I was browsing through some old photos and came across some I took of a Bonsai exhibition at a shopping centre (Cresta) not far from us. This exhibition was before I even started vegetable gardening (in 2008!) or the blog (2011!) J.
Bonsai is a word derived from Japanese, Bon- meaning shallow and -sai
meaning plant. The art for was originally from China and is based on studies of
tree shapes in nature. This idealised landscape is recreated in miniature utilising
specific pruning and wiring techniques to ‘force’ the tree into a certain
shape.
I have tried my hand at a Chinese May Bonsai. After having the tree for
two years, the cats knocked it off of the table and it fell roots-and-all out
of the pot. This happened in winter and I assume that it was just too much for
it and it died L.
Seeing the old photos has inspired me to try again, this time from a larger
shrub rather than a pre-shaped nursery stock.
I only found pictures of my Chinese May when I just got it and after its first pruning. I don't have photos of it at its later stage. I was aiming for an informal upright and had the branches nicely flattened after having them pinned down on a wooden chopping block like Gulliver for three months. As I remember it started to look pretty good... ah well here it is.
Now on to the exhibition - I didn't take photos of all the plaques, so I don't know some of their ages.
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| Cascade Num Num Bonsai |
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| Candelabra Deodar Cedar Bonsai |
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| Clump Ivy Bonsai 1963 |
+1867.JPG) |
| Literati White Olive (Buddleja saligna) 1867? |
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| Twin Trunk Wild Olive 1847? |
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| Raft or scene Bonsai 1982 |
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| Semi-cascade Juniper 1985 |
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| Root over rock Natal Fig Bonsai 1965 |
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| Informal upright English Privet Bonsai 1935 |
I remember there being two really old ones, I can't exactly make out the dates, but they seem to be the White Olive (1867, 146 years) and the Wild Olive (1847, 166 years). They are all lovely!
Which one is your favorite? Do you have a bonsai or tried your hand at one?
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