AusBonsai

Call me old fashioned but I think all exhibition displays look better when accent plants are an integral part of the display, and I would go a bit further and say that we probably need to pay a bit more attention to the final look that we do display. I try to have a few accent plants on hand just in case I need to exhibit a bonsai somewhere and here are a few that I took a photo of over the last week or so.

Very nice mate.
You’ve inspired me to break out a few of my old pots and get few going myself.

Last few are awesome!
Great photos too.

It is a great way to use small pots.

These are great Watto. I heard Peter Warren say that bonsai by itself is craft, but when it is properly displayed it becomes art.
Cheer,
Symon

I love the concept of accent pots and yours are perfect Watto. Well done! Makes me wish I hadn't sold my kiln.

I really enjoy producing interesting little accents, and I also enjoy seeing others. Thanks for sharing Watto!

should flowering accents only be used on flowering/ autumn leaf bonsai? because those that you have flowering are mighty eye catching or should they be placed at the back, to the side and away from the tree?

The accents are normally used to depict the season, and so the two flowering ones show spring. Their placement at exhibition is a topic all on its own, but usually on the side that the tree is growing towards and slightly forward of the trees display stand, but it must be in proportion with the size of the bonsai.

So Watto, am learning a lot, here's my next query.
Do you plant the seasonal flower in Miniature or normal size? ( most come in mini size these days too).
Living rural, I will probably never exhibit ( even if my Bonsai get to that stage), but it is surely good learn.
Is there a size rule for accents?

I'm learning all the time too.

Here's a link that might be interesting!

http://www.kusamonochoe.com/journal/201 ... ent-plants

Sue, I use the "normal" plants for mine, but I'm not fussy, anything that might look good with a bonsai display is OK with me.

This is the bit I have trouble with

but it must be in proportion with the size of the bonsai.

For small, even medium bonsai the accents seem to be too big in proportion to the trees so how big is too big?
Those aqueligias must be 30cm tall surely? What sized bonsai would they accompany?

We had a guy in our club (Goldfields) who was a Master at Accents. After we finished putting our Bonsai on display he would come in and add accents and rearrange a few trees. it always improved the show although it put a few members offside. Thanks for showing Watto, love accents.

Thanks Watto, I have literally hundreds of pots and 3/4 acre of garden so have lots to choose from.Keeping them alive through Summer will be "Interesting" if they are in tiny pots. Love the concept of adding to the Bonsai with accent though . Now looking around my garden for a good place to set some Bonsai posts to hold Bonsai - at the moment they sit on 44 gal drums in my potting area, mine is a 'busy' garden so not a lot of spaces that won't take away from the Bonsai.