Any Calgary/Alberta bonsai-ers here?

bonsaibass

Well, the bonsai community is still pretty small and disconnected in Calgary and there is no formally organized society that meets regularly (at least that I am aware of). There are a few current & former bonsaists who are members of the Calgary Horticulture Society who I tracked down when I first started. They gave me some good information on soil mixes and where to find the components in town. Mostly, they just told me that it was hard to grow bonsai in Calgary.

There is now a local importer of Japanese bonsai in town - Blue Rose Flowers in the Pacific Centre Mall (T&T Market is located nearby). Her prices are not very good and she has a habit of telling people that they can keep their Black Pine, Shimpaku and Palmatums indoors during the cold Calgary winter to no ill-effect.
I've tried to explain to her that this misinformation will eventually kill her, and her client's, trees, but it doesn't seem to register.

On the brighter side, because her bonsai-related businessing is picking up, the quality of her stock is improving -- she has some very nice 25-30 yr field grown Shimpaku that are pretty finished-looking and a truly wonderful formal upright Black Pine (that she is killing rather quickly). I like to visit her store just to look at some nice finished work but not to buy. Her prices are generally too steep, her hard sell routine and her lack of scruples niggles me.

If you are looking at importing a larger number of trees there is a wholesaler in B.C., I think it's Omiya Bonsai, who can help you out. Be prepared -- the guy who runs this place probably won't talk to you unless you're buying 25 trees or more, plus the travel time/shipping costs to B.C. is kind of a pain. If you're just looking for a tree or two for your very own then "Japan Bonsai" in Surrey, B.C. has some decent material but sort of steep (but again distance = time and cost).

Now, if you're just looking for bonsai supplies like wire or cutters, then Bonsai Canada is ok. I ordered wire from them once. They messed up my shipment and it took about 4 weeks to get it resolved, but once they corrected their shipping information the item arrived in about 5 days.

Other than wire and specialty cutters, pretty much everything you need can be found in Calgary. Actually, you can even find some specialty, Japanese-style cutters at Lee Valley Tools although if you're looking for a spherical knob, or concave, cutter then you're S.O.L. and to be honest if you're just starting out they're not necessary.

It would be nice to have a society of likeminded individuals to share information and experiences. As mentioned aboved, there is to my knowledge a Southern Alberta Bonsai Society that meets every second Tuesday at the Lethbridge local Library (never attend myself, but I've heard that the guy who head's it, Mike Stefancsik, is a true master and has been brought up by the CHS to give workshops). I don't know anything about the Edmonton Bonsai Society.

The internet is probably you're best, most active community available to you. There are tonnes of websites and forums on Bonsai. The Great Canadian Bonsai web forum http://bonsaicanada.com/ is a good resource (tends to be mostly folks from T.O. and eastwards, but they are friendly and knowledgable -- occasionally they sell stuff too and ship fast).

I'm trying my hand at collecting next year (got a Trembling Aspen in mind -- I hear they're tough to handle in bonsai culture). It would be nice to discuss collecting with someone in the area who's familiar with the challenges. Hopefully some day local interest in this art will reach a critical mass and we'll start a proper club.

Later,

Jeremy