Profile of Vance Wood

Four Seasons Bonsai Club of Michigan

I started growing bonsai in 1956. My brother who is six years my senior became interested in the art after receiving a book in the mail on growing Ming Trees. With the exception of a two year period when I was required to serve in the military, I have been growing bonsai ever since.

Recently I have become involved in bonsai on a public level through The Four Seasons Bonsai Club of Michigan. A rather large and active group with a membership as diverse as it is large, has given me the great honor of electing me its president three years in a row. I am not certain if it is because they think that much of me or perhaps I am occupying the position of permanent latrine orderly. I choose to believe the former.

I currently hold a patent for a device called The Bonsai Training Planter. At this time it is the only bonsai specific patent issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademarks Office. Over the last five years or so I have had the privilege to teach classes, give demonstrations and lectures to, by now, a small army of interested observers and participants locally and most recently in Milwaukee at the last MABA convention.

I show my trees at every opportunity that I can possibly take advantage of the time. I manage to win ribbons wherever may trees manage to appear. All trees in my collection are the product of personal development from nursery or collected material. I do not have a problem with people filling their collections with trees they have purchased from professional growers, I am more interested in making bonsai than having them already completed. I am known locally for my work with Mugho Pine, a commonly ignored species of conifer that makes a remarkable bonsai if taken seriously.

I am also motivated by a desire to find and provide un-common trees for my workshops and classes. Last summer we had a beginners workshop using 3 gallon Shimpaku Juniper. We also had an advanced workshop using Japanese White Pine. I remember when I first started doing bonsai the only place you could see one of these trees was in the books. It gives me a real sense of accomplishment to be able to provide the material for people just starting out, that I could only dream about when I started.

Contact Vance through the Four Seasons Bonsai Club of Michigan listing on the Michigan Member Clubs page.