What Happened On This Date in "Recent" Bonsai History?
MAY
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| 2 | 1996 -- The National Bonsai Foundation dedicated The Mary E. Mrose International Pavilion and the Dr. Yee-Sun Wu Chinese Garden Pavilion, marking the completion of the major pavilions of The National Bonsai and Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. ("From the President..." by Martin Klein, Journal, ABS, Summer 1996, pg. 47) SEE ALSO: Mar 27, Jun 9, Aug 26, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 15 |
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| 4 | 1904 -- Some 600 plants, all imported from Japan, were put on the auction block over a three day period starting on this date. The sale was sponsored by the S.M. Japanese Nursery Co. of West Orange, New Jersey and took place in New York City. A catalogue was printed for the event and included captioned illustrations for such trees as Item #340: "Chabo-hiba [Chamaecyparis obtusa, hinoki cypress]. One of the most imposing-looking specimens in this collection. This grand tree once belonged to the famous temple Hongauji, Kyoto, the ancient Capitol of the Japanese Empire. It has been said that owing to its most attractive shape, this specimen was admired by almost a million people, who made the pilgrimage to this noted temple of Buddha. It was trained by the several master gardeners who gave their services to the temple. Trained in the standard Jikka style. Note: its most graceful branches extended into both sides. About 100 years old; height, 2 feet, 6 inches. With Chinese pottery pot on stand." (Early American Bonsai: The Larz Anderson Collection of the Arnold Arboretum by Peter Del Tredici; 1989, pp. 5, 19. Photo of #340 on latter page; the catalogue's front cover is reproduced as the cover of this book.) |
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| 12 | 1988 -- The National Bonsai Collection of Scotland formally opened on a sunny day as Provost Eleanor McLaughlan of Edingurgh cut a raffia strand. In or around 1957, when master butcher Bill Graham of Maybole in the Robert Burns country of Ayrshire retired, he turned his very active mind to a subject which had always fascinated him: the ancient Eastern Art of Bonsai. Books and advice at the time were in very short supply, but gradually over the next several years he developed his knowledge and collection of a staggering 300 trees, often from first principles and often using essentially native species. His unique collection had many visitors. When Bill died in 1983, the trees' care and maintenance posed a major dilemma. Put into the hands of the Local Authority Parks Department of Kyle and Carrick so that some of the trees could continue to be displayed at their Annual Ayr Flower Show (one of the largest horticultural shows in Scotland), the "Graham Trees" were formally and legally gifted by Mrs. Graham in November 1984 to the Scottish Bonsai Association (SBA). This group was initially led by Craig Coussins, who invited Peter Adams to view the trees and offer advice on their development. Many of the trees, however, did not survive the necessary re-potting and rescue. The SBA had begun the process of setting up the first ever National Collection of Bonsai in Britain the year before. In 1986 the SBA was given license to occupy two areas in the gardens at Malleny House, Balerno on the outskirts of Edinburgh -- the Principal Greenhouse and a Shelter -- and the organization became a Charitable Trust. The collection of approximately 36 surviving trees plus a few in the National Collection site itself was awarded a Large Gold Medal that year at the annual Ingliston Royal Highland Show. In early 1988 the first of what would be several pleas went out for additional trees. Alan Roger contributed a 200-year old Chamaecyparis obtusa "nana" in an equally venerable pot to grace the occasion of the formal opening. [Additional trees would be chosen to be accepted into the Collection which features pines, beeches, larches, oaks and other species peculiar to Scotland, as well as a few of the more exotic varieities and the handsome gift of a persimmon from Xian, China, Edinburgh's twin city. In March 2001 the Collection would be the subject of a BBC2tv Programme in the Curious Gardeners' Series.] ("The National Bonsai Collection of Scotland," http://www.scottishbonsai.org/National%20Collection.htm) |
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| 14 | 1929 -- Mikio Oshima was born in Okayama, Japan. [He would become
interested in bonsai in 1947 while as an engineer with a construction company.
