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                        WELCOME!                              
The Blue Ridge Bonsai Society supports and promotes the art of bonsai in the region around Asheville, NC. We meet together monthly, providing companionship, education,  and workshops from beginner to advanced level and we exhibit in various shows during the year. 
Goal: To help each member gain in knowledge of how to develop a show-quality bonsai.


We can be contacted at blueridgebonsaisociety@gmail.com.

2025 Meetings and Events

In general, when the meeting place availability and meeting content allows, the time from 1:00-2:00 pm will be available for informal conversation, tree advice, and sharing. The formal meeting will be from 2:00 - 4:00 pm.

2025 Upcoming Meetings

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January 12 Asheville Botanical Gardens

  • 1:00 - 2:00:

    • Bring a tree FOR SHARING OR ADVICE ONLY.  No working on trees

  • 2:00 - 4:00:

    • Member led discussion by Jonas Johnson on Black Pines. Jonas will discuss and highlight the unique characteristics of this species and when it comes time for pruning, wiring and de-candling. Black Pines have a slightly different timetable of care than most bonsai.

  • Ticket Raffle for the Feb. 15th Hinson tree harvesting field trip selecting (3) winners (drawn at Feb meeting- Only current Club members can purchase tickets).

  • Open to the Public

February 9:  The North Carolina Arboretum (Education Center Classroom)

  • 1:00 - 4:00: 

    • Bring a Tree(s) and a member led discussion by Chris Pazoles on re-potting. Yes, its time to start re-potting our bonsai and Chris will offer ‘how to’ information into this vital process that jump starts the growth of our trees for this year. For experienced re-potters, it’s a great meeting to share your expertise with others and to work alongside/collaborate.

  • Ticket Raffle & Drawing for the Feb. 15th Hinson tree harvesting field trip for (3) winners (Only current Club members can purchase tickets).

  • Open to the Public

February 15:  Spartanburg, SC area

  • A field trip to Greg & Candy Hinson’s farm for tree harvesting. There are a variety of trees to harvest from the ground and Greg will spend time with each person going over the trees’ different characteristics for selection. The Hinsons will generously provide a lunch, drinks and cookies!

  • Three (3) lucky people will attend after a ticket purchasing raffle at the January 12th meeting.

  • Harvesting info/details will be provided to the (3) winners by Greg.

  • Only for current Club Members

March 9:  The North Carolina Arboretum (Education Center Auditorium)

  • 1:30 - 4:00:

    • The Arboretum’s renowned bonsai curator Arthur Joura, will host his Spring discussion/ demonstration while he styles a tree. Arthur has decades of experience and he will generously share it with us in this working demo format.

    • A brief meeting at 1:30 followed by Arthur’s presentation at 2:00

  • Open to the Public and Club Members (everyone must register for this meeting on the Arboretum’s website)

April 13:  The North Carolina Arboretum (Education Center Classroom)

  • 1:00 - 4:00

    • Bring a Tree(s) to work on and collaborate with others over styling, pruning, wiring, theory, etc.

  • Open to the Public

May 10 & 11:  The North Carolina Arboretum (Bonsai Garden Pavilion)

  • 10:00 - 5:00 at the Bonsai Pavillion

    • A celebration of World Bonsai Day by the Club Members through informative bonsai discussion and several working demos (styling, pruning, wiring) with different trees, to share our knowledge and passion with the appreciative visitors to the Bonsai Pavilion. This is a very fun weekend for all.

  • Open to the Public and Club Members

2024 Completed Meetings

January 14:  Woodfin Community Center

Bring a Tree

Presentations by club members:  

Brian McCrodden — Bonsai soils

  • Brian spoke of the (3) common soil mixes for our trees as well as other types, the importance of using an accurate Ph level in watering and an interesting advanced discussion on Air/Water ratios within the soil and how they change with differing soil mixture ratios. 

Greg Hinson — Arboriculture vs Bonsai

  • Greg led us through the differences in how we can significantly alter our Bonsai trees but cannot with ground trees or it could lead to failure. He pointed out proper ground tree pruning as well. A common misconception of thinking both types of tree cut wounds as “healing” are actually “closing”.

February 11:  Asheville Botanical Gardens       

  • Forest creation demonstration by bonsai professional Danny Coffey.

