I was searching thru some old club photos from around the state. One sees many trees that are good beginner trees, yet lack the real merits as to what makes a great bonsai.
Here are two separate species trained in the same style and almost exactly the same in proportions. In fact the proportions match the trees posted in this thread. These two trees I have posted both have tall slender trunks. They both have taper, that seems to be an indicator of good material. They both have small internodes, another indicator of great material. They are both informal uprights much like the trees posted in this thread. They both have nicely groomed branch structures with good foliage on the trees. They seem very healthy and the pine is covered with buds all over. The leaf size on the maple is consistent throughout the tree and the foliage is back in towards the trunk and lacks the poodle appearance. The nebari is not that great on these two, and looks much like the three posted in the thread.
So, after being at this bonsai forum for a number of years or months depending on who you talk to, is this what bonsai is about? Does a person buy one of the three, spend a good amount of time getting them healthy and building some good branches and then have a tree like these two to put in the show?
Sorry, my understanding and view of bonsai is much higher than this.
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