“Why me?” I asked myself when you posed the question “Would you contribute an interview to the UKBA Bulletin?” At first I wondered whether this was because a bonsaist based in Scotland may be considered some sort of mythical creature worth exploring (like a Yeti), but then I thought “well there are more notable Scottish figures in the hobby” so the only conclusion was that you thought the readers may be interested in the history of a ‘journeyman’ bonsaist – for that is what I consider myself to be. I don’t say that with any sense of self deprecation because there are lots of us out there and my interest in bonsai has given me a great enjoyment and satisfaction over the years which I suspect stems from the realisation that you don’t have to be expert at something, or reach the heights of international stardom, in order to enjoy it.
Acer palmatum “Yamamomiji” . Nanakan or Kabudachi style, depending on your point of view. I am now trying to grow a Trident maple in this style from scratch
So, how did you get started? I started late, and can pinpoint the time exactly. It was 2003 and I was 53 years old. Up until then my job had involved much moving about all over the UK and with stints abroad in Africa, Switzerland and Germany so my hobbies consisted of only things that I could carry with me – football boots, calligraphy pens, golf clubs, guitar – you get the picture. But in 2003 I made what I thought was my final move, and when I was working out what to take with me I found myself reluctant to leave behind the Deshojo maple that I had recently purchased and planted in my new garden. After all, it did cost me £7.50 and I wasn’t going to give that up easily! So, into a pot it went and off to the village of Hartley Wintney in Hampshire I went. Hartley Wintney is very close to RHS Wisley and on a visit there I saw Peter Chan’s bonsai display. I am bound to say that it had a big impact and the seed was planted (sorry) – my Deshojo maple would become one of these wonderful bonsai (not in actuality it turned out, more in aspirational terms)!
Receiving the award for the best in show stand at Gardening Scotland in 2017 alongside. A repeat of the team’s success the previous year. in 2017!
How did you take the next step? As a beginner I was very conscious of my ignorance and I wasn’t much of a ‘joiner’ (some say a miserable git) so I generally resorted to books rather than opting to find a club. However, my biggest step forward was being directed by the Wisley Enquiry Desk to Peter Trenear’s bonsai nursery in Eversley. There I spent many happy hours browsing what had become by then a semi-chaotic, and so rather intriguing, place to visit in what were Peter’s later years, although he was still actively pursuing the hobby and happy to pass on his many years of experience and sell me a few pieces of raw material in the process. In those early days Wisley also hosted an annual, relatively small, two-day bonsai event with displays, traders and classes and I was lucky to receive my first formal instruction from both Peter Chan and Ken Norman. My first class with Peter was rather daunting as my ‘stick in a pot’ Deshojo compared relatively unfavourably (an under-statement) with some of the other trees present. I distinctly recall arriving so early for the class that I had to sit in my car in the car park waiting for the Wisley gates to open and seeing a car pull up alongside. Out of the car stepped a guy with a large and statuesque conifer (I recall it was a Wellingtonia but cannot be too sure). What I do recall is the strong urge to start the car, bolt for home and safety from ridicule. However, as I had already paid (you may see a theme appearing at this point) I was reluctant to sacrifice the opportunity so I persevered. As expected the Deshojo didn’t get rave reviews, to put it mildly, so I was relieved that at both of the classes I attended with Ken Norman he provided the work material – the first a garden azalea and the second a Scots pine. I think that this was a great idea that I haven’t seen repeated since. Beginners signing up for workshops are often, in my experience, nervous about the quality of what they have and lack the knowledge about or access to decent workshop material – even these days! I have seen examples where beginners roll up with totally unsuitable materials and then derive limited benefit from the workshop. It also taught me something about how to prepare beginners for workshops when I got to the stage of organising them.
Hawthorn grown from an air layer in 2015.
What happened next? A move back to Scotland in 2011 and the discovery that the Ayrshire Bonsai Club met just 100 meters away from where I lived in the village of Alloway just outside Ayr on the West Coast of Scotland. Despite my isolationist leanings I joined up straight away and haven’t been expelled yet!
What mistakes have you made? If I am not careful this could turn out to be my longest section! So, I will limit myself to just one - the most important one - which was to not join a club earlier. This meant that my previous 8 years had produced little improvement in my skills or the quality of my trees. This was highlighted to me by the fact that I spent £600 to hire a ‘man with a van’ to specifically move my trees from Hampshire to Scotland only to find that they were – lets be kind and say – lacking in health and quality compared to the club trees I became familiar with up here. I only have two of those trees now – Ken Norman’s azalea and the Deshojo which started me down the path, much battle-scarred and structurally inadequate, but sentimentally my most important tree. I cannot emphasise enough the benefits of being a member of a group, it just transformed my experience and enhanced my skills no end. The elder statesmen of our club (I have to mention them : Alex Harrison, John Goldsmith and Ian McDougall) have been generous with their support and advice. I don’t think that, even in these days of the internet, there is any substitute for regular face to face learning.
Japanese black pine, neagari style. Brought back to life over the last 8 years after years of neglect when the previous owner fell ill.
