BABA’s 35th Annual Exhibit

Last weekend the Bay Area Bonsai Associates held their 35th annual exhibit at the Lake Merritt Garden Center in Oakland, California. Due to a slightly different cast of exhibitors this year, more trees than normal made their BABA debuts, and some of the trees we’d seen before were looking better than ever. Two beautiful examples are shimpaku junipers exhibited by Jim Gremel of Deer Meadow Bonsai.

Cascade shimpaku

Shimpaku

Deadwood bonsai, known for collected Sierra junipers, showed the Sierra below with grafted shimpaku foliage.

Sierra juniper

The basic setup at BABA exhibits consists of table displays in the middle of the room with rows of trees against the walls. Here are a few of the displays.

Hinoki and trident maple

Accent planting

Korean hornbeam and shimpaku

Very nice shimpaku – and such a small pot!

California juniper by Seiji Shiba, featured at the inaugural Artisans Cup in Portland, Oregon

Mame bonsai

Ikebana-like display from Tim Kong

Yep, you saw that right.

Smiling Chia pet with frog

Shimpaku with figure

Procumbens juniper

A closer look at the viewing stone

The exhibit featured shohin bonsai, including the display below.

Shohin display

David De Groot performed the Saturday night demonstration, and BABA members made sure there was plenty of food to go around, making for a fun bonsai evening.

Suiseki

Japanese maple