Walter's Travelogues

Noelanders Trophy 2013 # 14

2013-01-22T22:17:00.000+01:00

That was it, Europes largest and most important bonsai convention, Noelanders Trophy 2013. Thousands of vistors and great trees, state of the art in most cases. This convention is still growing, it was better than last year. There may well be much more space for trees and traders next year. We all are looking forward to be there. the place to be on the third weekend of January.

I thank Marc Noelanders and Luc Nagels and their team for a great job.

Noelanders Trophy 2013 # 12

2013-01-22T22:09:00.001+01:00

Bonsai people:

lunch of the big guys

Werner Busch and Robert Steven

Suthin Sukosolvisit

Luis Valejo and Enrico Savini

Enrico Savini

Luis Valejo

Werner Busch

Marc Noelanders

Robert Steven

Peter Warren

Davide Benavente

Gordon Duffet

Noelanders Trophy 2013 # 12

2013-01-22T19:45:00.000+01:00

Demos Werner Busch from Germany, with two Scots pines, Pinus sylvestris; assitants Dirk and Luan.

Noelanders Trophy 2013 # 11

2013-01-22T19:37:00.000+01:00

Demos Suthin Sukosolvisit from USA with Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris, and mugo pine, Pinus mugo; assistant Peter Warren from England.

Noelanders Trophy 2013 # 10

2013-01-22T19:26:00.000+01:00

Demos Enrico Savini from Italy with mugo pines, Pinus mugo.

Noelanders Trophy 2013 # 9

2013-01-22T19:20:00.000+01:00

Demo Luis Vallejo from Spain with a Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris. Some images borrowed from Bonsai Empire. Thank you.

Noelanders Trophy 2013 # 8

2013-01-22T19:13:00.000+01:00

Demo Carlos Van der Vaart from the Netherlands with a European spruce, Picea abies.

Noelanders Trophy 2013 # 7

2013-01-22T19:09:00.000+01:00

Demos Robert Steven from Indonesia ; both times with mugo pines. Assistant Ofer Grunwald form Israel.

Noelanders Trophy 2013 # 6

2013-01-21T23:07:00.000+01:00

The exhibit part 6

There were around 120 trees altogether. Here In show the vast majority. A handful I don't show because the pictures turned out lousy. A few shohin arrangements cannot be shown therefore.

Noelanders Trophy 2013 #5

2013-01-21T22:34:00.001+01:00

The exhibit part 5

Noelanders Trophy 2013 #4

2013-01-21T22:27:00.001+01:00

The exhibit part 4

Noelanders Trophy 2013 #3

2013-01-21T22:20:00.000+01:00

The exhibit part 3

Noelanders Trophy 2013 #2

2013-01-21T22:11:00.000+01:00

The exhibit part 2

Noelanders Trophy 2013 #1

2013-01-21T22:01:00.000+01:00

The exhibit part1

Bonsai Academy in Harrisburg, Pa 2012 #8

2012-12-10T16:20:00.001+01:00

This was "Winter with Walter and Jim 2012".

In twelve months this will happen again. If you missed it this time make sure you are on the mailing list to get all the details in time. There will be a couple hundred new trees then.

Jim Doyle will put you on the mailing list:
natureswaybonsai comcast.net="comcast.net

"Woodstock" will happen from March 22 to 24, 2013. Make sure you are on the mailing list:
natureswaybonsai comcast.net="comcast.net

These seminars are for all levels, form beginner to very advanced and master. Everybody works on hi/her level. Outright beginners should concentrate to watch. But there is always something that they can do.
Bring all your stuff where you have questions with you.
In spring we will concentrate on repotting. The huge juniper will be wired fully over the weekend.

In March of 2013 around 300 new trees will arrive. This will be usual contingent of ponderosa pines and Rocky Mountain junipers, lots of very good and affordable Egelmann spruce, Many very good and affordable alpine firs, lots of very good limber pines and other stuff. a couple of real killer trees will also arrive.
Anyway, this is a chance you should not miss.
In spring there will be more than 500 top quality mostly collected trees at Nature's Way Nursery.

So far we said that this is the most comprehensive offer east of the Mississippi. Ryan Neil said that this is most comprehensive offer of top quality material in the country. How could we disagree.

