May Meeting Information

"All Things Azalea"

Saturday, May 10, 1p.m.

by Randolph Lewis

Greetings members.  Spring is notoriously fickle here in the Carolinas, and it usually includes at least one late freeze to threaten the tender new growth of our bonsai and other plants.  But if you talk to native Carolinians, they’ll tell you that it never freezes after tax day.  Yes siree, if you wait till April 15 to put out your plants, you’ll be safe.  Well, according to the National Weather Service, at 5:38 a.m. on April 16, 2008, the temperature in Charlotte dipped to 29 degrees, setting a new record.  It’s enough to make you wonder if there’s anything left we can depend on.  Well take heart, bonsai lovers; some things in life are still certain.  One is that come springtime in the Carolinas, the azaleas will be blooming.  Another is that every year without fail, our friends Ken Duncan and John Geanangel of the Bonsai club of South Carolina head north to pay us a visit.  Each year, this dynamic duo of bonsai presents a captivating and engaging program for our club focusing on a specific aspect of bonsai.  This year, as good timing would have it, the topic is All Things Azalea. 

Ken and John, who between them have decades of bonsai experience, have made a name for themselves in the bonsai world both individually and as collaborators.  Both have been recognized for their talents numerous times, most recently with Ken winning the Peoples’ Choice award at the BSC’s Southern Spring Show bonsai exhibit, and John winning the Knowledge of Bonsai forum’s 1^st Annual Progressive Styling Contest (non-professional, pre-bonsai stock category).  They have been involved with the Carolina Bonsai Expo at the North Carolina Arboretum from the outset and lead a program there every year with curator Arthur Joura.  Included in the Arboretum’s permanent collection is a hop hornbeam forest on a rock, which they created together at the Expo in 1997 (view photo at http://www.ncarboretum.org/Horticulture/Bonsai/images/lores1710-1.jpg). 

When asked why they enjoy working with azaleas, Ken Duncan responded by reeling off a litany of the plant’s attributes that reads like a wish list of desired characteristics in bonsai material.  Among the reasons he cited were:

• Azaleas love the heat, so they do well in our area.

  Because they lend themselves to many different styles, azaleas present an opportunity for creativity in design. 

• Azaleas look good year round.  Although they are especially exciting in bloom, unlike many flowering bonsai, they also look good when they’re not blooming.
• Azalea leaves reduce well.
• Azaleas thrive on heavy pruning and respond predictably to it.  According to Ken, “I’ve never seen anyone kill an azalea by pruning the top too hard.”
• There are plenty of azalea growers in our area, so there are a lot of varieties available for the collector.
• Azaleas are easy to propagate with cuttings.

Ken and John will be discussing and answering questions on topics including pruning, wiring, repotting, identification, and long-term development of azaleas.  They will be bringing with them several azalea bonsai in various stages of development on which to demonstrate pruning and wiring techniques.  Both Ken and John own many types of azalea, so chances are we’ll be treated to seeing some rare and unusual varieties.  As anyone who has attended one of Ken and John’s programs in the past can attest, “class participation” is an important part of the experience, and this meeting will be no different.  Club members are encouraged to bring their own azaleas at any stage of development, even young plants in nursery cans fresh from Lowe’s.  Ken and John will lead the whole group in discussion of how to take each of these trees to the next level.  And don’t forget your tools!  If time permits, club members will have an opportunity to carry out some of the pruning and wiring recommendations generated in the discussion. 

Last month’s meeting – here’s what you missed

For those who were not able to attend the April meeting, we had a great time and had our eyes opened to some new techniques as Jim Hanley showed us that you can teach an old tree new tricks.  Through the innovative use a metal grid and guy wires, Jim accomplished his goal of considerably lowering the branches on a specimen white pine.  

On the horizon

BSC exhibit at the Dragon Boat Festival 

It’s really happening!  Plans for this member exhibit are moving forward rapidly.  Here’s what we know at this time:

On Saturday, June 7, 2008, BSC members will exhibit trees as part of the Charlotte Asian Dragon Boat Festival, 

a celebration of Asian Culture taking place at Ramsey Creek Park in Cornelius from 11:00 a.m. through 4:30 p.m.  

This event will be in lieu of our June meeting and club members are encouraged to participate and/or attend.  

The club’s goal in regard to this exhibit is to show bonsai in all stages of development created by artists at all skill levels,

 not just “show-quality” trees.  The exhibit will not be judged.   Members, this is your chance to share your hard work

 and vision with the public.  Club members should bring trees they wish to show to the Bonsai Learning Center on 

Friday, June 6.  Rusty Harris is in charge of this exhibit and needs volunteers to help transport trees and to staff the

 exhibit during the day Saturday.  Club members interested in volunteering should contact

 Rusty at nclivingwaters@ctc.net.  For more information on the festival, visit http://charlottedragonboat.com/

The Bonsai Society of the Carolinas welcomes questions and comments regarding the content of this newsletter or upcoming club meetings and events.  However, please do not reply by email directly to the sender of this newsletter.  If contact information is not specified for the newsletter item you wish to respond to, direct your questions or comments to club president Bob Weimer at bonsaiboy@carolina.rr.com or by phone at (704) 541-5776.