Monthly Display
| Theme | Style | |
| March | Figs | Connected roots, Twin trunk, Clump. Raft or sinuous |
| April | Trees bearing fruit or berries | Slanting |
| May | Autumn Colour | Miniature Bonsai (under 15cm) |
| June | Deciduous-without leaves | Cascade-Semi or Full Cascade |
| July | Pines | Group Settings |
| August | Trees with Rock-Saikei, Trees on rock or Root over rock | Windswept |
| September | Flowering Bonsai | Driftwood-Trees with Jin, Shari or Hollowed Trunk |
| October | Maples | Literati |
| November | Australian Natives (other than Figs) | Bonsai featuring interesting and attractive surface roots |
Rules for Monthly Competition
The monthly bench show competition is arranged in progressive levels, and special categories. The levels, through which an individual may progress over the years, are Novice, Intermediate, Advanced and Open. The special categories are Kindergarten, Theme and Style, with Theme and Style varying each month as set in the syllabus at the start of each year. The Theme and Style for the next month are also noted in each monthly magazine. Each level, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced and Open, as well as the Theme, are divided into two sections, Under 30cm(12 in.) and Over 30cm(12 in.). Kindergarten and Style do not have height limits. (The height of a tree is measured from trunk contact with the soil, and may be checked using the section signs, 30cm from the table to the underside of the sign itself.)
Progression through the levels
Exhibitors may start at whatever level they prefer. A tree winning a section on any month may not be shown in that section again that year, but may be displayed at a higher level, or in the theme or style sections. Winners of a section in Novice, Intermediate or Advanced, over a whole year, (in either, or both, Under and Over 30cm) must progress to the next highest level the following year. This does not prevent exhibitors from exhibiting at a higher level at any time, should they wish.
Conditions of each level
All sections may have wire on branches. Kindergarten, Novice and Intermediate may have trunk wiring.
| Novice | Must be complete work of person displaying. Trees may have been produced by any means, ie. from seed, gathered, layered, or from nursery stock. Root pruning, potting, shaping and wiring must have been carried out by the exhibitor. Must be in bonsai pots |
| Intermediate Advanced Open Theme Style |
May be the complete work of the person displaying, or may have been purchased as a bonsai, but must have been in the care and possession of that person for a minimum period of twelve(12) months before entering into competition. |
| Kindergarten | As in the sections above (Intermediate to Style). Trees in training pots, not bonsai pots. Wire accepted on trunk and branches. |
Displaying Trees
Exhibitors are limited to showing one tree in each section each month. Enter your name and tree in the book provided for each section.
Voting
All sections will be decided by member voting, being one vote per member per section.Coloured tokens used for the various sections are white for Kindergarten, coin for Novice, yellow for Intermediate, blue for Advanced, red for Open, green for Theme and black for Style. Small tokens are used for Under 30cm sections, and large for over 30cm. Tokens must match the token glued to the base of the stand in each section.
Point Score
Points are credited each month and aggregated over ten months(10) of competition. One point will be awarded for each tree shown in each section, with a further three points for first, two for second and one for third. The highest total points scored in each section will be declared the yearly winner, provided that
- there was sufficient competition in that section and
- the points winner has exhibited enough times during the year.
Both (a) and (b) to be at the discretion of the committee.