The Bay Area Bonsai Associates held their 29th Annual show on March 12-13 at the Lakeside Garden Center in Oakland, CA. BABA hosts a good show every year and this year was no exception. BABA’s 29th Annual Exhibit I was struck by a number of the large trees in this year’s exhibit, including the red […]
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Megumi’s Bonsai Art
Upon learning I would visit Australia last month, I wrote to a local Bonsai Tonight reader about which nurseries I might visit around Sydney. I received a good list of recommendations as well as a tour-guide for the adventure. On the appointed day, Scott, along with Craig and Bree, picked me up for what turned out […]
What’s with the white stuff?
A visit to the GSBF Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt this spring will reveal an intriguing bonsai technique – paper-wrapped bonsai wire. I learned about the technique from the garden’s curator, Kathy Shaner, not long after she completed her apprenticeship to Yasuo Mitsuya in Toyohashi, Japan. Copper wire is more commonly used on conifers than […]
Show trees are full trees
You’ve heard the phrase if you’ve heard Boon talk about show prep. Full trees demonstrate health and maturity. Although there are exceptions, most bonsai look their best when they’re full. Fullness means different things for different varieties. I consider the deciduous trees below from Bay Island Bonsai’s recent exhibit to be “full.” Chinese quince ‘Chojubai’ […]
Three-point displays
Eighteen inches, give or take, counts for a lot at Bay Island Bonsai exhibits. Generally, trees between 8″ and 18″ tall are considered medium bonsai and are exhibited in “three-point displays” – displays with two trees and one accent plant. Composing these displays requires care. If you haven’t set up a medium display before, imagine […]