Two leading bonsai artists will be showing their skills live during an eye-catching exhibition at Churston’s historic Lupton House.
Peter Evans and Simon Temblett have spent decades honing their talents, with their award-winning achievements being recognised across Britain and Europe.
Now the two masters of their craft will be sharing the secrets of this ancient artform as part of the Bonsai in the Park event, which takes place on 15 September at the Grade II listed building just outside Brixham.
Peter, who lives in Torquay and organised the event with the South Devon Bonsai Society, will be demonstrating the basicmethods of styling trees into attractive bonsai.
He will also be showing visitors how to create kusamono, which are arrangements of wild grasses and flowers in unique pots to suggest a season or place.
Peter said: “Bonsai in the Park has taken many months to organise, with the aim of creating an event that is different. We want to have a wide array of attractions on show so that people with little knowledge of bonsai can enjoy it just like people who are more experienced.
“As this event continues to grow in the years ahead, we hope to promote, inform and develop the art of bonsai for many people across South Devon and further afield.”
Bonsai is a centuries-old craft that can be traced back to ancient China. The process of growing bonsai involves shaping and pruning the tree into a specific form and size.
Simon, who lives in Teignbridge and is also a member of the South Devon Bonsai Society, will be taking turns with Peter to demonstrate a range of bonsai skills to audiences at the show.
He said: “There’s a lot said about bonsai, with some people over-simplifying it and others over-complicating it, but we hope that during our live demonstrations we will debunk a lot of myths about bonsai in a way that people will find entertaining and inspiring.
“We also want to show that with a little knowledge and imagination a basic tree can be transformed into something really interesting that will give pleasure to the owner for years to come.”
In addition to the live demonstrations at Bonsai in the Park, there will be trees on show from other South Devon Bonsai Society members, as well as trees from societies as far away as Wales. There will also be trees to buy and handcrafted pots for sale.
Bonsai in the Park is on Sunday 15 September, 10am-4pm. There will be refreshments available all day and free parking. Entrance is £5 for adults, and children can enter for free.
All entrance fees for Bonsai in the Park will go to the Lupton House Trust so that it can continue the task of restoring and maintaining the house and gardens for future generations.
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