The Noelanders Trophy 2010 winner
Enrico Savini. Itoigawa juniper

Some of the other trees on display.

Needless to say travelling at the time we are and the weather being what it is we are making excellent time as there appears to be nobody on the motorway except us and before we know it we are making our first ‘ pit stop ‘ at the motorway services around Newbury. The services are eerily empty so no queuing up for the coffee just a warm chat with the lad on duty in the coffee shop to break the boredom he is obviously suffering from. He is naturally grateful to have some people to speak to and eager to take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy some company and share with us the experiences he has had with the weather over the last few weeks, but, we have to get on, and leaving him with a very disappointed expression on his face we bid farewell and set off. The usual monotony of motorway travel on this occasion has not come into play and not long after our stop we are heading off the motorway and heading for Bracknell to then pick up the M3 head north to rejoin the infamous M25.

   Unsurprisingly there are no surprises, it's still not very busy, we only experience that awful road surface noise on that stretch of the motorway heading for the M20 which we eventually join with a steady flow of heavy goods vehicles heading I guess for the ports on the South Coast. We have time to make one final service station stop before the Channel Tunnel and it seems we are joined by dozens of like minded travellers. We are now only a few miles from our departure and have plenty of time before our 5.50am departure.

   Chris had booked our train tickets in advance. We were booked onto the departure above, but it also enabled us to use the service 2 hours either side of that time, trains and space being available. We arrived at the departure terminal at around 5.00am and it could not have been simpler. We pulled up at an unmanned kiosk with a ticket machine, inserted Chris's card, answered 2 questions on screen, it dispensed a large ticket with a letter, on and followed the signs for embarkation. No sooner had we arrived at the collection point one of the many electronic customer notices displayed around the car park instructed us to proceed to entry point ‘ N ‘. So off we went and were then directed straight onto the train. Ten minutes later we heard the safety instructions and 35 minutes later we were being ushered off the train and onto the French motorway system. It was so uneventful and so simple we almost felt cheated of an experience. Not that we were complaining though.

Chris had anticipated that the journey to the venue would take approximately 3 hours and we wanted to get there around early afternoon. So we had plenty of time to make another two ‘ pit stops ‘ for coffee and to make a detour to the Bonsai Nursery we planned to visit. It was just starting to get light and we could see it was going to be a fine day, and as it turns out it was a fine day in more ways than one.    Chris has visited this particular nursery on more than one occasion so we did not have any difficulty in finding it and although Chris did his level best to describe what Jerry and I were likely to find, it could not stop those butterflies in the stomach that I guess we all experience every time we visit an unfamiliar nursery. The entrance was full of large trees, you know the sort ? the size that are used in Japanese Garden landscaping or decorating Koi ponds. The area was hugely impressive and interspersed with smaller pieces of raw material which we had a delve around before we entered the nursery proper.

   Chris has dealt with the owner before and they greet each other and have a little chat over old times and the purpose of our visit before we are warmly invited to browse around the nursery at our leisure. There is some dispute over the size of the nursery but Chris and I agree after long debate that the Greenhouses ( which most of the material is kept in over winter ) of which there are two are between the sizes of Junior and Senior size football fields. One greenhouse is dedicated to indoor species the other to everything else. As you can probably imagine the number of trees kept here is vast. However they are not diplayed on top of each other. They are displayed at a very comfortable height and with plenty of room around them to get a very good look. It was never our intention to hunt out a tree here to purchase or to walk around and critique the trees more of an opportunity to see what these types of nursery have to offer, what quality you are likely to get and at what price with a view that maybe if you are looking for a tree for the future should you put a trip here into the scenario ? We spent probably a good couple of hours browsing around and around. I found the trees and set up hugely impressive and if I was looking for a particular type of material to work with I have no doubt I could have found it here. A trip to this type of nursery I believe requires two key personal attributes. The first is a will of steel to resist buying a tree when you have only come to browse. The second is a bottomless pit for a pocket because you could easily spend a small fortune here. The visit was well worth the effort of the detour and one Jerry and I really enjoyed and a trip I would certainly consider for the future.

