Scott Elser’s Elegant Japanese Black Pine Wins Multiple Honors

Scott Elser's Japanese Black Pine, winner of two awards at the 3rd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition in Rochester, NY.We’ve seen this incredible bonsai displayed before at the Portland Japanese Garden and at Scott’s presentations. We knew it was a spectacular bonsai. Now, it’s received national recognition again. This time, it won the top award at the 3^rd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition.

Scott Elser's Japanese black pine received two prestegious awards, the The National Award -
Finest Bonsai Masterpiece and the
Nippon Bonsai Society Award - Finest Japanese Style Display. The event was held in Rochester, New York on June 9 and 10, 2012. Over 250 bonsai were on display from all over the country.

The Bonsai Society of Portland is very proud to have such a distinguished member in our group.

Scott is one of the Featured Artists at the 2012 Pacific Northwest Bonsai Clubs Association Convention in September. View the workshops and activities he will lead.

Planning for Summer

We seem to have shot right through the spring season and are now looking at our trees in fill leave and vigorously growing with watering and fertilizing being our major chores.  There is always pruning and styling concerns and of course the ever present question of "what was it I was intending to do with this tree?" But that is why we enjoy this hobby, always something to do or think about as we complete our daily visit with each tree.

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Upcoming Mentorship Activities

Our April program on Styling, Design and Wiring was well attended, with nine individuals bringing in trees to get help with.  Thanks to our own “Professor” Lee Cheatle, we were given an excellent discussion, lecture and demonstration on wiring and proper technique.  With his usual humor and personal approach, “Professor” Cheatle reduced the basic skills and techniques for successful wiring to a college like course syllabus of Wiring 101, 102 and 103 covering basic and advanced techniques accompanied by demonstrations of each aspect.  Following the lecture and demonstrations, attendees were provided assistance addressed to their own trees and hands on application of wire.

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Oh for the love of Spring!

It's sunny and warm as I write this for you just now...our 'March' into spring was more like a soggy slog, punctuated by a couple of rounds of wet snow thrown in for fun. I've got a love/hate relationship with spring. I just love the awakening of our trees and flowers yet hate that everything decides to go all at once.

It would be some trick if we could graft an on/off switch to our trees wouldn't it?

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Annual Spring Bonsai Exhibit at the Portland Japanese Garden

Plan to view the best bonsai exhibit of the year at the Portland Japanese Garden. Continuous demonstrations on shaping and pruning bonsai on the Pavilion deck. Docent tours of the exhibit at 11:00, 1:00, and 3:00 each day. Approximately forty-five bonsai of varying size and shapes, conifer, deciduous, and flowering trees.

Portland Japanese Garden
Saturday and Sunday, May 19-20
10AM - 6PM