Practical Bonsai: The Love of Bonsai

To have The Love of Bonsai is to believe that you can do things to another living thing, and to do it in such a way, that it will reflect, in this case, an artistic approach that will be pleasing to the eye.

Bonsai is sometimes referred to as The Living Art of Bonsai. I applaud this approach because you can consider that in a general sense art once it has been achieved is there for ever for everyone to enjoy and it doesn’t change or alter in any way. But when you have a ‘living art’ then you have something that is always changing and needs to have your attention all the time so that the principles of the art form that you have created in the bonsai are not lost.

In The Living Art of Bonsai the way that this art is practiced is for the bonsai tree specimen to be kept trimmed. This term ‘trimmed’, that bonsai people use is where the art of bonsai begins. The bonsai tree is trimmed in the areas of the foliage and the root ball. A shape has been created in the bonsai tree and then the trimming of the foliage can begin. The trimming of the foliage allows the specimen to develop and to look as though it is a tree that can be recognized in the wild.

Trimming is carried out in two ways. The first is to get the branches, and sometimes the trunk, into another position. One of the ways is by ‘wiring’. This is where the wire is wound around the branch and then using the inherent strength of the wire the branch is bent and the branch is held in this position. By this method you can achieve the ‘sharp’ angles that are needed to get the dynamic change of direction into the branches. It is this dramatic change in direction that attracts people to the beauty in the bonsai. Another method is to use string to hold the branch down into a new growing position. Using string does not produce the dramatic changes in direction but gives a more gentle sense of change.

The important aspect of these methods to try and get a relatively young tree into a form or shape that will represent an old tree in the wild. So the wiring and string methods are the means to achieve this. The important part is to get the branches down so that they are level or slightly lower than level. This gives the image of age as all branches of any real age are beginning to droop. The new growth then begins to appear on the top of the branch and this is necessary to again give the impression of age.

I also think the Art of Bonsai is in the doing, in the creating from complex form into a more simple form. Generally to be able to get something simple is a most difficult thing to do and it can be so quickly be destroyed when the elements of simplicity are compromised in some way. In Bonsai I say that the tree must have only 1 trunk and 3 or 5 or 7 branches. If any more are contemplated then there has to be good reason. The numbers of branches are all prime numbers and are more pleasing to the eye and seem to be in a better proportion.

To me it is this side of Bonsai that I enjoy the most which is the actual practical aspects of doing and trying to achieve simplicity in the Bonsai. The fact of applying horticultural aspects to the growing of the bonsai. To deciding on a shape that suits the plant material. To considering those things that attract your eye and then seeing why this happens. To actually making the cuts that will produce that shape. To using the skills and knowledge that I have learnt over the years and applying them to the task of creating a shape. Even to reshape a bonsai that I may have had for some years.

The development of a bonsai mix in which the bonsai will successfully grow. The transplanting from pot to pot with the hope that the plant will survive. The sourcing out of new plant material with or without the potential to be a good bonsai.

The selection of pots. Making them out of timber, or purchasing ceramic or pottery pots and then consider the size and shape to best display the bonsai.

To making the display stands or in my case the display areas. I fear that I am a true 'collector' with a limited ability ti show the bonsai to the best effect.

To going and conducting demonstrations with all the effort of preparing the 'stuff' that I need for a successful demonstration. This includes packing up the car ready to transport it all to the venue.

To consider other's bonsai to see how I would handle that bonsai ans perhaps be critical of the style or even be approving of the style.

To consider those bonsai that are said to be the best in the world. Mainly to see why they are so admired and to consider how I would deal with that bonsai.

To look at nature and see what and how trees grow. To consider the natural shape in which they have grown and to see if there is something that I could learn and even apply the shaping rules that I have learnt and do they apply.

To teaching bonsai. Teaching on behalf of the Wellington Bonsai Club, NZ a set programme of 'Ready', 'Set' and 'Go'. Club members and individuals who are interested in bonsai attend. Club members attend because they have said that it makes them think of other other ways to deal with their bonsai and they are able to view their bonsai trees in a different way.

I have had a fascination with Bonsai for many years. I was so interested in Bonsai that in 1980 I started the Wellington Bonsai Club, NZ. It came about because I wanted to know how to do Bonsai and the books etc available at that time were inadequate in telling me what and how to do bonsai. So many years later in January 2008 I have begun these thoughts in what I hope will be in 1000 word essays about my involvement in Bonsai. There are a series of these essays that I intend to include in my blogs.