Columbus Bonsai Society

History of the Columbus Bonsai Society

As documented by Larry Learn

As narrated by C Tom Holcomb

In February 1972, a small group of individuals got together and informally began the Columbus Bonsai Society. Initially there were no officers. Gwen and Duet Jones, Nancy Green and Leo Bistak planned the first several meetings. In August 1973, Nancy Green became the first President and Leo Bistak was the first Treasurer. Plans were made for a membership drive, dues were set, a Constitution was adopted and the society joined Bonsai Clubs International.

There were no early records of where meetings were held. At some point, Slemmons Nursery hosted meetings until September 1974, when the Upper Arlington Municipal Building facilities were obtained for the club until 1977. Due to problems caused by the gas shortage, the membership began looking for a new meeting place. In September 1977 meetings were moved to the Franklin Park Conservatory and remained there until the facility became unavailable due to Franklin Park Conservatory hosting AmeriFlora - billed as the first International Floral and Garden Exhibition in the US (held April through October 1992). Meetings then returned to Franklin Park Conservatory and have remained there ever since.

The first annual show for the Columbus Bonsai Society took place in June 1974, at Slemmons Nursery. In 1975 the show was moved to the Eastland Mall and was held in conjunction with the Ikebana Society, Northland Mall was the scene of the first large scale bonsai show in 1976. Beginning June 1978, shows were held at Franklin Park Conservatory (except for the AmeriFlora years when shows occurred at the Ohio State Fair.

In early Summer 1990, the Columbus Bonsai Society played host to the American Bonsai Society Symposium, held at the Ohio Union on the campus of The Ohio State University. Max Puderbaugh served as symposium chairman. Guest presenters were Jerry Stowell (New Jersey); Marion Gyllenswan (NY); Kelly Adkins (Illinois); Jerry Meislik (Michigan); Marain Borchers (Florida); and Jose Cueto (Columbus, OH). All tree materials provided for the presenters were obtained from Wild Things Bonsai Nursery (Dale Cochoy and Bob Stevens).

The Columbus Bonsai Society did host an all-Ohio show at Franklin Park Conservatory in October 2008. All Ohio based clubs participated in providing trees and creating their own displays.

In October 1978, Columbus Bonsai Society President Max Puderbaugh and seven club members met with the Franklin Park Conservatory Director to begin planning for a permanent bonsai collection. Construction began in July 1979 and the new display opened in November 1979. Club meetings in the Summer of 1979 centered around preparing trees for this new display.