Addictive hobby on show

BONSAI is about creating a miniature, green artwork of illusion, resembling something that might normally appear much larger.

Now you can view a varying range of these little trees, starting from less than 15 centimetres in height, at the Robert Clark Centre during the first weekend of next month.

Opening at 10am both days, the Ballarat Bonsai Society’s 2019 Exhibition will run across Saturday, 2 and Sunday, 3 November, and visitors can expect to see pines, Chinese elms, junipers and natives like the Port Jackson fig.

BBS life member, Tom Cockram fell in love with bonsai in 1947 as an eight-year-old boy.

For 40 years he enjoyed bonsai as a solo interest, before joining his first club in 1987. Friendship and the common passion for horticulture are what he enjoys about the society.

“It’s almost like an addiction… an obsession,” Mr Cockram said. “It’s that sort of hobby, people are fanatic about it.”

He said it’s an ideal hobby for ageing gardeners who can find lifting challenging.

Around 40 members of all ages make up BBS, from nine to 80-plus. Visit facebook.com/ballaratbonsaisocietyinc.