Best Chuhin

Best Chuhin, Steve McKee in 2015

Steve Mckee is a well known bonsai enthusiast and he got into bonsai after seeing them at a local show around 35 years ago. From then on he got the first edition of the British bonsai magazine and bought Peter Chans book. He then went to a Peter Adams workshop, and from this he became hugely influenced by Peter, and still finds he has an influence on his styling and thoughts even today. Steve’s bonsai collection is a mixture of imported and yamadori and he has some exceptional and award winning bonsai trees.

His hobby has now expanded and entails displaying trees at major British shows both in Britain and abroad where he has been successful and he occasionally does a talk on various bonsai subjects including miniature hostas’ sharing his knowledge with fellow bonsai hobbyists.

He has also had the privilege of judging at the Swindon winter image show which is something he has really enjoyed doing.

So 2017 was Steve’s second year of judging the winter image show. He judged that Mark and Ritta coopers tree was the best in show. It was a decision based on these factors; the tree was stunning, with a good even nebari, from the massive base to the very tip it had an apex excellent taper, each branch was well placed, every branch also had taper from the trunk to end of each branch There was no crossing branches and the tree was well ramified. Minor points were noted also, the tree was well presented, clean with good moss. A beautiful contrasting pot, complimented with a nice table and accompanying plant and seasonal scroll made it a very harmonious exhibit of the highest quality.

Mark and Ritta Cooper with their award winning Trident maple

There were other trees well worthy of consideration but this Trident maple ticked all the boxes so in his critical eye and in his judges notes he wrote one word under best deciduous tree -wow!I and don’t think there were many who disagreed.

We look forward to having Steve back again this year as our Chief judge at the Swindon Winter Image Show on Sunday 25th February 2018, so make sure your bonsai displays will meet with Steve’s critical eye for your chance to win this year.