bougainvillea ....................... XVII:2
Report: Viburnum suspensum XVII:2
Enough is Enough ............... XVIII:4
Surface Roots .................... XVIII:4
Perfect Tree, The ....................XIX:4
Illusion .................................XX:1

Defoliating ............................XX:2
Tribute, A ..........................XXIV:2
Tree for All Seasons Almost .. XXV:1
Try This ............................. XXV:3
What Friends Are For (Poem) XXV:3
Answer This (Potting) .......... XXV:3
Artist, The (Poem) ............... XXV:3
For Rent (Poem) .................. XXV:3
Bonsai and the Garden, ........ XXV:3
You Gotta Love That Sunshine XXV:3
Warning (Pruning) ............... XXV:4
Summertime (Poem) ........... XXV:4
Water, Water Everywhere .... XXVI:1
Starting Over ..................... XXVI:2
Apologies to J.K. (Poem) ..... XXVI:2
Looking Back on Our Club .... XXVI:2
Never Ending Saga, The ...... XXVI:2
Dwarf Crape Myrtle ............. XXVI:2
Collector, The (Poem) ........ XXVI:3

EPCOT Flower and Garden .. XXVI:3

Scary Thing Happened ........... XXVI:3
Collector, The (Poem) ........ XXVI:4
Care an Feeding of Bonsai Artist XXVI:4
Viburnum Suspensum ........ XXVII:1
Oh! Those Abominable Rules XXVII:1
Patience (Poem) ................. XXVII:2
Truth About Bonsai No. 6,.... XXVII:2
Cypress and Azalea Training XXVII:3
Shoot Those Babies! .......... XXVII:4
1
Truth About Bonsai, The .. XXVIII:
1
Shape Shape Branches .... XXVIII:
2
XXVIII:
......
Bonsai History ..........
4
XXVIII:
..........
d
Boxwoo
lle
Kingsvi
4
Artist, The (Poem) ........... XXVIII:
4
XXVIII:
.......
Phoenix-Graft ..........
XXIX:1
.......
The
Us,
Among
Fungus
Superthrive-Miracle/Gimmick XXIX:1
Flowering Trees .................. XXIX:3
Pruning of Deciduous Trees .. XXIX:4

EDITORS AWA
RD
This award is presented

on May 30, 2004 to

Thomas L. Zane

Tom has furthered the

mission of the Bonsai
Societies of Florida by
material published in
having written
Florida Bonsai magaz
ine, from 1982 throug
h 2002.
This award is presented
based upon the subject
s, quality, and
quantity (52*) of what
he
has written.
On behalf of the many
members of BSF, who
for over 22 years hav
hours and effort he has
e benefited from the cou
given to share his kno
ntless
wledge and experience
, THANKS.

Article ...............
.... Year:Volum

The casual nursery. Stroll around

at your pace-no pressure.
Enjoy! Happy to see you.

Bob Pinder
3663 S.W. Honey Terrace
772/463-6633 Right Next to Turnpike Exit #133, in Palm City
44/26

to

i Societies of Florida by having written

Marge has furthered the mission of the Bonsa
ine, from 1978 through 1999
magaz
i
Bonsa
a
Florid
in
material published
subjects, quality, and
This award is presented based upon the
quantity (57) of what she has written.
the countless
who for over 26 years have benefited from
On behalf of the many members of BSF,
ience, THANKS.
exper
and
edge
knowl
her
share
to
given
hours and effort she has

DRAGON TREE BONSAI

NURSERY
Pre-Bonsai:
Collected or,
Nursery Grown
Classes
Club Tours
Workshops
Demonstrations

EDITORS AWARD

Aug 2004
Go to the Contents page:

e
Removing Mineral
Deposits Easy Way
... XII:3
Book Review: Penji
ng: The Chinese Art
of
Miniature Gardens
by Hu Yunhua .......
.. XII:4
Hints and Tips: On
Annealing Wire ......
XII:4
Domestic & Overseas
Audio-Visual .....X
IV:1
Bonsai Course Outli
ne .....................
..XIV:3
Photographing Bons
ai.......................
XVII:2
New Botanical Gard
en in Volusia..........
XVIII:4
Wiring of Bonsai .......
...................... XVII
I:4
Displaying Bonsai
............................
..XX:2
Plants that do not do
well in Daytona .....
XXI:4
Edu. Services,on FL
Plants, Library, ...
XXII:1
Kawa Bonsai Socie
ty - A Time Line ...
XXII:2
Biology of Bonsai
...........................
XXII:3
Little Things Mean
a Lot .................
XXIII:4
Fed Tax Exempt Statu
s, A Guide .... XXII
I:4
Group Planting .......
....................... XXIV
:2

