Bonsai Societies of Florida will hold “Bonsai by Design”, their 42nd Annual Convention on May 21-25, 2015 at the Florida Hotel & Conference Center at the Florida Mall, 8001 S Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando FL 32809. It is Orlando’s largest retail shopping mall and close to Orlando International Airport. Registration begins Thursday evening from 7 until 9 pm.

Bonsai by Design features well known artists David DeGroot & Guy Guidry. It will be an exciting weekend of Demonstrations, Workshops, Vendors, Specimen Exhibit Trees, Raffles, Scholarship Competition, Club Night, Auctions and Camaraderie. For a complete itinerary and more, go to www.bonsai-bsf.com.

Orlando Bonsai will be a vendor there selling tools, pots, accessories, display stands, trees and more. Come meet Sandy, Orlando Bonsai’s owner, in person if you haven’t already. Ask for your special SHOW discount. Former owner, Paul Pikel will also be there teaching a Bonsai Photography workshop. Maybe you can stop by and ask him what the subject of his next Bonsai video will be.

Enjoy Bonsai and Life.

Sandy

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Guy Guidry made a stop in Orlando last week for a workshop, and I couldn’t think of a better tree for him to help me with than my new bald cypress.  I’ve always seen it as a weeping style, but he made a few other options.

Guy Guidry sketches

Everything from flat top to an extended twin trunk style.  However with a bit of pushing from Mike Rogers we went for the traditional Japanese Formal Upright (shown in the center drawing)

Guy Guidry & Mike Rogers

In oder to make this style, the main trunk needed to be shortened and smoothed.  Guy couldn’t wait to get the power tools going.  Here is a great shot of him working with Mike Rogers in the background.

Paul Pikel wiring

After removing about 4 inches from the top I started the wiring, and I have to admit I have been looking forward to doing this for months now.

Wired bald cypress

Here is the tree with all its branches wired.  I knew that not all the branches would remain but I wanted to get this done prior to styling the tree. 

Initial styling

The tree looks great after its initial styling.  I have a rather big scar to heal over this year and to develop a top.  However this tree should be looking very good by next Winter

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Here we are right before the styling began

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