Class Timetable
Thursday Morning [10 AM – 1 PM] – Gym
Teachers
- Ted Medcalf
- Sam Bartolillo
Thursday Evening [7 PM – 10 PM] – Main Hall
Teachers
- Michael Kempson
- Evan Marsh
- Brian Daquinag
- Huw Scanes
- Garwin Phung
Thursday Morning [10 AM – 1 PM] – Room A
Teachers
- Robert McVicar
Thursday Evening [7 PM – 10 PM] – Room A
Teachers
- Paulette DeMartin
- Robert McVicar
Tuesday Morning [10 AM – 1 PM] – Room A
Thursday Morning [10 AM – 1 PM] – Room B
Thursday Night [7pm – 10pm] – Room B
Teacher
- Ted Medcalf
Teacher
- Ray Mackaway
Teacher
- Evan Marsh
School Class Dates:
If you are experiencing enrolment difficulties please email memsupport@schoolofbonsai.com.au
2024 Term 1
First week begins:
Tuesday, 30 January
Last week ends:
Thursday, 28 March
2024 Term 2
First week begins:
Tuesday, 30 April
Last week ends:
Thursday, 27 June
2024 Term 3
First week begins:
Tuesday, 23 July
Last week ends:
Thursday, 19 September
2024 Term 4
First week begins:
Tuesday, 15 October
Last week ends:
Thursday, 12 December
Class Programmes and Syllabuses:
Beginners Term 1 Syllabus
Week 1 – What is a Bonsai
- Design and Aesthetics
- Cultivation and Care
- Containers
- Soil Substrates
- Tools
Week 2 – Plant Material for Bonsai.
- Popular tree species for beginners
- Bonsai Nursery vs Garden Centre Plants
- Plant Size Advantages and Disadvantages
- Yamadori Plant Material
Week 3 – Approaches to Bonsai Design
- Structural Components of a Bonsai
- Bonsai Design Styles
- General Aestheic Principles and Guidelines
- Directional Design Styles
- Clinton Nesci’s Guide to What Makes a Good Bonsai
Week 4 – Pot Selection
- Choosing a Suitable Pot
- What to Consider When Choosing a Pot
Week 5 – Pruning
- Structural Pruning
- Refinement Pruning
Week 6 – Wiring
- What Wire is Best
- When is the Best Time to Wire
- How to Apply Wire to a Branch
- When to Remove the Wire
Week 7 – Native Plants for Bonsai
- Development of Australian Flora
- Design Principles for Australian Native Material
- Characteristics of Native Material
- Actions and Techniques for Native Material
- Native trees suitable for Bonsai
Week 8 – Display Night: Key Elements of Bonsai Presentation
- What is in a Bonsai Display
- Preparing Trees for Display
- Aesthetic Principles of Displays
- Multi-Tree Displays
- Styles of Display
- Single Tree Displays
Week 9 – Bonsai Soil Substrates and Watering for your Microclimate
- Bonsai Soil Substrates
- Watering for Your Microclimate
Beginners Term 2 Syllabus
Week 1 – Conifers
- Species suitable for Bonsai
- Maintenance & styling
Week 2 – Windswept Style
- Examples of ..
- suitable material & guidelines.
Week 3 – Plant Profile
- Buxus
Week 4 – Semi Cascade & Cascade Style
- Examples of …
- suitable material & guidelines
- *Demonstration (How to create a Cascade Bonsai)
Week 5 – Plant Profile
- Olives
Week 6 – Literati Style
- Examples of …
- suitable material & guidelines
Week 7 – Raft Style & Sinuous Style
- Examples of …
- suitable material & guidelines
- *Demonstration (How to create Raft Style Bonsai)
Week 8 – Re-potting
- How to re-pot established trees and pot bound trees
Week 9 – Plant Profile
- Privets
Beginners Term 3 Syllabus
Week 1 – Video
- Bonsai Garden Auburn
Week 2 – The Holy Ron
- Looks strange but achieves an interesting result
Week 3 – Winter nasties
- Have you heard of the curl grub?
- How to treat sick plants.
- How to prevent pest & disease
Week 4 – Potting Mix
- Special mixes for different plants?