What is your best achievement? I guess that the things that I am most proud of are the things I feel like I have contributed to the development of the hobby in Scotland over the years as both treasurer and convener of our local club and as President of the Scottish Bonsai Association. I admit that I haven’t achieved much individually in the wider world of bonsai – the best being awarded “Best in Show” at Gardening Scotland in 2019 - but during my time as Convener our club won back-to-back best in show awards at both the Ayrshire Flower Show and Gardening Scotland (Scotland’s Chelsea equivalent) two years running 2016 and 2017. Sadly neither of these shows now exist. A sign of the times I’m afraid. Since 2013 I have led our club’s hosting of the annual Scottish National Bonsai Exhibition on behalf of the Scottish Bonsai Association. I am proud that we managed to improve the quality of the show, year on year, increasing attendance and raising the profile of the hobby considerably. The bonsai community in Scotland is not extensive, probably no more than 250 in total spread across the Scottish Bonsai Association, independent clubs and “individuals in sheds” (or greenhouses) many of whom are at the higher end of the age range so it is tremendously important to keep refreshing and, if possible, expanding membership. Perhaps the one thing that I am most proud of is that during my 5 years as president of the Scottish Bonsai Association membership increased by 19%.
Winning Best in Show for my black pine at Gardening Scotland 2019!
Do you find that you have favourites - for tree types or potters? Not really. I grow trees that I like but the problem is that I like variety and so have to have at least one of each type which means that my collection hovers around the 100 mark despite efforts to reduce it. Living in Scotland means that there is a strong attachment to the Scots Pine as there are so many impressive examples in the wild to admire and attempt to replicate. As a result I have more of those than any other type but I also have a weakness for Hawthorn. As for potters there are so many good examples around it would just be so hard to choose – even if I did some of them are so far out of my price range now. We are fortunate that our club has two members who make bonsai pots: Peter Klebo (Catrine Ceramics) and Barry Somerville. They make great pots so I do have a lot of theirs. Ian Baillie is another favourite and is almost local so I usually cannot resist buying one of his pots when I get the chance. My weakness (like many) is that I buy pots that I like but not those for which I have trees making the matching process somewhat problematical.
Japanese larch, mother and child style. I love the elegance of this tree.
What is the most important thing you have learned? Those of us involved in clubs or groups know just how difficult it is these days to maintain membership – never mind increase it – so my big learning is that this can only happen via committed leadership and constant innovation to provide an attractive proposition for budding (sorry again) bonsaists. I think that I have also learned a lot about myself and the world around me through the hobby. Funnily enough, most members of the public comment on the requirement for patience rather than the skill. Many say to me: “You must be so patient” to which my wife responds: “ You haven’t seen him driving a car!”
Field maple. Purchased from Willowbog Bonsai 10 years ago on one of many visits. I always have difficulty classifying the style.
Have you experienced bonsai abroad? In a limited sort of way – I managed to organise several visits to bonsai nurseries around a holiday in Japan and spent two days at the excellent, but unfortunately the last, Saulieu show. Other than that I do hunt out bonsai dealers/nurseries/exhibits etc. whenever I am away. I did find a bonsai nursery down an alley in the centre of Nice on one of my visits – it’s amazing sometime where you find them! I probably don’t go to as many shows as I should (the old git syndrome again). I enjoyed Tony Tickle’s shows tremendously and Bonsai Live (which I will attend again this year) but have yet to make the Expo.
Meeting Tomohiro Masumi at his nursery in Kyoto on my trip to Japan. It was almost torture seeing so many nice trees
Do you consider bonsai an art form? It’s interesting - I am not sure whether most hobbyists really think too much about that. What I think they care about is enjoying the process and sharing the results with others. I believe that there are bonsaists with vision, imagination and creativity who can create works of art and quite justifiably be termed artists but that there are also artisan bonsaists - people with knowledge and skill who can create an attractive and realistic image but not to the same level of originality or refinement. Then I think that there are “journeymen bonsai”, people like myself who are keen but only aspiring to “artisan” level. I never tell people which category I think they are in!!
My first attempt at a Shohin display. Shows why I have a goal to improve!
Why would you say that you practice bonsai? I would say it’s because I find it therapeutic, relaxing and enjoyable. There is something about being lost in the process and seeing occasional creative success that more than compensates for the occasional mishaps. Strangely enough, alongside the solitude, I find that I also enjoy the companionship of people with similar interest – there is hope for the old git yet! I enjoy organising things and I think that may be why the club members still let me attend.
Western hemlock, informal upright obtained from Ray Coulombe in 2013 on my way down to the Bonsai Traders Fair in Coventry in 2013 – still going strong (the tree – not sure about Ray!).
Are there things that you still want to do in the hobby? Yes, I will be 74 years old this year so need to get a move on. I want to learn how to propagate cuttings, develop smaller trees, take better quality photos, stay fit enough to move my bigger trees around and just to keep on enjoying and improving. It would also be nice to be able to remember what to do when with my black pines without having to constantly refer back to Ryan Neil’s lecture on the subject at Willowbog in 2013! Jeff Banning