A dozen years later during a job transfer to Nagoya he would study under
the well-known teacher, Saichi Suzuki, who lived nearby. Like his
mentor, Mikio would specialize in pines, his favorite variety also being
the "Zuisho," dwarf Japanese five-needle. (His son would complete
a five-year apprenticeship under Saichi's son.) Mikio would
author many articles, promote the art on television in his homeland, and
act as a consultant on design and training techiques. He would teach
year round in his Okayama garden studio, having several part-time apprentices
assist him with his ongoing series of experiments on his many trees, whether
it be to determine the best way to propagate a variety or the best day
in the year to bud prune Japanese black pine bonsai.] ("Mikio
Oshima" by William N. Valavanis, International Bonsai, IBA, 1983/No.
1, pp. 16-17; Mikio Oshima biography, International Bonsai, IBA,
1986/No. 2, pg. 13) SEE ALSO: Jan 28
1972 -- The California Bonsai Society held its 15th Annual Exhibition beginning today and running through the 28th. This was in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of the Museum of Science and Technology which sponsors the event. There was a special feature showing of loaned bonsai from the Japanese Imperial Household. [In conjunction with the show, on May 20 the County of Los Angeles would award John a commendation "for his outstanding contributions to the Japanese-American friendship, by providing the people of Los Angeles and the Nation with the ability to understand and appreciate the beauty and significance of Bonsai Culture."] (Bonsai, BCI, December 1971, pg. 4; Bonsai, BCI, July/August 1978, pg. 197) SEE ALSO Mar 3, Apr 10. |
| 15 | 1915 -- Tomekichi Kato, an outstanding master and second-generation proprietor of the Mansei-En Bonsai Garden, welcomed his firstborn son, Saburo, into the world. [The child would grow up assisting his father in clearing the forest for the Omiya Bonsai Village in the mid 1920s, help develop the techniques for successful cultivation of Ezo spruce (Picea glehni) as bonsai in the 1930s, and, after the elder's death in 1946, manage the family business as a prelude to his eventual international influence on the art.] ("Saburo Kato: The Gentle Spirit of International Bonsai and Peace" by David W. Fukumoto, Bonsai Journal, American Bonsai Society, Vol. 22, No. 4, Winter 1988, pg. 6.) |
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| 19 | 1993 -- Katherine (Kathy) Shaner of San Jose, CA became the first non-Japanese citizen and the first woman to be awarded a certificate of Bonsai Master (sensei) by the Nihon Bonsai Kyodo Kumiai. Kathy received one of only three certificates awarded that year. (Bonsai Today, No. 27, pg. 4) |
| 20 | 1984 -- The first episode of a 13-part series "The Art of Chinese Bonsai in Taiwan" was broadcast on public television there. The narration was provided by Prof. Amy Liang and the series was originally shown over a four month period. Part of a government sponsored national plant-beautification project, the series was re-telecast due to an overwhelming viewer response. (The Living Art of Bonsai by Amy Liang, Sterling, 1992, pg. 106) |
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| 25 | 1990 -- The two day first International Bonsai Symposium opened in Prague, Czech Republic. Pius Notter and Harry Tomlinson, among others, demonstrated for two hundred and five delegates from ten European nations. ("The Bonsai Trees of Nowadays" by Blahoslav Lukavec, Bonsai, BCI, March/April 1991, pp. 3-5.) |
| 26 | 1971 -- The premier of "Bonsai -- the Art of Training Dwarfed Potted Trees" was held at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The new color-sound film was produced, directed, and photographed by Ian Clark for the BBG and was the Garden's third educational film. Frank Okamura is the uncredited demonstrator on the 16 mm format, 21 minute long film. (Bonsai Journal, ABS, Summer 1971, pp. 33-34) |
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| 29 | 1971 -- The World's First International Bonsai Convention and Show was opened by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Frank Okamura in Cleveland Ohio, sponsored by Bonsai Clubs International and co-hosted by the Cleveland and Toronto Bonsai Societies. ("The Cleveland Bonsai International," Bonsai, BCI, July/August 1971, pg. 6) SEE ALSO: Jan 30, Feb 28 |
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