I started helping my father with his trees many years ago with pruning and re-potting. Since his death when I inherited them I became involved with Wessex Bonsai Society. The club has always made me feel very welcome and has helped to nurture the most inexperienced into someone who is able to pass on their own advice and experience.

My first tree was planted with my father within a hole in a stone and we had many failures over the years, and it was not until I started to attend the Bonsai club in my own right that I realised we have been doing it all wrong, we seemed to have not thought as to how we could keep the glue on the stone that was holding the soil and tree – thanks Italo for the advice on how to glue to mesh to the stone, we also forgot the base, so the soil disappeared when it rained or was watered. Sadly I have the stone without a tree now as I have not found the right one yet, but I have many more trees to keep me occupied of various varieties.

Sometimes I enjoy half an hour after work with a cuppa and scissors as this is enough to unwind me and there are also days when I can spend hours pruning a tree. Two of my children attempt Bonsai trees and have some luck or no luck with them, just like the rest of us, but it does not stop them trying or helping me to prune and re-pot all mine, which they all enjoy looking at as they make the most wonderful of displays in my garden all year round.

Julie | Bear Cross

Looking to learn more about Bonsai check out our 2017 diary including both our Tuesday Meetings and Sunday Workshop dates.