But once again we have to get going. We are now only about an hour away from the venue which is in an area I believe is called Zolder so it seems like only a quick dash compared to the travelling we have done so far and in a flash we have pulled up outside the exhibition centre.     Apart from the Noelander Trophy Exhibition there are approximately 30 Bonsai Retailers trading here over the weekend, of which Chris is one. So without further ado Jerry and I support Chris in setting up his retail area. We are going hell for leather because Jerry and I can start to see all the other Traders setting up and we are both eager to get around them to see what is on offer. Jerry and I are really privileged as the Friday before the weekend show is used exclusively for the Traders to set up with no access to the venue for the Public.

   So as soon as we are finished we are off around the maze of Traders set up all over the venue. By the time we have done a quick circuit it is obvious what is available. You name it you can get it here. Yamadori, Semi- Refined, Refined Trees of a multitude of species, Display Tables, Pots, Tools, Fertilizers etc. You name it you can get it here in abundance. It felt like being a child in a sweet shop. So the three of us spent the next couple of hours browsing around everybody's wares and comparing prices as well as stopping every five minutes to catch up with an old acquaintance or to make a new one. It was a great couple of hours just spent in relaxing conversation in a very chilled out environment with like minded people, and pleasing to come away that evening having made quite a few new friends and contacts with people that I hitherto only heard people in the society talk of. Well that is what I came away with anyway, Jerry came away with a tad more. He, by the privileged token of being allowed admission on the Friday had the pick of the bunch so to speak of all the material available. Jerry had said well before the trip had started that he was on the hunt for a particular style / species of Juniper and was definitely in the market if he could be inspired by one. He had re-iterated this at the nursery we visited but refrained from buying one there hoping to find something more inspirational at the show. Well he was, not once but twice ! By the time we left the venue on Friday evening Jerry had bought TWO. The rest of that evening's conversation whatever it was was regularly interrupted by Jerry wishing he was back home working on his new trees.

   Those first couple of hours walking around the trade stands were very much like walking into that nursery earlier in the day. You needed that will of steel or the bottomless pocket because it would not take much to be tempted into parting with a small fortune, not only on trees either. The selection of tree material is impressive but equally so is the selection of pots. You find yourself falling in love with a pot or pots and then spending every now and then going back to them and thinking ‘ What tree do I have that would fit that pot ? ‘ The same can be said for display stands, and you think if only I had come away with the measurements of that potted tree ? or shall I take the risk that it looks about right ? The nice thing about these scenarios was that whilst you are there standing there with that studious look on your face each and every one of the Traders seemed to recognise the dilemma you were confronted with and understood the predicament you had put yourself in. So, a helpful conversation would ensue, followed by a business card or telephone number and hey presto a new acquaintance made and a problem solved.

Eventually it was time to head off and check into the hotel. Chris had stayed in ours before. It was ten minutes from the venue on the quiet edge of a wood with about twenty rooms or so, a small cosy restaurant and bar and extremely friendly and helpful staff. On Chris's last visit he had also found within a short walk a fabulous local Taverna to eat and drink at in the evening. He had also arranged for several of the other Traders to meet us there for the evening. We all met up at around 7.00pm and had a great evening. The food was excellent, great choice, good quality and very good value for money. The staff and locals in the Taverna were fantastic, they really made us feel welcome and were only too pleased to help us out with the translation of the menu, thankfully ! So after a fantastic meal, a few of the local brews and lots of fun conversation we all headed off to our hotels for what was hopefully going to be a good night's sleep. I for one felt absolutely knackered but was still kept from dropping straight off to sleep by the imagined images of the show tomorrow. I couldn't wait to get to sleep, but I couldn't wait to get up in the morning. Not a good recipe when you want to get a good night's sleep !     As testimony to the hospitality we were shown by the hotel, breakfast was due to start at 8.00am . We explained why we were there and asked if was possible for an earlier breakfast. No problem, so we were all down for breakfast by 7.30am and the hotel had brought some staff in early to accommodate us. We feasted on the menu and were off to the show by 8.15am . The show opens to the public at I think 10.00am but we were admitted as part of the trade contingent and were in the exhibition hall by 8.30am . WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

