Sydney Royal Easter Show Bonsai Competition

[SouthernSky]

I'm writing from the train after the show, so pics will have to wait until after I can get home to upload. As someone alluded to earlier in the thread, I picked up absolutely nothing - not a first, second or even a third (not even in categories where two of the three entries were mine).

[SouthernSky]

I'm putting a temporary folder up on my OneDrive. I do apologise that some of these are blurry.

Have a look: http://1drv.ms/1IYOUjU

[Elmar]

Thanx SS,
some very interesting trees!

[Rory]

I'm writing from the train after the show, so pics will have to wait until after I can get home to upload. As someone alluded to earlier in the thread, I picked up absolutely nothing - not a first, second or even a third (not even in categories where two of the three entries were mine).

I saw the photos you uploaded for the entries before you took them down, and I would say that if you are going to attempt a style that is more in tune with its natural aspect of the tree in the wild and not resemble a classic bonsai style that is perfectly acceptable, but you might want to apply a styling that allows the natural look of a mature tree to be emulated.

Please, please note I am only trying to provide you with constructive criticism. There is a difference between letting a tree grow naturally in pot culture, as opposed to styling it to look natural. Just my 2 cents, but the pictures you uploaded looked a little unstyled for a natural forming tree. Don't get me wrong, I remember a thread where you talked about such issues a while back, and I feel strongly about it and completely agreed with you and still do - that bonsai in Australia shouldn't be grown to resemble asian syles, but rather our native trees in the wild. Please don't take this the wrong way, but I am just saying that if your trees were to be styled more in an actual natural style that they would certainly turn more heads.

Most trees do not resemble their natural appearance when grown in pot culture, as they are shooting upwards for light and produce strong shoots with a tendancy to test the surroundings for light, and have not genetically reached their maximum growth stage. It is because of this pot culture, that we need to apply the same horticultural maintenance for bonsai to trees that we want styled in their natural form. It is still quite difficult to style a tree to look like a tree in nature, and there-in lies the fun and challenge. Good luck going forward. Remember, the main goal of styling to emulate an Australian Native Tree is looking at the branch structure / trunk formation of the species you are growing in the wild, and applying that to your stock.