Confessions of a Bonsai Demonstrator
04-01-2006 12:46 am

I probably shouldn't be revealing this secret, but for those who aren't in the know, bonsai has a seamy underside that's rarely discussed outside the circle.  It's only after a few years of reflection that I, myself, have decided to step forward and unmask the lie.  The next time you attend a bonsai convention where a demonstration and raffle are held, know this: behind the smiling faces and colorful happi coats lurks a dark truth. The bonsai demo is rigged. That's right, the entire demonstration is a ruse concocted to keep convention guests awake for a few hours between catered meals. It's also a chance to hold a cheesy raffle and pay a few bills. I still remember the day I found out. I was just an apprentice working in the (deleted) Bonsai Nursery, when I sneaked past a sign labeled PRIVATE and entered a section of the nursery where the "demo trees" are prepared . A long row of benches held the stock in various stages of  "development." Although it was a mystery to me at first, over the next few years I came to understand what I had come to suspect all along: how the process really worked.  On one of my visits to the Private area, my master, Mr. (deleted), was alerted to my presence, and he came forward.  I fully expected that I would be turned out, but he smiled and said, "I guess you've been here long enough to know the truth." The master explained that the demonstration trees were developed at our nursery. Brought in as finished, styled pieces, they were photographed and transplanted back into nursery cans. Over the course of three to five years, the material was allowed to grow out in rough, ungainly shapes, with careful attention paid to preserve the character of just a few key branches.

One of my roles at the nursery became to look after the demo trees, to ensure that they were developing the raw shapes that would convince the demonstration audience that they were conventional nursery material.  This was a painstaking process and the prices of the material reflect the effort.   Finally, in late winter, the finished stock was prepped for sale, and the notifications were made to convention chairs and demonstrators.  These "Masters" usually made their visits to the nursery on Tuesdays, (a day when the nursery was closed to the general public.)  In the late afternoon, they made their purchases for the coming year's demos and the trees were moved to waiting vans and trucks. Several years later I found myself part of the lecture and demo circuit, returning to my master's nursery for the annual "demo tree" purchase.  It was there that I was surprised to run into such industry notables as (deleted), (deleted), and (deleted). I was still trying to get over that surprise when I turned and saw (deleted)-san smiling at me with a  knowing grin, his cart filled with "demo" shohin. I realize my story might be a little hard to believe, but you don't have to take my word for it!  The next time you attend a demonstration, take a look on the underside of the nursery container for a chalk arrow that marks the true front of the material.  Only then will you truly believe! EDITOR'S NOTE - The above article was submitted anonymously by mail.  While bonsaiTALK has no way of actually verifying the authenticity of the material it contains, we felt that this article might be of general interest to our readers.