Bonsai Tonight

An educational website about bonsai development

Highlights from the ABAS’s 62nd annual exhibit

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The American Bonsai Association Sacramento held their 62nd annual show last weekend at the Shepard Garden & Art Center in Sacramento’s McKinley Park.

You’ll find photos of the event below. For those interested in learning more, event headliner Andrew Robson and I recorded a critique of these trees on the Bonsai Wire podcast.

Cypress

Hinoki/Sawara Cypress

branch structure

Detail showing branch structure

Sierra juniper

Grafted Sierra juniper

White chojubai

White chojubai

Washington hawthorn

Washington hawthorn

Japanese maple

Japanese maple

Japanese maple

Clump-style Japanese maple

Murphy's stone

Murphy’s stone

Check out the critique on the Bonsai Wire Podcast.

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Comments

  1. Thanks a lot for this brilliant combination of photos and podcast, your joy ist infectious!

  2. Beautiful trees…and the “Murphey Stone” reminds me of El Capitan in Yosemite.

  3. I’m no longer”in”Bonsai anymore…to old, Im 92, and I live in a Retirement Community in Santa Cruz. I still follow Bonsai on line,
    “Keep on Showing”

    ………….Robert………………

  5. Thanks for new podcast, hope you cats keep putting out this type of content. I think I have watched about every show critique that is available on YouTube for example -I’ve found that this type of content is truly a wealth of information, a light shown on the reality of shows, and just an inspiring. That said, anytime I see a new bonsai wire from you all has landed there is a “yesss” moment to get to open the new one up among the standard run of the mill jazz out there. I hope you all enjoy doing it because it’s gold.

    Speaking of gold where’s the merch? Would be happy to give back and represent.
    Thanks much

    • Thanks, Heath, we really appreciate it! It’s a ton of fun for us and I think we’re getting closer to being able to release more episodes on a relatively regular basis. Will try to do more critiques too.

      Merch is a great idea. Will try to make that happen this year.

  6. Great cast. I usually delete once played but i’ll need to listen again while looking at the pics. For sure some more exhibit podcast/pics would be great. Any chance that with your own trees or friends that you could follow the pic as presented, with a pic that includes a small markup on where you think the tree will or can be improved at?

    I think comments in the cast and the note re reasons not to enter a tree, in reference to the Pacific show, are important for us dabblers. We get that tree development is ongoing, but your saying a couple times during ABASS that you were looking forward to seeing tree X and Y in three years is pretty encouraging. Maybe a, ‘must see in 3’ ribbon at Pacific?
    thanks much for the education and entertainment
    oh, and the suiseki as well. good stuff

    • Thanks, Lars, I really appreciate it! I love the idea of marking up the changes we’d like to see in the tree – will make a note of that.

      There’s at least one show in Japan that has an award geared toward recognizing promise in the work on display even though it’s not yet at its peak. And I like the “must see in three” idea – it’s how we regularly talked about trees in the club I was a part of for many years, Bay Island Bonsai. Will try to focus more on development in terms of our goals and when trees are a good fit for exhibits.

      Thanks!

  8. I loved this podcast combined with photos! Please do more show walk throughs. It is so beautiful and it is such a fun way to learn.