Category: Bonsai

• The Bonsai Societies of Florida (BSF) uses the styling competition to promote the art of bonsai.  
• The three levels of styling competition are: Local level, District level, and State level.
  • BSOB Local level: 21 Dec 2024 at December BSOB club meeting (1pm)
  • District 6 level: 25 Jan 2025 at Multi-club auction (time is TBD)
  • State level: BSF Convention (Memorial Day weekend 2025)
• The winner and second place are announced at the BSF convention. The State winner receives an educational grant of $1000.  The second-place winner gets $500.  Grants are to be used for bonsai educational purposes.
• Please signup in advance if you are interested. Go Here.

BSOB Eligibility:

1. Must be at least 18 years of age
2. Must be a club member in good standing for 2024 and 2025
3. Must never have won first place in a previous BSF Scholarship Competition – State level.
4. Must be able to compete at the District level competition 

BSOB Local Rules:

1. Materials will be of the same species and of similar quality. 
   Juniper is usually the planned species and will be distributed by lottery.
2. The BSOB contest is usually 2 to 2.5 hrs long.
3. Wiring is permitted.  Club wire will be available for contestants.
4. Tools and supplies will be the responsibility of the contestant. 
   Borrowing tools prior to the contest is permitted. 
5. Once the contest starts there is no participation or interaction between contestants and others in the audience.
6. Plant needs to be in the pot for judging.  Pot can be cut back, root ball worked on, but plant needs to be placed back in the pot for judging. 
7. Judging at the local level is to be done by the club president (or designee) and the district trustee (or designee).  All designee(s) will be decided at the club meeting prior to the start of the competition.
8. Judging will be based on bonsai techniques and design appropriate to the tree while maintaining the health of the tree.
9. Rules can be changed by past board members who attend the club meeting prior to the start of the competition.

A big thanks to the Brevard Zoo for hosting the annual 2-day cooperative event with the Bonsai Society of Brevard (BSOB) on Aug 17-18, 2024. It was quite a weekend with 1439 guest walking through the bonsai exhibit and vendor area.

This year the Zoo hosted many other organizations who discussed topics from bees to plants to orchids, to the lagoon (and many more). The Zoo continues to grow this event and now calls it the Bonsai and Botanical weekend. Congratulations to them for expanding their outreach to important local causes and their organizations.

The zoo website has more details HERE.

The annual 2-day cooperative event between Brevard Zoo and the Bonsai Society of Brevard (BSOB) will be held on Aug 17-18, 2024. Club members will display their trees amidst the beauty and adventure of the Zoo atmosphere. See multiple bonsai trees on display and watch bonsai demonstrations by local bonsai artists.

Entrance fee to bonsai areas is included in the zoo admission.

If you are interested in showing a tree at this event, please fill in this online FORM by Aug 11th.

Classes will be offered on August 18, 2023 (10:30am to 2:30pm with a 30 min break at noon). See this post for more details.

Please see the zoo show flyer for more details.

The zoo website has more details HERE.

The 9th annual Japanese Antiques, Collectables, & Sword Show will be held in Orlando at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Orlando Airport. There are Exhibitor tables and educational opportunities related to the following topics:

• Tameshigiri – Japanese art of target test cutting. Demonstration planned.
• Nihonto – one of several types of traditional Japanese sword types.
• Bonsai – ancient living art of recreating nature in miniature.
• Tosogu – art of Japanese sword fittings.

Link: Orlando Japanese Antiques And Sword Show (orlandoswordshow.com)

This is D&L’s 8th annual celebration that aligns with World Bonsai Day sponsored by the World Bonsai Friendship Federation. This event honors the legacy of bonsai master Saburo Kato who helped co-found the WBFF along with John Naka (the father of American Bonsai).

There are demonstrations held all day long by Betty Cruz Siskind, Ed Trout, Randy Clark, Dan Beeman, and Jeanne Cosenza.
Other areas of interest:
• Lunch is provided.
• Vendors will have their work for sale
• Raffles are held with proceeds going to “Next for Autism”.
• Volunteers get free t-shirts (contact D&L if interested)
• Trees will be displayed

Link: World Bonsai Day

The annual 2-day cooperative event between Brevard Zoo and the Bonsai Society of Brevard (BSOB) will be held on Aug 27-28, 2022. Club members will showcase their trees amidst the beauty and adventure of the Zoo atmosphere. Come see multiple bonsai trees on display and watch bonsai demonstrations by local bonsai artists.

Entrance fee is included in the zoo admission.

Please see the flyer for more details.

Bonsai Show Entry Form (due by Aug 8):

Free Entry for BSF Members in good standing. Select one of the entry forms below.

Online Entry form.
(Preferred – answer questions directly online)

Entry form (pdf)
(Need to email the entry form after completion.)