Yarra Valley Bonsai Society Home Page

The Yarra Valley Bonsai Society, based in the 'far east' of Melbourne, caters for bonsai enthusiasts of all skill levels, from the simply curious and absolute beginner to the advanced practitioners.

Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at Chirnside Park Community Hib at 33 Kimberley Drive in Chirnside Park (Melway Ref 37 F3 or see map here). Monthly meetings usually begin with a Review/Overview session at 7.30pm, followed by a short business section and then a feature event: usually a demonstrator or speaker on a topic of interest. In addition to our monthly meetings, we hold informal workshops on the last Saturday of each month from 1-4:00 pm also at Chirnside Park Community Hub.

For membership enquiries contact info@yarravalleybonsai.org.au or download an application form and send it to the PO Box listed above. Better yet, bring it along to the next meeting or workshop. Membership has its benefits, such as substantial discounts at selected nurseries and other businesses of interest, but visitors are always welcome.

LATEST NEWS: December is here. It may be quieter on the bonsai events scene now after a busy and exciting Spring, but things are hotting up elsewhere on our Social Calendars. With Christmas Break-up Parties, Family Do’s, frantic gift buying, meal planning, and for some, just getting ready for the visit from “the man in the red suit”, there is plenty to do. In all of this excitement it’s easy to forget that lots of things are also still happening in your garden. Plants and trees continue to grow and develop, especially if you have bonsais. To keep them performing well they will need constant care and attention especially during the “hottest” season which is now on our doorstep. So, keep a close eye on the weather and be ready to react to any variations. If we don’t, the plants could fizzle, frazzle and fry. Be able to identify the needs of each individual bonsai in your collection. Ensure they all receive adequate water. If you are relying on an irrigation system, perform regular checks on it to ensure it is functioning effectively. Giving your “bonsai babies” plenty of attention and TLC will be very satisfying and rewarding for both you and them!

At our November Monthly Meeting, Trevor McComb from Bonsai Art Nursery, brought a presentation on azaleas as bonsai’s. He had many wonderful and colourful examples to show the meeting and to support his very informative address. He also shared from his vast experience with this species. Trevor has been growing and cultivating azaleas for a number of years, and his Nursery hosts the local Satsuki (azalea) Interest Group. All those present went away with increased knowledge and a greater appreciation of these wonderfully showy plants.

Our Bonsai Sale Day and Display on Saturday November 30th was appreciated by all. Many took advantage of this excellent opportunity to pick up some great and rare bargains. This event was ideal for beginners to start a bonsai hobby or for those looking to expand their existing collection. There was also a small Display of advanced trees (not for sale) to show what can be achieved with care and the right tuition. Our Saturday afternoon Workshop this month followed on from the Sale event.This gave purchasers an opportunity to stay behind for some free tuition on how to care for their purchases.

The Club’s next Monthly Meeting will be held on Tuesday 10th December 2019 at 7:30pm at our usual venue. This will be our Christmas Break-up, and will include an Informal Discussion on Members bonsai’s. Those attending are asked to bring along one of their trees and to give a short presentation on how and why they went about creating this bonsai the way they did. They can then ask the meeting for comment, advice or assistance with its future development. This will be a very informative and learning experience for all, and is not intended to be a critique, but rather a valuable discussion and sharing of ideas. During the latter part of the meeting we will enjoy some fellowship and party food whilst reflecting on the very successful year we’ve had.

There will be no Saturday afternoon Workshop in December due to the Christmas holidays.

Our first meeting for the New Year is scheduled for 14th January 2020. It will take the form of a Workshop. Saturday afternoon Workshops also recommence on January on the 25th (Australia Day weekend)

All at Yarra Valley Bonsai Society would like to thank you for your interest throughout the year, and wish you and your families a Very Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous start to 2020.