This was such a great show. Truly high quality top notch trees from to back. Myself and
@Colorado must have walked the exhibit 2 dozen times finding more details with every pass. It was a fun exercise in measuring trees up, not with my own, but with each other as a means to rank them. Not an easy task that’s for sure. It was nice having a highly curated smaller show rather than too many trees.
I really liked the venue personally, though I’ve heard the bridge yard 2 years ago was far more dramatic. The light still worked well and the venue was awfully large but handled well. Didn’t see it till we broke down but it was the old basketball court for the Cal Golden Bears basketball team with pac10 logos still intact. I got a laugh out of that.
The trees were truly the stars though the vendor selection was so so good. As
@BrianBay9 said, there was a pot for every flavor. I made my way home with a
@NaoTK pot an
@Sansokuu arts pot and a Richard Kearney pot. TJ also gifted me a beautiful little glazed drum. So much available. Almost overwhelming.
I def had favorite trees but the hemlocks were my favorite. These are not trees I get to see often so it was a treat. The xl conifer winning dougie was so so good and one of my favorites. The black matte steel stand disappeared in a special kind of way.
While I do agree for the most part the winner of best in show, I can’t help but think that
@yenling83 Redwood was high up on the post and def a contender for best in show. Just wonderfully handled from the accent to the ramification and full display. Cheers to you on that Jeremiah.
@Eric Schrader produced a very interesting center piece and it was cool to hear the back story on Bjorns video. Great show all together.
Met several BNUTTERS as well.
@Wood was great to chill with. Met
@misfit11 and
@ZombieNick and I drank several tiki drinks and beers with
@Ruddigger . That was a blast and believe me when I say he’s every bit of a grouch in person as he is online.
I also got to spend significant time with Austin Heitzman which was badass. TJ and I Rolled with him to a small gathering at Sam Tans house in San Francisco and looked at his new garden and enjoyed some great conversation with good bonsai folks over many many drinks.
walked for miles and miles with
@Colorado , met great new people, gave out a bunch of bonsai corazon stickers and ended my trip volunteering to breakdown the tables back drops and anything else needed. My legs are tired but my tree nerd bonsai heart is full. And thank goodness I decided to keep my collection and not throw everything out upon return. Hell, maybe I’ll have my own tree in the show someday.