I went to a garden party...

Bonsai Nut

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Actually today I DID go to a garden party :) It was a meeting of our local gardening club, and they had Bill Motta (from the Orange County Bonsai Society) in as a guest speaker. I always enjoy listening to someone talk about bonsai, especially when it isn't me :) What I found especially interesting and refreshing was how many of the members either owned bonsai or were very interested in the subject. Granted, this was a gardening club meeting, but it was still great to see people who were interested but had never had the opportunity for someone to "open the door" for them. I wonder how many potential bonsai enthusiasts are out there - folks who are interested but have never found a way to get involved in the hobby?
 
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A lot more than we imagine. I give intro to bonsai classes at a local community college and it is amazing how many people take the classes, only to say that they have always had an interest, but never an opportunity.





Will
 

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As a follow-up I offered to do a demonstration and a small starter class... I kid you not she put me on the agenda for 2010. It is the only group I know that is planning out their events two years into the future. Their president is pretty amazing - and funny too. Her quote "by 2010 most of the ladies will have forgotten what they saw here today."
 

Bill S

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Will, is your intro class an official class with the school, or more of a place to do the class when you have interested parties?

I ask because our club does this in conjunction with our show, we advertise the show and intro classes including the tree, and pot along with the class. We pick up a member or two this way, but always looking for new avenues to advance bonsai, and our club.
 

rajputana

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Actually today I DID go to a garden party :) It was a meeting of our local gardening club, and they had Bill Motta (from the Orange County Bonsai Society) in as a guest speaker. I always enjoy listening to someone talk about bonsai, especially when it isn't me :) What I found especially interesting and refreshing was how many of the members either owned bonsai or were very interested in the subject. Granted, this was a gardening club meeting, but it was still great to see people who were interested but had never had the opportunity for someone to "open the door" for them. I wonder how many potential bonsai enthusiasts are out there - folks who are interested but have never found a way to get involved in the hobby?


Interesting Question
 
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