Bonsai

Most people believe that the bonsai is a Japanese art form. Although it was the Japanese who developed bonsai into what it is today, the origins of  bonsai can be traced back to China. It was in this land of dragons that the very first specimen of bonsai was created.

There was a practice among Chinese gardeners and artists to grow trees in pots. With limited availability of soil and the necessary nutrients, these trees adapted themselves and confined their growth to the dimensions that could be supported by the soil in the pot. This gave rise to stunted looking trees, with gnarled trunks and branches, which came to be prized as pon-sai. Even today, there is bonsai in China, but the refinement and artistic nature of the later Japanese version of bonsai, are still lacking.

When the Japanese interacted with the Chinese, they adopted several of their customs and traditions. The bonsai was one such Chinese cultural export. But it was the Japanese form of Zen Buddhism that refined the ugly and grotesque Chinese pon-sai to make them into representations of divine harmony. Most records show that the first bonsai in Japan were confined to the Zen Buddhist monasteries. But as the art evolved and gained acceptance, the Japanese aristocracy adopted it and it came to signify nobility, refinement and prestige.

Bonsai can be developed from seeds or cuttings, from young trees or from naturally occurring stunted trees transplanted into containers. Most bonsai range in height from 2 inches up to about 3 feet. Bonsai are kept small and trained by pruning branches and roots, by periodic repotting, by pinching off the new growth, and by wiring the branches and trunk so that they grow into the desired shape.

The bonsai with its container and soil,  is a considered separate entity, complete in itself, yet part of nature is physically independent of the earth since its roots are not planted in it. This is what is meant by the term "heaven and earth in one container". 

A bonsai tree should always be positioned off-center in its container, for not only is asymmetry vital to the visual effect, but the center point is symbolically where heaven and earth meet, and nothing should occupy this place. Another aesthetic principle is the triangular pattern necessary for visual balance and as an expression of the relationship shared by a universal "higher power", the gardener and the tree itself. Tradition holds that three basic virtues are necessary to create a bonsai: truth, goodness and beauty.

Given proper care, bonsai can live for hundreds of years, with prized specimens being passed from generation to generation, admired for their age, and cherished as a reminder of those who have cared for them over the centuries. Although  bonsai are extremely beautiful - meticulously cared for over the years and contain such a wealth of knowledge, age is not essential. It is more important that the tree produces the desired effect, that it be in proper proportion to its  container, and that it be in good health.

Bonsai are ordinary trees or plants, not special hybrid dwarfs. Small leafed varieties are most suitable, but essentially any plant can be used, regardless of the size it grows to in the wild. In Japan, varieties of pine, azalea, camellia, bamboo and plum are most often used. The gardener does not  copy nature but instead expresses a personal  philosophy by shaping it to suit their style. The bonsai can suggest many things, but in all cases it  must look natural and never exhibit the intervention of man. Bonsai  are grown in special containers and  are primarily kept outdoors.

 Overall, bonsai are something  very personalised and there are no strict rules to go by if you want to undertake it  as a hobby for your own pleasure. It does not have to be an expensive commitment, but it is a commitment that requires a great amount of time, patience, skill and endurance. Although things may not as planned, don't give up. Remember that the bonsai can take years to master and have patience. 

On The Spot Garden Tip The very best time to plant most annuals is during the late afternoon.