You know it’s a good day when a bonsai display makes you do a double take.
Slant-style spruce
Yep, the tree is sitting on a sheet of glass. Better yet, the glass is supported – balanced no less – by two grooved wood slats.
Spruce display by Eric Schrader
The display is part of the Bonsai Society of San Francisco’s annual exhibit at the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show. The garden show – and the exhibit – run through this weekend. I highly recommend visiting if you can make it!
It’s worth noting that the wire in the above composition isn’t needed for balance – it’s protection against inadvertent contact by visitors. This is in contrast to another of Eric’s displays in which the wire is an integral element of the composition.
Ponderosa pine
In this case, the tree sits on a black panel suspended by wires within a slender frame.
Ponderosa pine supported by copper wires
The more conventional displays merited just as much attention as the innovative displays as the overall quality of trees in the exhibit was high.
Coast live oak
Japanese black pine
Japanese maples planted on a large stone
The exhibit display labels revealed that two impressive junipers started as sub-ten-dollar nursery material thirty years ago.
San Jose juniper
Shimpaku juniper
A visitor closely examining each display might find a skull-shaped stone, a bone, a scrap of barbed wire and a giant pastry.
A few of these are pictured here – the rest are best appreciated at the event. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the highlights below!
Shimpaku juniper
Catlin elm
Pygmy cypress
Semi-cascade shimpaku juniper
San Jose juniper
Larch
Olive
Black pine and olive
Tim Kong’s coast redwood display
The post Novel displays at Bonsai Society of San Francisco’s annual exhibit appeared first on Bonsai Tonight.