Interview With
Chris Durne
Feb25
Why Bonsai ?
Life before Bonsai. I attended Brighton Polytechnic In the 1970’s and trained as a sculptor and enjoyed forming shapes with different materials including wood, stone, steel and casting bronze. My family are gardeners and I also enjoyed growing living things. I had the desire to learn and also gain the Horticultural skills necessary to keep plants alive. My Father was an architect and Mother a ballet dancer, so come from a family with creative skills and abilities.
How I got started?
I first started bonsai in 1985 when I saw my neighbour had some miniature trees in her garden. I was intrigued and discovered they were bonsai. She encouraged me to attend a society in Central London at the Royal Horticultural Society hall at Victoria. Bonsai Kai was formed in 1961 by members of the Japan Society. Joining an established bonsai community was a real eye opener. The talent and knowledge of members was inspiring. This was the time when Colin Lewis, Peter Adams, Harry Tomlinson and Dan Barton were at the cutting edge of developing a British way of growing Bonsai rather than following what we read in Japanese books.
Life before Bonsai. I attended Brighton Polytechnic In the 1970’s and trained as a sculptor and enjoyed forming shapes with different materials including wood, stone, steel and casting bronze. My family are gardeners and I also enjoyed growing living things. I had the desire to learn and also gain the Horticultural skills necessary to keep plants alive. My Father was an architect and Mother a ballet dancer, so come from a family with creative skills and abilities.
How I got started?
I first started bonsai in 1985 when I saw my neighbour had some miniature trees in her garden. I was intrigued and discovered they were bonsai. She encouraged me to attend a society in Central London at the Royal Horticultural Society hall at Victoria. Bonsai Kai was formed in 1961 by members of the Japan Society. Joining an established bonsai community was a real eye opener. The talent and knowledge of members was inspiring. This was the time when Colin Lewis, Peter Adams, Harry Tomlinson and Dan Barton were at the cutting edge of developing a British way of growing Bonsai rather than following what we read in Japanese books.
How I learnt about Bonsai?
Attending meetings where Ken Norman, Kevin Willson, Lee Verhorevoort and Corin Tomlinson led demonstrations inspired a love of Bonsai and wanting to create and develop many species. Peter Shields as Secretary for the Bonsai Kai taught me many growing techniques. He is currently President of the Mid-Herts Society.
Why it has kept my interest?
Developing a bonsai over many years is a real pleasure, knowing what techniques to use and when in the growth cycle is imperative for the health of the tree. This is an important horticultural challenge and species-specific knowledge is acquired over many years of bonsai practice. There is no such thing as an instant bonsai !
Attending meetings where Ken Norman, Kevin Willson, Lee Verhorevoort and Corin Tomlinson led demonstrations inspired a love of Bonsai and wanting to create and develop many species. Peter Shields as Secretary for the Bonsai Kai taught me many growing techniques. He is currently President of the Mid-Herts Society.
Why it has kept my interest?
Developing a bonsai over many years is a real pleasure, knowing what techniques to use and when in the growth cycle is imperative for the health of the tree. This is an important horticultural challenge and species-specific knowledge is acquired over many years of bonsai practice. There is no such thing as an instant bonsai !
Bonsai as an art form?
Creating bonsai is an art form. We manipulate the shapes of raw material into an image that we have in our mind’s eye. Seeing all of the style opportunities in material is the challenge along with getting the best design that we can develop. I use drawing to form a structure that can be worked towards in pursuit of the perfect image.
Creating bonsai is an art form. We manipulate the shapes of raw material into an image that we have in our mind’s eye. Seeing all of the style opportunities in material is the challenge along with getting the best design that we can develop. I use drawing to form a structure that can be worked towards in pursuit of the perfect image.
Bonsai Clubs attended?
Following on from Bonsai Kai I attended Kew Kai, then Sutton Bonsai Society. I am joining the Twickenham Bonsai Club for 2025. Favourite tree species? English Elm is a favourite native species. The Scots Pine is very adaptable and can be bent into any shape when dormant. Chinese Elm has to be the most adaptable species when it can be grown as a Mame but also as a large tree where the leaves are still in scale. They are also tolerant of some neglect when people new to Bonsai grow them indoors!