- Ingredients needed to make a good one.
Week 5 – Alternate planting bases
- How about something different?
Week 6 – Natives plants for Bonsai
- Examples of …
- Suitable species & Maintenance required.
- Do we treat them different to exotics?
Week 7 – Fertilising
- What type, when and how often.
- Avoid marketing tricks, keep it simple.
Week 8 – Plant Profile
- Rhododendron sp. (Azaleas)
Week 9 – Pruning
- How to and how often.
- What to prune first?
- * Bring your show tree into class for discussion on improvements and preparation.
Beginners Term 4 Syllabus
Week 1 – Plant Profile
- Elms
Week 2 – Propagation
- Cuttings & Air Layering
- * Demonstration (How to do an air layer)
Week 3 – Plant Profile
- Pines
Week 4 – Plant Profile
- Figs
Week 5 – Plant Profile
- Junipers
Week 6 – Plant Profile
- Maples
Week 7 – Jins, Shari & Saba Miki
- In other words creating deadwood on your plants
- Techniques used & on what plant material.
Week 8 – Fruiting plants for Bonsai
- Suitable species
- special care and
- how to get the best out of them.
Week 9 – Summer Care
- Watering programmes,
- maintenance,
- positioning of Bonsai
- etc…
Intermediate Term 1 Syllabus
Week 1 – Plant Rescue – Sacrifice Branches
- How did your trees fare?
- Burnt plants, what to do?
- How to treat plants if they have dried out.
Sacrifice branches
- Are they worthwhile?
Week 2 – Plant Profile
- Lantana
Week 3 – Soes / Companion Plants
- What to use?
- How do you construct them?
- What pots do you use?
Week 4 – Rock Plantings
- What plants are suitable?
- What rock is ideal to use?
Week 5 – Plant Profile
- Jade – Portulacaria afra
Week 6 – Root Expose Style
- Is it easy to achieve?
- How do you start?
Week 7 – Root Over Rock – Let’s check those Root Over Rock
- What’s the best way to uncover them?
- What after care is needed?
Week 8 – Displaying a Bonsai at Home or in an Exhibition
- Equipment for a dig
- Best time to do it
- What to collect and after care required
Week 9 – Collected material
- Equipment for a dig
- Best time to do it
- What to collect and after care required
Intermediate Term 2 Syllabus
Week 1 – Autumn Jobs and Trees with Autumn colour
- Autumn Jobs
Week 2 – Plant profile
- Camellia
Week 3 – Australian natives re-visited
Week 4 – Let’s build a rock!!
Week 5 – Tool Maintenance and Refining Pots
Week 6 – Weeping style
- What trees are suitable?
Week 7 – Minature Bonsai
Week 7 – Let’s build a rock!!
Week 8 – Root grafting to improve nebari
Week 9 – Developing trees in the open ground for Bonsai
- How to? What with? How long? Is it practical?
Intermediate Term 3 Syllabus
Week 1 – Plant Profile
- Corokia and Serissa
Week 2 – Raffia
- How to prepare it.
- Why use it?
- How to apply it.
Week 3 – Clump Style
Week 4 – Plant Profile
- Japanese Quince and Chinese Quince
Week 5 – Problem Trees
Week 6 – Video night!?!?
Week 7 – Critiquing a Tree
Week 8 – Plant Profile
- Metasequioa & Taxodium
Week 9 – Plant Profile
- Ginkgo biloba
Intermediate Term 4 Syllabus
Week 1 – Plant Profile
- Malus (Crabapple)
Week 2 – Grafting
- Approach Graft & Thread Graft
Week 3 – Plant Profile
- Hornbeams
Week 4 – Grafting to Change Plant Varieties
Week 5 – Plant Profile
- Oaks & Liquidambars
Week 6 – Plant Profile
- Azalea Sao Tome and Twisting Trunks
Week 7 – Plant Profile
- Gardenia, Murraya & Crepe Myrtle
- For the garden or for Bonsai?
Week 8 – Miscellaneous Plants for Bonsai
- Wisteria – Boston Ivy – Star Jasmine
Classes are held at:
The Don Moore Community Centre
Cnr N Rocks Rd & Farnell Ave, Carlingford NSW 2118