* This list does not inclu

de articles he co-autho

Florida Bonsai

Juniperus Chinensis
....................... XXIV
:4
We Came, Saw, Conq
uered..or did we .....
XXIV:4
Yaupon Holly, Dwar
f .......................
XXV:1
Art and Aesthetics
of Bonsai .............
XXV:1
Ficus Salicifolia .......
........................
XXV:1
Upright Trunk Bons
ai .....................
.. XXV:2
Black Pine (Pinus
thunbergii) ............
XXV:2
Juniper chinensis.
...........................
XXV:2
Cascade Style Bons
ai .....................
XXV: 2
Fukien Tea ..............
....................... XXV:
3
Lantana ..............
...........................
XXV:3
Jaboticaba (Eugenia
cauliflora) .........
XXV:3
Winged Elm .......
............................
XXV:3
BSF Is Now On The
Internet .............
XXV:4
Wiring Tricks .......
...........................
XXVI:2
Bending Thick Mate
rial ....................
XXVI:2
Quince and Quince
.........................
XXVI:2
What is a Master?
..........................
XXVI:2

red, nor the voluminous

writings not printed in

by the Editor: Dick Mil

ler

Rosemary ..............
...................... XXVI
:2
Drilling Holes in Pots
....................... XXVI
:2
Malpighia (Malpighia
coccigera) ....... XXVI
:3
Buttonwood with Scale
................... XXVI
:3
Elm (Ulmus parvifolia
-Catlin)............ XXVI
:3
Inland and Coastal
Trees in FL, ...........
XXVI:3
Restore Some Vital
ity to the Club! ....
XXVI:3
Azaleas as Bonsai
..........................
XXVI:4
Ebony, Texas (Pith
ecolobium) .........
XXVII:2
Refining Bonsai - An
Outline .......... XXVI
I: 2
BSF New Website
..........................
XXVII:4
Imagination .......
..........................
XXVII:4
Bonsai Behind Bars
..................... XXVI
II:1
Bloody Bonsai - A
Book Review .....
XXVIII:2
Monthly Bonsai Tips
for Central FL .....
XXIX:1
Virtual Styling with
a Mouse .............
XXXI:2
Ben Oki at Kawa .......
..................... XXXI
:1
BSF Exhibit of Bons
ai at EPCOT........
XXXII:2

Florida Bonsai.

45/26

Bonsai by the Monastery

bonsaimonk

com

A renown American Bonsai Master, the late Father Paul Bourne, was
responsible for the origin of the bonsai operations at the Monastery.
The Monastery continues to sell bonsai, pottery, tools and related items.
Visit our website
http://www.bonsaimonk.com
Our Bonsaimonk.com e-store was launched to make our bonsai pottery and
tools available via the latest technology and to further the art of bonsai.
The largest selection of
bonsai pottery in the USA
including
the largest
selection of
Tokonoma
pottery.
We also have a large variety of tools,
soil, fertilizer, wire, etc.

Post Script:
I sincerely hope you enjoyed this issue of Florida
Bonsai.
Obviously, anyone in the world can access this web
version of our magazinetell them about it.
Three things occur to me:
One: It is wonderful if more people learn about
bonsai, and what we are doing in Florida.
Two: Our generous advertisers are presented to
the world.
Three: If you are not a member, please support us
so we can continue to publish it.
Contact Tammy Malin, as noted in the beginning of
the magazine for individual or club membership.
Whether or not you are a member, please support
our advertisers. Buy from them, and tell them
thanks for bringing this publication to you.
Enjoy our magazine, and have fun with your bonsai.
Plan for our next convention, noted herein.

Pottery Warehouse

Mon-Sat, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Phone: 800/778-POTS(7687)
Local 770/388-0531
Greenhouse is open to the public:
FAX: 770/760-0989
Tues - Fri, 12:30 pm - 4:30 pm
2625 Hwy. 212 SW
Conyers, GA 30094
Sat, 10:00 am - 4:30 pm.
The Monastery was established in Conyers, Georgia in 1944. The search for
God, common to all human beings, and which normally develops alongside other
occupations, is for a monk his sole occupation. Daily life for the monks consist of prayer,
contemplation, work and harmonious living with others.
In his Rule for Monks, St. Benedict stated that the monks were to work for their living
by their own hands. There are several industries at the Monastery that provide work
and revenue for the community, one of which is Bonsai By The Monastery Greenhouse.

Check out the Convention at the web site:

http://www.bonsaisocietyofbrevard.org/2005/2005.html
Your editor,
Dick Miller
If you are not a member of BSF, and want to subscribe?
Email me: dmiller444@adelphia.net
1. Get early Email notification when new issue available
2. Get hard copy snail mailed in black and white
3. Get all the benefits of BSF membership
4. Sleep better knowing you helped