Itoigawa pre-bonsai in midwest?

If in our travels you get to southwest Chicago suburbs,

There are also the bonsai shows. The Milwaukee Bonsai Society has at least one show with vendors and several events per year. Usually a winter silhouette show in Jan or Feb plus a June or Sept show. Also speakers most months, and classes at various times. Meetings are at Boerner Botanic Garden, winter show is at Mitchell Domes, and there is a permanent bonsai exhibit at the Lynden Sculpture Gardens where sometimes classes and shows are held too. All in the greater Milwaukee area which is closer to the UP than Detroit.


Similar, the greater Chicago area bonsai club is the Midwest Bonsai Society - their August show is famous for the 20 or more vendors it brings. Plus they often have a spring show and other events that bring in vendors and speakers from across the country.


The way to use vendors at shows is to follow the host society's webpage, get the list of vendors coming to a show,, then contact the vendors at least 2 weeks ahead of the show with your wish list of items you are looking for. Talk to them about availability, price and if they will reserve items for you. This way you don't have to get told they are sold out, as your reserved items will be at the show waiting for you. And in the case of trees an such, if you don't like the look, you can refuse it on inspection and the vendor can put it up on their sales table for the remainder of the show and sell it to someone else.

So get lists of vendors and call ahead, at least 2 weeks ahead.
 
I see you're in Michigan, I would check with green witch gardens down in southeast michigan (my old stomping grounds). Haven't been around in awhile, but they've got pretty a pretty extensive stock
They made it out to the PBE, I picked up a Dawn Redwood from them! Give them a visit if you are in the area: https://green-witch-gardens.myshopify.com/
 
They made it out to the PBE, I picked up a Dawn Redwood from them! Give them a visit if you are in the area: https://green-witch-gardens.myshopify.com/
I'd add Kyle Boldie, pot punching potters, to that - he gets great material, same area, has been to our shows over the last couple years. Definitely worth reaching out to.

Brent
 
I see you're in Michigan, I would check with green witch gardens down in southeast michigan (my old stomping grounds). Haven't been around in awhile, but they've got pretty a pretty extensive stock
Was there a couple years ago just after it changed hands. I'll have to give it another try. Thanks

I'd add Kyle Boldie, pot punching potters, to that - he gets great material, same area, has been to our shows over the last couple years. Definitely worth reaching out to.

Brent
Lots of good suggestions here. Thanks for the help everyone. Next time I'm down south for a show, I'll make it a priority to pick something up for the collection.

As a side note: We have a burgeoning bonsai club here in the Upper Peninsula (Gichigami Bonsai Guild) We are in the seedling phase of growth (about 60 members), but host collection trips seasonally.
PM me here (or on our FB page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/918702918806403/) when you are in the area, I'd love to get together for hike and talk trees.
 
As a side note: We have a burgeoning bonsai club here in the Upper Peninsula (Gichigami Bonsai Guild) We are in the seedling phase of growth (about 60 members), but host collection trips seasonally.
PM me here (or on our FB page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/918702918806403/) when you are in the area, I'd love to get together for hike and talk trees.
We're considering moving up that way some day, great to know there's others up there to work trees with.

Brent
 
Was there a couple years ago just after it changed hands. I'll have to give it another try. Thanks


Lots of good suggestions here. Thanks for the help everyone. Next time I'm down south for a show, I'll make it a priority to pick something up for the collection.

As a side note: We have a burgeoning bonsai club here in the Upper Peninsula (Gichigami Bonsai Guild) We are in the seedling phase of growth (about 60 members), but host collection trips seasonally.
PM me here (or on our FB page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/918702918806403/) when you are in the area, I'd love to get together for hike and talk trees.
GWG is 15 min away from me. They've gotten a bunch of new trees and expanded significantly in the last few years. Picked up this Itoigawa in August. They had 30+ at the time.

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I live in Iowa. Picked one up at the Midwest show in Chicago this past summer in one of Mark’s workshops. Great material.
 

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