Carolina Bonsai expo

To my eye, we showed some of the best bonsai ever at the Carolina Bonsai Expo this year. The trees were great, and the exhibits were a bit toned down from previous years.

Here are a few of the trees that caught my eye this morning.

A shohin display from Virginia:



One of several nice Shimpaku:



A shohin Shimpaku:



An interesting Shimpaku landscape



Thuja occidentalis from a Pennsylvania club:



Note the pot. It really fit the tree.



Another Thuja (I think)

My favorite tree -- A Korean hornbeam:



The Black Creek Study Group (S. Carolina) as always had an interesting display -- AND the largest bonsai in the show, complete with swamp and fish.









Piedmont, NC Bonsai Soc. had another interesting display:
Unfortunately, I couldn't get back far enough to get decent pics.





An American hornbeam forest:



Crabapple:



Trident root over rock:

Jim,
Thank you for the tour. I love the hornbeam as well. I am also drooling over the trident root over rock. I am intrigued by the bald cypress "pond" with full moon and fish. How deep was the water in the pot?
Best,
Todd

Just a few inches deep. But the soil had to be saturated to the bottom and (obviously) there was no drainage hole.

That's how I do my bald cypresses, they are happy in standing water... Thanks for the photos, I do think you have such quality at that show! I thought the display with the cloth, made the trees look out of balance, I felt like they were all sitting at angles getting ready to slide off the stand... And it distracted from the trees. But it was different! Love that first shohin display.

Great show Jim. Thanks for taking the time to post the pics.
Tona

Thanks for sharing Jim!!

And a HUGE thanks to AJ for putting this all together for us...for the 17th straight year!!

John

Went for the first time this year and was really impressed. The show was nice and had a comfortable setting.

I just got back home to Atlanta from a day trip up to Asheville. Nice show, it's amazing how little justice photos do for the actual trees. I came away with a nice Dale Cochoy pot for a special lil crepe myrtle come this spring... Cheers all.

jgeanangel wrote:Thanks for sharing Jim!!

And a HUGE thanks to AJ for putting this all together for us...for the 17th straight year!!

John

ABSOLUTELY!!!!! And to the bonsai clubs from so many different states that came down. I have some wide angle shots of all the displays I'll be posting on IBC later tonight. I didn't really get too many closeups but I'll post those as well.

John G, It was a pleasure to meet you this weekend.

Have a great week, Y'all!!!
Sam

Great photos, Jim. Thanks for sharing them and noting the regional contributions.

Do you recall if the Virginia shohin display was from one club (e.g., Hinoki Bonsai Club, Roanoke) or from one individual. Did the owner(s) comment on fencing-in the complementary stone?

As in previous CB Expo exhibitions, the arrangements are distinctive, disciplined & delightful.

There were 3 Virginia clubs there: Hinoki, in Roanoke; Mountain Empire, in Wytheville; and Virginia Bonsai Soc. of Norfolk. I think the shohin and fenced-in stone was from Mt. Empire. I heard no comments about the stone one way or another.