Bonsai Workshops
Bonsai styling and training workshops with David Cheshire
Join David at one of his special nursery workshops, each tailored to the level of knowledge the attendees have, from absolute beginners to those with many, many years of Bonsai experience. Small group sizes means plenty of 1:1 tuition as well as being able to take part in group discussions.
Choose a single session or complete a full course across a range of techniques, various materials and design styles. Each lesson is sure to impart knowledge, styling tips, hints and tips that will greatly improve your understanding of this art and improve the quality of your own styling techniques.
Tea/coffee and biscuits are available. Please bring your own packed lunch. There is a cafe on site selling tea, coffee, soft drinks, ice cream and cake.
Upgrades and supplies available on the day at cost, if desired.
Workshops
Our workshops will enhance the quality of your own Bonsai collection and give great personal satisfaction.
Beginners Bonsai Workshop
Learn the basics of bonsai and take home a tree!
Tuition by David Cheshire on the basics of bonsai, ensuring you learn their needs and how to style raw material into a tree to begin or add to a collection. David's enthusiasm and knowledge will leave you craving to learn more and will be an excellent foundation for a lifetime passion.
Styling material and tools will be provided and you get to keep the finished tree!
The lesson starts at 10.30 am with a break for lunch, then your tuition continues through to 3.30 pm.
Bonsai Workshop
Learn bonsai styling techniques
Tuition by David Cheshire on advanced styling techniques, demonstrated on selected nursery trees or material you bring in yourself (subject to time limitations) to give fair review to all in the lesson.
This all day (6 hour) workshop is ideal for those more experienced in bonsai for picking up additional skills that will help improve the quality of your growing bonsai collection.
The lesson starts at 10.30 am with a break for lunch, then your tuition continues through to 3.30 pm.
Bonsai Repotting Workshop
Repot your tree under David's supervision.
Bring along your trees and go through how to repot them. Materials will be included to repot one tree. Additional materials available to purchase if you have more trees you wish to repot on the same day.
Mame Bonsai Workshop
In this workshop we will look at the art of Mame bonsai with a focus on the techniques required to produce one of the smallest forms of Bonsai. We will explore those tree species that are best suited, methods of styling and shaping, techniques in pruning, watering, pest and disease control, various composts used, environmental control, and displaying and pot selection.
Mame bonsai takes a lot of skill and has generally been overlooked in western bonsai cultivation. It takes a good understanding of each species to have real success. The ability to demonstrate shape and form on such a small scale is something not all bonsai growers can achieve or understand.
David will go through the techniques and methods required based on his experience and knowledge gained from renowned bonsai experts and his sensei in Japan including Yamamoto Chiako (4th generation of Shouzan-en; a nursery located close to Nagano in Japan) and Katsuhiko Tomita (a close friend and sensei to Chiako, who trained with some of the most highly-respected bonsai professionals in Japan).
We will have a wide selection of semi-developed trees that we will work on. Each attendee will get to take home at least two trees they have worked on during the day.
The lesson starts at 10.30 am with a break for lunch, then your tuition continues through to 3.30 pm.
Bonsai Rock Planting Workshop
Tuition by David Cheshire. David's enthusiasm and knowledge will leave you craving to learn more and will be an excellent foundation for a lifetime passion.
Work on a small rock planting with Hornbeam, Larch or Juniperus.
Styling material and tools will be provided and you keep the finished tree!
The lesson starts at 10.30 am with a break for lunch, then your tuition continues through to 3.30 pm.
Grafting Workshop
Tuition by David Cheshire. David's enthusiasm and knowledge will leave you craving to learn more.
Work on young Pines and Maples, then graft new foliage onto a San Jose Juniper.
Styling material and tools will be provided and you keep the finished grafts.
The lesson starts at 10.30 am with a break for lunch, then your tuition continues through to 3.30 pm.
Childrens Beginners Bonsai Workshop
Our children's bonsai workshops are a great introduction to the world of Bonsai for the budding bonsai enthusiast.
A fun, relaxing, enjoyable workshop under the expert tuition of David Cheshire at our Nursery near Coventry. Your child will learn how to grow and care for their bonsai. Working on a young juniper tree or similar, they will have practical hands-on experience learning how to grow and care for their bonsai tree.
At the end of the workshop, your child will get to take the tree that they have been working on home with them to continue to care for and nurture it.
The lesson starts at 10.30 am to 12.30 pm. Suitable for children up to 16 years of age. All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult (parent, carer or relative) for the duration of the session.