As you become more proficient in the art of bonsai, you may naturally wish to display your trees in public. In most countries there is usually ample opportunity for this at horticultural shows and other special exhibitions. During the summer there are numerous local, regional and national flower shows where exhibits of bonsai are frequently seen. At these shows, both individuals and clubs may exhibit their trees. Enquiries for exhibiting should be made to the organization sponsoring the show. The organizers are generally very helpful and will be able to provide information on the conditions for exhibiting bonsai. Local and regional horticultural shows are of course much easier to enter than the more important national ones.
Most bonsai clubs also hold their own shows from time to time and members should take every opportunity to show their trees on these occasions. This gives pleasure not only to exhibitors but also to visitors. Above all, it will help to develop your confidence in exhibiting bonsai.
Trees intended for exhibition and display need to be groomed so that they look their very best. If you are taking the trouble to show at all, it is worth making the extra effort to put on the best display possible. Trees for exhibition must be in prime condition. Evergreen trees should look fresh and green and deciduous trees should have the appropriate leaf colour for the particular time of year. The trunks and branches must be clean, and if there are areas of driftwood they should be reasonably clean as well. Exhibitors occasionally apply lime sulphur to driftwood areas just before a show in order to highlight the deadwood. However, this is not a good practice as the freshly painted wood could make a tree look very artificial. It is better to apply the lime sulphur a couple of months before the show so that the driftwood looks weathered and more natural.
In the past, trees with wire on their branches were never shown at exhibitions because they were regarded as trees still in the process of being trained. This convention is now gradually being disregarded because fine trees can still be very presentable even if some branches are wired. Moreover, the use of copper or anodized aluminium wire can be quite unobtrusive.
The pots in which the trees are displayed should of course be clean and the tree and pot together should, if possible, be displayed on a proper bonsai stand. These stands need not be antique stands -these are difficult to obtain anyway. Some fine reproduction stands, or even home-produced stands are just as effective. A bonsai stand somehow always completes the picture and is part of the overall presentation of a bonsai. One famous Chinese bonsai master has compared a bonsai to a beautiful lady. The tree is the lady herself, the pot is her general attire and the stand her shoes. Exhibiting a bonsai without a stand is very much like a lady appearing in public without any shoes.
Accent or accessory plantings in small bonsai pots are also part of the traditional way of displaying bonsai. They are intended to complement or contrast with the main bonsai exhibits. The accent plantings act as a foil to the much larger main trees. They are usually small plantings of grass, fern or bamboo. Sometimes an accent planting may even be a small tree or a rock. To be effective, it needs to be both small and at the same time dainty.
When putting on a display of bonsai, several trees will invariably be needed and the exhibit must be designed as a unified whole. It is not sufficient to have good individual trees if the overall effect is confusing and incoherent. The way each tree leans, the leaf colours, shapes and sizes must all blend and complement one another. The background for the display should be neutral so that it does not detract from the trees themselves; colours such as grey, powder-blue, light pink, very light mauve, buff and off-white are suitable. Similarly, the surface on which the trees stand needs to be neutral too. Neutral coloured felt or hessian are suitable for both the backdrop and the table surface. Gravel, sand, vermiculite or rush matting all provide effective surfaces for displaying bonsai. Avoid using too many artifacts such as lanterns and other Japanese ornaments in the display as they can clutter up the stand and detract from the trees. Allow adequate space between them so that each one’s individual beauty and charm can be appreciated to the full. Too many trees in a display can be a recipe for disaster.
At major bonsai exhibitions in Japan, the tables are covered with dark blue felt and the background is pale yellow or straw-coloured board. Spotlights are used to highlight the trees. As many as 500-1000 major trees may be featured at such exhibitions. The premier bonsai exhibition in Japan is the National Bonsai Exhibition or ‘Kokufu Ten’ which is held each spring at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Ueno Park. At this particular exhibition 200 to 300 trees are usually displayed.
In Britain the premier flower show is the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show which is held in the last week of May. In recent years there have been as many as nine separate stands of bonsai.
Bonsai are also appropriately being increasingly exhibited in art galleries.
As a bonsai exhibitor, you should bear in mind that the public like variety. They like to see trees of different ages on display. The daintiness of a small mame can be just as fascinating as the grandeur of a 200-year-old tree. Your stand should also have a good mix of colour in the foliage. Listed below are some of the factors that judges ought to be looking for in the overall display of a bonsai exhibit.
Suggested system for judging a bonsai stand
| Aspect being judged | Maximum points |
| 1 Overall impression (ie trees and stand seen as a whole) | 20 |
| 2 Quality and condition of individual exhibits (ie health and beauty of plants) | 35 |
| 3 Colour, variety and texture of exhibits | 20 |
| 4 Attention to detail | 5 |
| 5 Quality of staging, staging material and accessories | 10 |
| 6 Uniqueness or special features which deserve special recognition | 10 |
| Total points | 100 |
However, when it comes to judging the merits of individual trees, quite different considerations come into play. The following are some of the factors which judges should be looking for when judging individual specimens.
Suggested system for judging an individual bonsai tree
This beautiful little cotoneaster planted against a rock is only 25 cm high. It was developed from a tree growing in my front garden 15 years ago. The scar on the trunk was caused by mower damage. The tree is probably about 25 to 30 years old. The bonsai is very Chinese in character, with extensive use of rocks.
