Unryu-En

07/05/2026

A little garden update

27/03/2026

With award-winning trees from Ric Roberts, Sean Hood, and Jason Pomfret, congratulations to those directly involved with UnryU-en on their recent success at The Bonsai Open and Central Coast Bonsai Club Show.

Unryu-en Results

Ric Roberts
• 2nd Place — Bonsai Open (Open Category)
1951 Japanese Red Pine — A rare Australian-grown example from early Koreshoff seed imports, maintained and curated by Andrew Edge

• 2nd Place — Platinum Category (CCBC)
Port Jackson Fig (Ficus rubiginosa) — Banyan Style

Sean Hood
• 1st Place — Bonsai Open Shohin Category
Corky Bark Japanese Black Pine (Nishiki), Willow Leaf Fig, Japanese Black Pine display

Jason Pomfret
• 3rd Place — Intermediate Category (CCBC)
Natal Fig (Ficus natalensis) on Slate Slab — Naturalistic style

A strong showing across multiple categories and skill levels, reflecting the continued development, collaboration, and refinement coming from those working within the Unryu-en environment.

Congratulations to everyone involved — a fantastic achievement and well-deserved recognition.

BonsaiAwards ShohinBonsai JapaneseRedPine FicusRubiginosa NatalFig BonsaiLife BonsaiDisplay AustralianBonsai

27/03/2026

With award-winning trees from Ric Roberts, Sean Hood, and Jason Pomfret, congratulations to those directly involved with UnryU-en on their recent success at The Bonsai Open and Central Coast Bonsai Club Show.

Unryu-en Results

Ric Roberts
• 2nd Place — Bonsai Open (Open Category)
1951 Japanese Red Pine — A rare Australian-grown example from early Koreshoff seed imports, maintained and curated by Andrew Edge

• 2nd Place — Platinum Category (CCBC)
Port Jackson Fig (Ficus rubiginosa) — Banyan Style

Sean Hood
• 1st Place — Bonsai Open Shohin Category
Corky Bark Japanese Black Pine (Nishiki), Willow Leaf Fig, Japanese Black Pine display

Jason Pomfret
• 3rd Place — Intermediate Category (CCBC)
Natal Fig (Ficus natalensis) on Slate Slab — Naturalistic style

A strong showing across multiple categories and skill levels, reflecting the continued development, collaboration, and refinement coming from those working within the Unryu-en environment.

Congratulations to everyone involved — a fantastic achievement and well-deserved recognition.

27/03/2026

Great to see both Hood Brothers taking out top spots both long time friends of Ric and solid supporters of the garden

As many will know, the Bonsai Open—run by the Central Coast Bonsai Club—features a growing range of categories alongside the club’s own internal classes.
Bonsai Open Categories (2026):
Open Awards (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
Shohin / Mini
Best Australian Native Bonsai
Penjing (new in 2026)
Creative Display (new in 2026)
With two special awards:
Mingara Board Award
People’s Choice Award
Today we’re showcasing the results from the Open Category (open to anyone, any display).
1st Place – “Giant Cedar Forest” by Michael Hood
A powerful and immersive forest composition that drew viewers in from every angle. This display was the result of serious dedication, with late nights—reportedly finishing preparations well into the early hours—with support from his brother Sean Hood and close friends helping bring the final presentation together.
Michael is a long-standing practitioner within the Australian bonsai community, known for his refined work and commitment to the craft. Alongside Sean, he has spent decades contributing not just through their trees, but through demonstrations, education, and community involvement. Both are widely respected for their knowledge, skill, and willingness to share—true ambassadors of bonsai.

27/03/2026

Great to see Sean Hood getting some well deserved accolades

Today we’re showcasing some of the other Bonsai Open Categories, starting with Shohin.
Shohin refers to a smaller class of bonsai—trees refined to a size that can be held comfortably in one hand, yet still displaying all the qualities of larger specimens.
Shohin Category Winner – Sean Hood
Awarded for a beautifully balanced display featuring:
Corky Bark Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii ‘Nishiki’ / Nishikimatsu)
Willow Leaf Fig
Japanese Black Pine
A standout element of this display was the incredible bark development on the Nishiki pine—thick, rugged, and full of character. Equally impressive was the nebari (surface root spread) on the Willow Leaf Fig, which drew plenty of attention across the weekend.
A refined and thoughtful Shohin presentation that highlights both technical skill and an eye for detail.

27/03/2026

We do love our Cloud Dragons !

Rounding out our new categories for 2026, we come to Creative Display.
The Creative Category was introduced to encourage displays that step outside traditional Japanese exhibition design. Entries explored new ideas, artistic interpretation, and storytelling—some playful and bold, others subtly pushing beyond traditional display “rules.” Each brought something unique, showing just how diverse and expressive bonsai display can be.
However, there could only be one winner.
Creative Category Winner — Trish Armstrong
Awarded for this striking Rising Dragon / Cloud Dragon styled Juniper display. The composition featured:
Cloud dragon scroll
Dragon-themed pot
Dragon statuette
Cloud-like display stand
While incorporating many elements of traditional display, this piece pushed beyond those boundaries to create a cohesive and imaginative presentation. The storytelling was clear, the theme well executed, and the balance between creativity and refinement was impressive.
Importantly, the tree itself stood strongly on its own merits — a high-quality juniper that would have been equally at home in the Open Category, not just the Creative class.
A bold, artistic, and well-deserved winner for the debut Creative category.

27/03/2026

Congrats Jason Pomfret !

27/03/2026

27/03/2026

Ric's Harbour bridge fig collected in the 70s