   Chris, Jerry and I had decided that we would first have a quick scoot around the hundreds of trees on display and take a photograph of each and every tree before the hoards of people arrived into the exhibition hall. This way we would at least have half a chance of getting shots of just the trees minus arms, legs and heads that may appear in shot. It turned out that doing it this way meant you didn't have much time to study or really admire anything, but we weren't bothered as there was going to be plenty of time to do that over the next two days. Photographs taken it was time for coffee. There were a couple of places at the venue for refreshment. The Belgium Bonsai Society lay on a cafeteria type of operation run by it's members where you can get hot and cold drinks, snacks and soup at a very modest cost. The other is a Bar where you can get all of the cafeteria type of stuff plus drinks a little stronger and typical Bar Food. It was whilst I was having that coffee that I saw something that I thought was incredible. I happened to be in sight of the entrance, which had not yet opened. I was looking out onto what appeared to be a never ending line of people snaking all the way down the adjoining street waiting for the Exhibition to open. I was amazed. I have never experienced such a sight before an exhibition. Fortunately I suppose the venue can swallow up that amount of people easily into the exhibition hall and surrounding rooms and halls that are used by the traders. Throughout the day there was a constant stream of new people pouring into the exhibition and I was told at one stage people were having to wait in line up to forty minutes to gain entry to the show ?

   There was always going to be plenty to see and do over the next two days. You have the exhibition itself, the dozens of trade stands and of course there are demonstrations running morning and afternoon in a very lavish auditorium. I was awestruck by the whole thing. The exhibition was too much to take- in, in one sweep and so were the numerous trade stands. So I decided that I would spend Saturday browsing one trade stand then browse the exhibition, then back to another trade stand and then back to exhibition and so and so on. It worked for me. Some of the sweeps I made around the exhibition trees I did alone, just taking in what I could and forming my own thoughts about each tree. On other occasions I toured with Chris or Jerry or people I had met on the Friday and listened to their views and shared their observations and each and every time seeing more and more of the tree.

We are at the show nice and early once again and taking in the splendour of each tree in a new or different light, picking up little points to note, to take away and use if you can. Taking that last few photographs just in case !!!!    I decided that today I would take in the demonstrations held within the auditorium.   There were 2 sessions of demonstrations, morning and afternoon. Each lasting approximately two and a half hours. There were 3 demonstrators on stage at any one time, each with a different piece of material. They would each have already viewed the piece they were working on and proceeded to comment on the process they used by which to arrive at a final image and why. This part of the demonstration for me was fascinating and highlighted the artistic talent these guys have. The middle part if you like which was invariably the practical bit I found could be a little laborious as they are getting on with the trimming, wiring etc and for me not that exciting to watch. However come the point when they are then in a position to re-create the image they have described or made a sketch of was great. It all just seemed to come together.

   Between these demonstrations I still could not resist going back and forth to the exhibition. I just never seemed to tire of it, but before long it was going to be time to pack up and head for home. So maybe there is just one more opportunity to scoot around the trees once again.

  6.00pm and we are heading back home. 3 hours to Calais , 40 minutes in the Channel Tunnel, a further 5 hours or so with a stop for coffee and by 4.00am on Monday morning I am tucked up in bed dropping off to sleep with the wonderful memories of the weekend.

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A few pictures of the Dragon's Noelanders adventures.

The Brit's walk the show

Morea, Dragon's newest member, chats with Gerwyn


Morea trade area at the show

Chris's trade area

So many trees, so little cash...

Jerry and Boon Manakitivipart.

Walk the show yourself.
Thanks to Merlin

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