D's Hobby - Bonsai

Companion Piece

A change of pace is called for today.  The weather is so very beautiful and spring-y this week that I haven't spent very much creative time indoors.  Indeed, all I did inside today were mundane chores not worth writing about or even thinking about!

Rocks are Important

Since you've already seen some of the daffodils, I thought you might like to see what D is up to.  First of all, you have to know that his special "hobby" is bonsai (pronounce Bone'-zi, please) or the art of miniaturizing trees.  Earlier in the week, I went out to look at his collection of trees which he had just brought out of winter storage.  All except the tropicals are now outside basking in the sunshine.  It's still too early for tender tropical plants (bougainvillea, sago palm, etc.) so they're still in the house.  But here is his "bench":

 

Pussy Willow Tree

This is the back side of the bench, and I chose to show you the pussy willow tree seen in previous entries.  It's hard to pick out from all the greenery, but you might be able to see the new spring growth from the branches D cut back.

"Big Boy" still in winter mode

This is a tree D won in a raffle years ago, and it is infected with galls - a very common affliction and very difficult to get rid of.  I was a bit concerned with how very yellow this plant looks, but today D spent the entire day working on this tree.  It is now 60% re-shaped and re-wired with all the dead and sickly branches pruned out.  Once it is fully re-conditioned, I'll take another photo to share with you. 



A "root over rock" specimen

In the previous paragraph I mentioned wiring.  This root over rock tree shows its new wiring very plainly.  Trust me, this takes a very long time to do and to do right.  By the way, that is not a live turtle, but doesn't he look at home there?

 

This

rather ungainly looking specimen has

such a wonderful shadow, I couldn't resist showing it to  you.  It has recently had its needles clipped back and all unnecessary bits removed.  Once it has grown for a month or two, it will look much better.

 

And since I talked about D's bench, here is a picture of it.  He had just watered the plants, and you can see the water dripping off the bench.  Bonsai need to be watered every day and sometimes, depending on the weather, more than once a day.  They are planted in a gravel mixture, not soil, so water goes in and drains right out again.

 

If you are interested in learning more about bonsai because you think you might want to grow some yourself, check the subject out on-line and in your library.  If you are still interested after that, find a bonsai club in your area.  Do not purchase a plant from the grocery store or shops in the mall.  Those plants are cemented in their pots and will not live.

 

And I am not an expert.  What you have just read is what I have picked up by attending meetings with D and listening to others talk.  Some of it is sure to be inaccurate - so do check around if you're interested.