It’s hard not to get nostalgic when I look over photos from Bay Island Bonsai exhibits. I’ve watched a number of the trees develop over many years and can see how far they’ve come. It’s fun to see variety between deciduous and evergreen trees, large trees and small, young trees and old. And it’s fun […]
Exhibits
Exhibits are where we can see bonsai at their best. Explore posts from Bonsai Exhibits in the U.S. including the U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition and Japanese events including the world-famous Kokufu and Taikan-ten exhibits.
Small and medium displays at BIB’s 14th annual exhibit
One of the hardest, but most fun, parts of setting up a bonsai exhibit is creating displays. Some members pre-configure their 6′ slots and know exactly which trees, pots, stands and accent will best fill the space. The rest of us – all but a handful really – participate in the mix-and-match process of setting […]
Junipers at Bay Island Bonsai’s 14th annual exhibit
This past weekend, Bay Island Bonsai held its 14th annual exhibit at the Lake Merritt Garden Center in Oakland, California. For those of you who attended – thanks for coming! I hope you enjoyed the show. For those who couldn’t make it, I’ll share some of the highlights. We’ll start, today, with some scale junipers. […]
Accent plants
The Redwood Empire Bonsai Society puts a lot of effort into the accent plants that accompany their bonsai. Accent plants are a nice way to indicate the season and provide color to bonsai shows. I know little about what makes accents suitable to given bonsai displays beyond whether or not they “look good” to me. That, and […]
Impressive broadleaf bonsai at REBS 29th annual show
I was very impressed by the broadleaf and deciduous bonsai on display at REBS’ recent show. These often difficult to develop and maintain bonsai are in great shape – strong evidence of good bonsai care. The trees are also evidence that broadleaf bonsai can be powerful. Bougainvillea – about 45 years old Korean hornbeam – about 73 […]