Following on from Bonsai Kai I attended Kew Kai, then Sutton Bonsai Society. I am joining the Twickenham Bonsai Club for 2025. Favourite tree species? English Elm is a favourite native species. The Scots Pine is very adaptable and can be bent into any shape when dormant. Chinese Elm has to be the most adaptable species when it can be grown as a Mame but also as a large tree where the leaves are still in scale. They are also tolerant of some neglect when people new to Bonsai grow them indoors!
Favourite Bonsai Potter?
William Brown. He was a member of The British Bonsai Society in the1970’s and Bonsai Kai. Making the most imaginative free form pots designed to fit each tree that he created. Also Peter Shields who is one of the few potters making Mame pots.
William Brown. He was a member of The British Bonsai Society in the1970’s and Bonsai Kai. Making the most imaginative free form pots designed to fit each tree that he created. Also Peter Shields who is one of the few potters making Mame pots.
What mistakes I have made?
Collecting by digging up raw material and styling in the same season. This is too stressful for a tree. I now recommend a year of recovery in the correct substrate before any work. Working on the roots one year and then alternating with structural styling. I have found that white pines especially need to have work done to maintain aeration in their roots under the trunk as older trees may have compacted substrate that is impervious.
Collecting by digging up raw material and styling in the same season. This is too stressful for a tree. I now recommend a year of recovery in the correct substrate before any work. Working on the roots one year and then alternating with structural styling. I have found that white pines especially need to have work done to maintain aeration in their roots under the trunk as older trees may have compacted substrate that is impervious.
My best achievements in Bonsai?
Working with society members to apply and plan bonsai exhibits for The Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show over 30+ years. For the Federation of British Bonsai Societies I have contributed to achieving a Gold Medal in the last six years. Over recent years F.o.B.B.S. has been awarded 26 Gold Medals to promote Bonsai to a wider audience and fly the flag for membership societies. We try to include trees from across the region and will be asking society members to submit images and dimensions for the 2025 exhibit. We have just been granted a place by the R.H.S. Show Department. I have supported The Bonsai Boys in continuing to show at Chelsea Flower Show to a high standard and meeting an international bonsai audience to spread the word and promote knowledge and interest in our passion. In 2011, through Bonsai Kai, my trees were shown as a display at St. James Palace. The request came from Princess Anne, President for the Woodland Trust. This fund-raising event, with native species Bonsai on the dining table, meant I had to deliver the trees but never saw the display due to security restrictions.
Working with society members to apply and plan bonsai exhibits for The Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show over 30+ years. For the Federation of British Bonsai Societies I have contributed to achieving a Gold Medal in the last six years. Over recent years F.o.B.B.S. has been awarded 26 Gold Medals to promote Bonsai to a wider audience and fly the flag for membership societies. We try to include trees from across the region and will be asking society members to submit images and dimensions for the 2025 exhibit. We have just been granted a place by the R.H.S. Show Department. I have supported The Bonsai Boys in continuing to show at Chelsea Flower Show to a high standard and meeting an international bonsai audience to spread the word and promote knowledge and interest in our passion. In 2011, through Bonsai Kai, my trees were shown as a display at St. James Palace. The request came from Princess Anne, President for the Woodland Trust. This fund-raising event, with native species Bonsai on the dining table, meant I had to deliver the trees but never saw the display due to security restrictions.
My favourite Bonsai show?
The Heathrow Show in the southern region of our Country has to be a landmark each year for many Societies. Bonsai people coming together and the goodwill seen from everyone attending and supporting the event is inspirational. Once retired I volunteered at Kew Gardens to support the bonsai curator. Some of the trees I knew from the 1980’s as they belonged to Ruth Stafford Jones whose trees were donated to the collection. Some of the Acers were grown from seed that she had brought back from Japan where she studied with the bonsai masters. One of the trees in the collection has a heritage of 150years.
Chris Durne
The Heathrow Show in the southern region of our Country has to be a landmark each year for many Societies. Bonsai people coming together and the goodwill seen from everyone attending and supporting the event is inspirational. Once retired I volunteered at Kew Gardens to support the bonsai curator. Some of the trees I knew from the 1980’s as they belonged to Ruth Stafford Jones whose trees were donated to the collection. Some of the Acers were grown from seed that she had brought back from Japan where she studied with the bonsai masters. One of the trees in the collection has a heritage of 150years.
Chris Durne