Shohin displays at BIB’s 18th annual exhibit

Two displays at this year’s Bay Island Bonsai exhibit featured mini-sized bonsai. The first used a narrow box stand that held five trees with a semi-cascade bittersweet and accent on the right side.

Six-tree shohin display

It was great to see such good contrast among the display elements. The tree varieties, foliage character and color, and pot shape and color avoid repetition – a difficult feat.

Japanese black pine – unglazed pot

Gardenia – painted pot

Olive – yellow glazed pot

Japanese flowering quince ‘Chojubai’ – glazed pot

Japanese bittersweet – two-color glazed pot

A second display featured a simple box stand that held three trees. It was accented by a small white pine.

Four-tree shohin display

Simple box stands like this are great as it’s much easier to find four trees that work well together than it is to find six.

Elm – pot by Roy Minarai

Olive