Australian National Convention 2025

Shibui · Monday at 1:31 AM

Back home after this year's AABC national convention, hosted this year by Canberra Bonsai Society in our national capital.
Some (phone) photos from the show room:
Winner: large bonsai.

Excellence award - Melaleuca linariifolia AKA Honey Myrtle

WBFF award for outstanding bonsai - Atlas cedar

Shibui · Tuesday at 3:48 AM

A couple of the shohin displays at the convention show.
Best small bonsai award

From the top:
Shimpaku juniper

German ivy

Pomegranate

Satsuki azalea

Cotoneaster

Silver birch

This shohin display included some of my trees.

From the top
Japanese black pine

Japanese maple

Olive

Buxus harlandii

Coprosma

Shimpaku juniper

johng · Tuesday at 4:52 AM

Thank you for sharing! Super nice trees and displays. Can you tell me anything about the black tray that the multi trunk pine on the stone with turtles is displayed on? Looks to be something other than ceramic.

Bonsai Nut · Tuesday at 5:06 AM

johng said:
Looks to be something other than ceramic.

At the risk of derailing the thread, I don't know what that particular material is, but if you look at old Japanese dobans, many are made from brass because they would otherwise be too fragile.

johng · Tuesday at 5:31 AM

Bonsai Nut said:
At the risk of derailing the thread, I don't know what that particular material is, but if you look at old Japanese dobans, many are made from brass because they would otherwise be too fragile.

View attachment 598619

thanks for sharing...I am familiar with brass and bronze trays. I thought the one I referenced might be something else given the very thin side walls.

Michael P · Tuesday at 11:49 AM

I was hoping for some irreverent Aussie humor and got it with the wine glass shitakusa. Thanks!

pandacular · Tuesday at 12:24 PM

The large bonsai winner is outstanding! Do you know who was behind that one?

treeline · Tuesday at 3:02 PM

I believe that’s a White Kunzea by Hugh Grant from Treemakers, but I could be wrong.

Shibui · 2025-05-21T01:05:31-0700

treeline said:
I believe that’s a White Kunzea by Hugh Grant from Treemakers, but I could be wrong.

I believe you are correct. That's yamadori - a tree collected, not from mountains but from cow pasture and then styled and shown by Hugh.

johng said:
Can you tell me anything about the black tray that the multi trunk pine on the stone with turtles is displayed on? Looks to be something other than ceramic.

Not sure of the composition. It is extremely smooth and shiny so I would guess fibreglass or some sort of resin/plastic. It's around 4' long so would need to be light material to be manageable.

Shibui · 2025-05-21T01:41:33-0700

More from the show benches
Scots pine

Jack pine with JM

Kunzea - love the smooth bark and tiny leaves. This is styled in the image of our 'gum' trees

Another Shohin display. This one with all Australian native plants.

Crepe (crape) myrtle

Eucalyptus nicholii (narrow leaf peppermint) another of our Aussie gum trees.

Swamp (bald) cypress

Allocasuarina (she-oak)

Japanese maple group

Ficus - banyan style

Michael P · 2025-05-21T08:49:56-0700

Love seeing the natives and the interesting pots. Are they from Australian potters?

Shibui · 2025-05-22T00:38:57-0700

Michael P said:
Are they from Australian potters?

A mixture of provenance for the pots as you'd expect. Many of the owners nominated the potters as well as details of the trees so I may be able to check if there's any you're particularly interested in.