Bonsai Academy in Harrisburg, Pa 2012 #7

2012-12-10T15:53:00.000+01:00

Bonsai Academy in Harrisburg, Pa 2012 #6

2012-12-10T15:30:00.001+01:00

The International bonsai Academy is much more than just about trees. it is also about people and friendship. In Harrisburg, a ride to a brewery on Friday night and a musical sit in on Saturday have become tradition.

Bonsai Academy in Harrisburg, Pa 2012 #5

2012-12-10T15:21:00.001+01:00

Bonsai Academy in Harrisburg, Pa 2012 #4 buffalo

2012-12-10T15:07:00.001+01:00

As part of the Academy we usually work on one of the top trees there too. This time it was the "Buffalo", a ancient Ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa. This tree is arguably from 500 to 1,000 years old and arguably one of the best indigenous pines in America. We discussed possible improvements and then actually did it. As one can see the workshop participants had their hand on the Buffalo.

Bonsai Academy in Harrisburg, Pa 2012 #3

2012-12-10T14:53:00.002+01:00

Bonsai Academy in Harrisburg, Pa 2012 #2

2012-12-10T14:39:00.000+01:00

Bonsai Academy in Harrisburg, Pa 2012 #1

2012-12-10T14:22:00.001+01:00

By now it has become a tradition that the International Bonsai Academy stops at Nature's Way Nursery in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania by the end of November to beginning of December. it's called "Winter with Walter and Jim". Jim being Jim Doyle.
Folks of all levels arrive, many have trees with them in their cars, some raw material, some trees in development and some finished trees. They all bring their trees into the greenhouse. Then everybody is asked to search the nursery for a piece of material that they would be interested to work on. I search the nursery for challenging material. Then there will be a tree lengthy inspiration (tree critique) in which we discuss the trees and analyze options. Then people are let loose on the trees to do what we agreed upon under my mild guidance. This can be quite valuable trees. Nobody has to buy a tree before or after, but they can. Many actually do. There is usually a sales discount for this weekend only.
Trees are all American material: Ponderosa pine, Rocky Mountain juniper, lodgepole pines, Alpine firs, Colorado blue spruce, Engelman spruce, limber pine and others plus fat Japanese maples and others stuff grown in America.

Bonsai in Oregon - Portland club and workshop

2012-12-08T20:05:00.000+01:00

last week in Portland I did a show for the Portland club. It was an extended tree inspiration (tree critique). See the crowd with good turnout and the trees for inspiration. I gave them Plato's cave analogy and the rest. They seemed to like it and I will possibly come back.

The next day I did a workshop full day. See nice developments. The great naturalistic deciduous tree that Tom works on is a Katsura.
Afterwards we went to Greg Brenden's to see th great western white pine that Ryan gave the last styling touch.

See you all next year again hopefully.

Bonsai in Oregon - Ryan Neil

2012-12-08T09:34:00.001+01:00

Ryan Neil's place is situated in St. Helens, close to Portland, Oregon. I was lucky to have been there recently and was allowed to take and publish photographs. As we all know photographs of a collection take in the garden without a tripod usually turn out to be very bad. They never do justice to the real quality of trees. Anyway, take the shots shown and imagine a MUCH better quality when you are there yourself. Thees are only pictures of trees which I could easily take or trees which are rather advanced already. Altogether these are about 10 % or less of the trees there. The others are of same quality or potential. This is by far the biggest gathering of breathtaking trees that I have ever seen. This is the result of about four years work. Imagine what this place will e in twenty years. It's beyond belief.

The trees are mostly Rocky Mountain Juniper - Juniperus scopulorum, Ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa, Lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta, Sierra juniper , Juniperus occidentalis, Limber pine, Pinus flexilis, redwood -Sequoia sempervirens. They were all collected in the USA.
Since decades I keep telling my American friends 'you have the best bonsai material in the world' and they would not believe me. Well, take a look.

See much better pictures on Ryan's site:

International Bonsai Mirai

If I understood correctly then this is an important historical tree, a Californian juniper, being the last one of John Nakas's great trees that is still in good shape. Ryan has refurbished it to its old glory.

Bonsai Academy in Puerto Rico #5

2012-12-07T19:10:00.000+01:00

There was a small exhibit with very nice trees. i did an extensive tree inspiration (tree critique).

Then friendship pictures and the award ceremony.

Thank you Gustavo for having made this possible. Thank you Sylvia who keeps the place together there. And thank you to the Bonsai Club of Puerto Rico for having had me.
Just in case you want something like this again I would certainly come and see the progress of bonsai on the island.