World Bonsai Contest (continued)

Nature created this beautifully twisted trunk over many years. The colorful lines of live bark wrapping around ancient, curving deadwood give this tree an old soul. The owner has named this Shimpaku juniper (42") "Ascending Dragon."

The powerful trunk of this twin trunk style Trident maple (21") gives the impression of a large tree. Old scars from sacrifice branches have healed completely. The dark blue glazed pot makes a good contrast to the light color of the trunk.

Beautiful trunk movement is rare for Miyajima white pines (30"). Alternating branch lengths make the tree look natural. The relationship between the trunk thickness and height is impressive.

This satsuki azalea (30") has been trained for a long time. Every single branch begins on an outside curve of the trunk. The pads are well developed. The trunk has no scars. Roots radiate from all sides of the trunk. It is beautiful without flowers. It stuns the viewer when it is in full bloom.

Developed from an old bonsai, this San Jose juniper (19") has been refined in a short period of time with proper training and care. Unlike shimpaku bonsai, for which twisting trunk lines are key, needle junipers can have fast taper.

This Golden atlas cedar (17"), received as a present from the family of a friend who passed away, has been refined for 30 years in a bonsai pot. It is a treasure for the tree's owner. Few golden atlas cedars are trained as bonsai.

This collected Korean Hornbeam (12") has rough bark and a powerful trunk. The glazed pot emphasizes the feminine side of this deciduous tree.

A heavy trunk, old bark, good curves and good needles: this tree (18") embodies many of the best characteristics of Japanese white pine bonsai. It has been trained as bonsai for a long time.

This Japanese black pine (24") was grown from seed in California over 50 years ago. Mr. Kubota, a Japanese bonsai master, completely restyled the tree during a workshop at the 1994 GSBF convention.

Exposed root style bonsai are uncommon. The sharply curving roots and trunk give this Japanese white pine (14") its unique character. The reddish colored pot brings out the blue-green color of the needles.

This Shimpaku juniper is grafted on Sierra juniper stock. The powerful first bend is even stronger than a two dimensional picture can show. It has had 2-3 owners and is approximately 250 - 300 years old.

This Sierra juniper has very good movement for a short tree. Small Sierra junipers with good movement are hard to find, hence additional value for this little bonsai.

This Sierra juniper has all the elements of a good bonsai. It has good roots, good trunk taper, and an aged look. It is easy to imagine this as a high-country-tree where the wind and the elements has given this bonsai its character.

This shimpaku juniper has wonderful movement. The trunk taper is very good. The tree has a strong and stately feeling.

This old hinoki cypress has just been restyled over the last two years. It is one of the few bonsai in California that have been owned by the same family for 3 generations. It is a bonsai with great rootage.

Because Mugo pines grow so slowly, it takes a lot of care and a lot of time to develop a specimen as nice as this.

This is a large and powerful Japanese black pine. The strong first branch complements the flow and the strength of the lower trunk.

The glazed pot for this Satsuki azalea complements this bonsai with, or without, flowers. The rootbase, movements and trunk taper are very good.

This Shimpaku juniper has been in training for many years. The lifelines have begun to roll back over the shari on the bottom half of the trunk. In person, this tree looks very, very old.

This California juniper was collected near Mojave 10 years ago by the current owner. The tree actually came from the topsoil of a gravel pit and mining operation. It is approximately 450 years old.

This Sierra juniper was collected at 8,000 feet in the High Sierra Mountains. It is approximately 400 years old.

This Mendocino cypress was collected in an old pygmy forest, where trees are naturally dwarfed due to the high alkaline content of the soil. This makes it tricky to transplant these trees from their native soil. The tree has had 3 owners and is approximately 85 years old.