San Diego Bonsai Club
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Catlin Elm

Catlin elm
Inventory Number:  15
Common Name: Catlin elm
Scientific Name: Ulmus parvifolia 'Catlin'
Donated By: Estate of Melba Tucker


Other Information:
This bonsai is grown in the forest style.

Back to the display list

History of The Melba Tucker Catlin Elm Forest

by Mark Edgar, Bonsai Pavilion volunteer
Picture
 Melba Tucker became interested in bonsai in 1956 as a student of Khan Komai and began teaching bonsai a decade later. She taught bonsai, saikei, and suiseki worldwide and was very generous in her financial support of many bonsai and suiseki organizations. Melba's book on the American perspective of suiseki (Suiseki & Viewing Stones: An American Perspective) was published in 1996 and in that same year the Suiseki Pavilion in the US National Arboretum in Washington D.C. was named in her honor. Melba also published a book entitled Suiseki & Viewing Stones. Melba was president of the Santa Anita Bonsai Society and a member of four other bonsai clubs including the California Bonsai Society. She served as treasurer of Bonsai Clubs International for a total of 18 years.  Melba maintained a personal bonsai collection of over one hundred show trees of all styles.

The bonsai collection at the San Diego Safari Park is lucky enough to have her Catlin elm forest on display. The forest was donated by Melba’s estate in 1999. The photo above of Melba Tucker was taken just before she passed away in 1999.

Picture
A photo of Melba Tucker’s elm forest as it was in 2012 is shown on the left. Note the small black slate slab it is displayed on. ‘lyn Stevenson had an idea to transplant the forest on a larger slab carved by Brian Jackson, John Jackson’s brother. Brian carved the slab from a rectangular rock slab using a ballpeen hammer. Brian is very talented indeed. 


Picture
On January 23, 2014, John Jackson, ‘lyn Stevenson, and Cathy and Mark Edgar repotted Melba’s forest onto the new slab. It had been many years since the forest was repotted, but the process was much easier than it looks.  

The forest was lifted from the old slab in one piece and the old soil and larger roots were removed (the forest remained in one piece during the whole repotting process). ‘lyn is removing old soil.



Picture
 The “cleaned” forest was positioned on the new slab prior to adding the muck wall and soil. 


Picture
Cathy is making muck – just like bread. Muck is made by mixing clay, sphagnum moss, and water until it putty-like.


Picture
John is adding the finishing touches to the muck and the soil. The tree was lifted from the slab and soil was added to the slab and the forest was settled on to the mound of soil. The muck was rolled into long “cigars” and pressed onto the slab. A wall was built in the shape that would become the outer boarder of the forest.


Picture
Close up of the muck wall after all the soil was added.


Picture
John is adding moss. Moss was added over almost all of the soil surface and the muck wall to keep the soil in place. Several other trees donated their moss to the effort.


Picture
The repotting team (John, Mark, Cathy, and 'lyn) & finished tree
Picture
Melba Tucker Catlin forest after repotting Jan 23, 2014
Updated: March 7, 2023
All images © 2010-2023.
All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
  • Activities
    • Next Meeting
    • 2023 Calendar
    • 2023 Spring Show
    • Bonsai-A-Thon
    • Bonsai Show Maps
  • Education
    • About SDBC Education
    • Beginner's Classes Overview
    • Beginner's Class Schedule
    • Workshops & Skills Classes
    • Study Groups >
      • Shohin Study Group
      • All About Bonsai Study Group
      • Ficus Study Group
    • Private Lessons
  • Resources
    • Newsletter
    • Club Forms
    • Club Library
    • Vendors
    • Photos >
      • 2020 Winter Silhouettes
      • 2018 Fall Show
      • 2018 SD County Fair
      • Spring 2018 Show
      • 2018 Cal Shohin Seminar
      • GSBF Convention #40
      • 2017 Fall Show
      • 2017 Spring Show
      • 2016 Fall Show
      • 2016 Nisei Week Trip
      • 2016 Spring Show
      • 2016 Bonsai-A-Thon
      • 2016 Winter Silhouettes
      • 2015 Fall Show Photos
      • 2015 Nisei Week Trip
      • Bonsai Stolen from San Gabriel Nursery
      • 2015 Spring Show
      • 2015 Bonsai-A-Thon
      • 2014 Fall Show
      • 2014 Nisei Week Trip
      • 2014 July Bus Trip
      • 2014 Spring Show
      • 2014 Bonsai-A-Thon
      • 2014 Winter Silhouettes
      • 2013 Fall Show
      • 2013 Spring Show
    • Articles >
      • Lime Sulfur
      • Bougainvillea Bonsai
      • Soil: It's What Goes in the Pot
      • 'Lyn's Bonsai Soil Mix
      • Back-Budding
      • REBS 2014 Show
      • 2014 Boxwood Dig
      • Club History
      • Club Logo
      • First Show May 1966
    • Video >
      • 2019-2021 Videos
      • 2015-2018 Videos
      • Video
      • More Video
  • Membership
    • Membership Form
    • Membership Benefits
    • Volunteer
  • Safari Park Bonsai Pavilion
    • Overview and History
    • Bonsai Pavilion Trees
    • Stolen Bonsai
  • Looking Back
    • Time Traveler
    • Remembering... >
      • Remembering Big Dave Rochester
      • Remembering Marty Mann
      • Remembering Ko Tsushima
      • Remembering Harry Hirao
      • Remembering Bob Meyer
  • About
    • Overview of Club
    • By-Laws
    • Past Presidents
  • Contact