Every year the Bimer Bonsai Club organises a club bus trip for members to visit a show put on by one of the other clubs in South East Queensland. 
This year’s bus trip was to Toowoomba for the Toowoomba Bonsai show on Sunday 23rd September with 23 members. The cost is only $10 which included entry to the Toowoomba Bonsai Show.
Most of us gathered at 8am sharp and the bus was waiting. We picked up the others on the way at Jindalee and travelled to Toowoomba. Steve, the driver was great, very accommodating and had interesting tit-bits of information along the way. Of course, the trip would not be complete without the raffle.
Steve kindly drove us to Picnic Point Parklands as we arrived in Toowoomba and we had an amazing view of the whole valley from the top of the range. A perfectly clear day we could see for miles.
The Toowoomba Bonsai Show was at the Rose Garden in Newtown Park, the clubs regular meeting place. The venue was a cute cottage with some beautiful rose gardens in flower, we loved the David Austin’s over the arches.
The exhibition was excellent and what a friendly club they were. There was a great mixture of exotics and native bonsai, root over rock, bonsai on a slab, name and shohin as well as figs, junipers and many others. A beautiful pomegranate just shooting caught my eye.
The Toowoomba Club had kindly organised some morning tea and food for us. Thank you, guys! There was a sales area including some elusive scoria from Kimberley in the club which was snapped up and loaded into the bus.
Loaded up with goodies we went to Coroneos Nursery not far from the show. We were welcomed by a massive wisteria 
archway on the entry to plant paradise. Large maples of countless varieties, conifers of every colour, and a massive variety of exceedingly healthy plants. Some of us couldn’t resist so more plants on board.
Next stop was a surprise add on to the trip. Steve our driver had found where the Carnivals’ Garden of the Year was. A quick stop saw an incredible garden with waterfall, flowers of every colour and a couple of vintage cars.
Next stop was Harmony Tea Garden, 10483 New England Hwy, Highfields. Entry is by appointment only call 0430 132 556. Sam Chen was most 
welcoming and had set up some shelter from the hot sun. We all were a bit overloaded and sat and had our lunch in the great setting surrounded by Bonsai ….. mmmmm. There are 3 main areas of the garden. A display area has some mature bonsai in various stages of development, the weed mat area goes down the side and has a huge amount of mature pre-bonsai trees, and the undercover area has everything from mame to large plants in various stages of development. Nothing is priced, and Sam is happy to discuss pricing.
Next and final stop was to the Carnival of Flowers in Queens Park. It was amazing! Large crowds, you can see how many people it brings into Toowoomba. Beautiful displays and lots of photographs and people enjoying the sheer beauty of flowers.
After an ice cream and a drink, it was time to head for home which Steve did in quick time. But not without the obligatory raffle of a couple of plants purchased on the way.
Simply put, a great day.
Some of the trees on display at the Toowoomba Show
