Page 15 - Tạp chí bonsai cây cảnh BCI 2014Q3

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bonsai ‘culture’. Bonsai should teach us balance, and as experience
grows the many exceptions and variations gradually invalidate the
rules and, by the same experience the rules become less needed. The
same thing applies to judging; rules are inflexible, so maybe what
we require are guidelines that we can learn from until we reach that
pinnacle of experience where recognizing good from bad becomes as
much a learned reflex as driving your car—you do not have to think
what gear is appropriate or when to apply the brakes—it has become
automatic. So does judging bonsai—you just need those guidelines
and lots and lots of practice.
In the near future we are going to give you those guidelines and
plenty of time to practice. For now just test yourself. How much do
you know already? How good is your ‘Bonsai Eye’? 10
Bonsai exhibitions range from international events to local society Look at the images on these pages and be the judge. They are ac-
shows. They range from purely local club shows, where the trees tual club exhibits at local shows, the standard varies enormously. Be
are judged against each other but at a fairly basic level, to reward critical and decide which trees should not have been displayed and
members for improving standards and to try to raise the level of the why? Which displays lacked form and presentation and why, what’s
club exhibit to a higher quality. The actual standard of display and wrong? They are all in some way inappropriate.
presentation can often leave considerable scope for improvement. What has ruined the chances of the trees in photos 1 to 3? A
tree that should not be there? A very misguided positioning of

July/August/September 2014 | BCI | 13