My Tree got Rejected for National as Well!

I say this because I suffer the same problem, I will see a tree for what it could look like in the near future, and often don't really focus on the actual image in front of me. Your own critique of your tree is spot on. I can see from the photo why it might have been passed up in favor of another tree. I bet in two years, especially if you do the weeding and put moss on, make it display ready for the submission photo, I bet in 2 years this tree will get accepted, if you make the changes you mentioned in your own critique of this tree. The show committee has to go with the image they receive, not what they think it will look like come Sept 2016.

Do see if you can get this accepted for the 2018 Nationals, it certainly is close to ready now. Great tree.

Like I said, I too have had problems because I see what it could, or will be, and tend to forget that others will only see the image submitted.

Leo in N E Illinois said:

I say this because I suffer the same problem, I will see a tree for what it could look like in the near future, and often don't really focus on the actual image in front of me. Your own critique of your tree is spot on. I can see from the photo why it might have been passed up in favor of another tree. I bet in two years, especially if you do the weeding and put moss on, make it display ready for the submission photo, I bet in 2 years this tree will get accepted, if you make the changes you mentioned in your own critique of this tree. The show committee has to go with the image they receive, not what they think it will look like come Sept 2016.

Do see if you can get this accepted for the 2018 Nationals, it certainly is close to ready now. Great tree.

Like I said, I too have had problems because I see what it could, or will be, and tend to forget that others will only see the image submitted.

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I understand what you are saying and perhaps you are correct, if I had submitted the photo that I opened up the post with, I probably might have had a better chance, who knows? In the end, not really to big of a deal, always next time... funny part is that the picture I entered was from last fall... so, even if I had entered the pic I opened up with, it would look totally different come time for the show!
Sometimes you win some, sometimes not so much!
Thanks for the reply!

Thought I should post up this tree here as well... Seeing I also submitted it as well and it was rejected.

This tree for me has a very "poetic" feel... which had a lot to do with the construction of it's design.

In an age of being hip to have tons and tons of ramification and a million branches... I purposely chose to eliminate all of this... quite literally! I went through and eliminate a ton of branching on the tree, in order to accomplish the very minimalist approach that is displayed.

Why, you might ask? Well first off it is obviously an import... and I felt rather than try and mask or get rid of this feature I chose instead to bring it front and center. The very minimal approach to me harken back to a vision that is often seen in very old trees along side of bodies of water in places like China. These types of trees are often littered in paintings of scrolls and manuscripts of Chinese history throughout the ages and often are thought to hold and posses great spiritual qualities... like a verse in a poem.

I can imagine it slightly breaking through the fog.

This tree actually does flower. I suspect if it was known more for these qualities like perhaps a cherry... it's value and importance might greatly increase, who knows?

I like your green island ficus! I love areal roots on ficus.. They look real because they grow them in nature. To me, your tree is great because it looks old and has character. Like you said, pics dont explain the scale of the tree. The one with you in it helps a lot, at first I thought it was much smaller.. Sorry it didnt make the cut. But you have the right idea, back on the horse and looking forward to next time.. Well done!

Love the tree, Sawgrass.

what species is the second tree?

Leo in N E Illinois said:

what species is the second tree?

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second tree is a Fukien Tea

Of course I accept tropical bonsai for the US National Bonsai Exhibition. Here is a recent Green Island Fig which was accepted. Come to Rochester in September to see this masterpiece and a couple of hundred other beautiful trees.
Bill

sawgrass said:

Here is the photo of the tree I entered, which was the most recent image I had.
The first picture I posted of the tree is how it currently looks, and is now the most recent photo.

Now, I would not display the tree as it is depicted in this photo... This photo was taken towards the end of last year, when I really cut back the tree, to begin to give it shape. I don't like the harsh padding and negative spacing in this photo... I would shown the tree, more like the first image, or something in between the two.

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Going back to this tree, I just want to say that I love the pot!

I don't care much for tropicals, but that is a damn nice tropical!

William N. Valavanis said:

Of course I accept tropical bonsai for the US National Bonsai Exhibition. Here is a recent Green Island Fig which was accepted. Come to Rochester in September to see this masterpiece and a couple of hundred other beautiful trees.
Bill
View attachment 98510

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That's OK Bill...
I will see you one day up in Rochester.
Count on it! In the meantime my "non-masterpiece" needs a hair cut, lol!

It bothers me that you cant see a single branch [or any of the trunk for that matter] on the entire tree that was accepted.

JoeR said:

It bothers me that you cant see a single branch [or any of the trunk for that matter] on the entire tree that was accepted.

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It bothers me more, that we are looking at the side of the tree. I am not sure why the side to side, or wallflower, view was chosen, but if they had turned the tree slightly to the left and made the right corner of the pot the front, they would of probably ended up with a much more Dynamic and viewer interactive tree.

Been swamp this year with work, and finally had today off and decided to work on some trees... got a chance to give this Green Island and give it the hair cut that it needed.

Didn't really want to post it here, seeing I am tired of discussing the US National, but felt it better than starting a whole new thread and going over the same ground.

And a quick shot of some of the branching, seeing this had been brought up in discussion. This is looking up at the apex, an area of concern.

Bonsai Nut said:

Going back to this tree, I just want to say that I love the pot!

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Thanks, the pot is a crackle glaze Tokoname , that I paid about $400 for. When I saw it, I thought it matched the tree perfectly.