NOTE- different time format for this month:

  • 1:00-4:00 Danny’s demonstration;

  • Danny showed us two small clusters of Shimpaku trees in two grow pots that he matured over a couple of years allowing the trees’ roots to combine. This enables their transfer to a shallow pot, a flat stone or wood slab or even a tall lava type rock, which he demonstrated. Moss covering over the soil is crucial for thin stone, wood and lava bases to ensure moisture retention. Danny wire tied his vertical Lava rock to a shallow pot with an ingeniously enlarged rock base made of epoxied wire mesh. He tied the two clusters to the top and sides of the rock again, onto epoxied eyelet anchors. It looks like trees on a rocky mountaintop. A great demonstration by Danny.

February 17:  Field trip to Greg and Candy Hinson’s farm near Spartanburg, SC.     

  • (5) Lottery ticket winners got to spend the whole day harvesting a variety of young trees under the guidance of Greg. Lunch and beverages generously provided by the Hinson's

 

March 10:  NC Arboretum    

  • An informative presentation was given by NC Arboretum Bonsai Curator Arthur Joura

April 14:  Woodfin Community Center                

  • 1:00-4:00

  • Bring a tree to share/work on

  • Trees available for Sale from a couple of our Club Members that will be priced very favorably. Take advantage of this!

 

May 5:   Woodfin Community Center                

  • Two wonderful kusamono workshops were led by club member Peggy Snow 

May 11/12:  NC Arboretum    

  • Celebration of World Bonsai Day weekend with club displays and club demos .

June 9:  Woodfin Community Center   

  • 1:00-2:00  Work/Collaborate on a tree

  • 2:00-4:00  Club Member Jonas Johnson brought his young Shimpaku and started it’s next artistic journey demonstrating branch removal and deadwood creation. He will also discuss cleaning, wiring, pest control and the fertilization of Junipers too.

July 14:  BRBS Summer Picnic    

  • 1:00-4:00 

  • A summer picnic for current Club Members was hosted by Peggy Snow in Asheville with a BBQ lunch from Louella’s.

 

August 11:  Bullington Gardens    

  • 1:00-4:00 

  • Bring a Tree/Collaborate

  • Member Felix Laughlin will discuss ways to display our trees with stands and benches

September 7 & 8:  The North Carolina Arboretum   

  • Sat 10:00-4:00  /  Sun 10:00-4:00 

  • Club members will be displaying their bonsai trees of various species and differing levels of development. A couple of vendors will be present offering pottery and bonsai trees/supplies for sale. No official Club meeting this month.

October 12 & 13:  The North Carolina Arboretum 

POSTPONED:  NEW DATE TBD

  • Acclaimed bonsai artist Jennifer Price will be joining us for a very informative weekend in sharing her expertise (details for both days to follow):

  • Saturday- Two workshops in the am and pm with hands on a tree for pruning, styling, etc. Registered participants only (no observers)

  • Sunday- 1:00-4:00:

    • Afternoon session of “tree inspiration” for members to bring their tree in for Jennifer’s observations/suggestions and with audience feedback participation. A short Club meeting beforehand. Open to the public.

November 10:  Bullington Gardens    

  • 12:30-4:00: Potluck and Auction

  • Dish/dessert contributions by Club Members for an afternoon of food and conviviality as we close out the year. Augmented with Member donated trees, tools, pottery and supplies contributions which will be Silent Auctioned off for Members to purchase. For current Members only.

December 7 & 8:  Winter Silhouette in Kannapolis, NC  

  • Club Members are encouraged to attend this regional bonsai show with 70 trees on display (including a couple from our Members!) with juried finalists, demos by renowned  bonsai artists and 35 vendors of trees, pottery and supplies for sale. No admission fee.  www.winterbonsai.net  Wear your Club shirts!

Our Bonsai as Fine Art exhibit was held at the Blue Spiral 1 gallery in Asheville. 

 

Bonsai were on display at Blue Spiral 1 from June 2 through June 11, 2023, with additional bonsai on display, an auction of bonsai and bonsai pots, and a demonstration by Bjorn Bjorholm at the NC Arboretum on June10 and 11.

 

You can now order copies of the Commemorative Album.

Use the links on our new web page: "Bonsai as Fine Art.

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Interesting Topics on 

 Our Tips, Advice, & More page

 

  • BRBS Monthly Bonsai Tips

Download a short, clear statement of what each of us should be doing for our bonsai each month, correct for our geography, written by a small committee of our most experienced members--Felix Laughlin, Peggy Snow, and Troy Schmidt. 

Also, thanks to Bjorn Bjorholm, for sharing with us his excellent summary on "Pesticides and Insecticides."

 

  • Download a PPT presentation by Daniel Coffey on the new  "Shag Rug" method of creating a bonsai forest on a rock.

  • A new source--VSANA--devoted to suiseki (viewing stones).

 

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