Bonsai - 2

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

The art of showing beauty in a miniature plant. Bonsai creation and care techniques

Exhibition

The Roman Botanical Garden is unique. This is a museum with rare plant collections, a laboratory, and a favorite resting place for the Romans. The Botanical Garden is located in one of the most beautiful and picturesque corners of the Ancient City.

The 15th exhibition "Bonsai" was organized by the Roman Cultural Association "Bonsai" and took place in the exhibition hall of the Botanical Garden in May 2010. It featured the work of various Italian bonsai clubs.

Probably not a single person who loves nature even a little can not consider bonsai without excitement. Before this small "Universe", like nowhere else, you feel the power of Nature … and the inexorable running of time. I stood for a long time, studying them, and in front of each single bonsai tree, and in front of the "grove", while involuntarily recalling the same huge, spreading trees in their natural conditions, admired the talent of the craftsmen who managed to grow natural giants in miniature and convey the individuality of each. For example, this bonsai made of downy oak (Quercus pubescens) was the best in the show among Chu Bonsai, with a height between 40 and 60 cm (see photo 12) - by Danilo Mezzulli. This type of oak is very common in Italy and the Mediterranean. In nature, the tree reaches a height of 20 meters, has a spherical crown on a high, slightly winding trunk,covered with dark gray bark with slight roughness. It is a deciduous plant. Fluffy oak is a long-lived tree, some of its specimens reach a thousand years of age. Its fruits - acorns have a sweetish taste, from which you can make a special type of bread.

The mastic tree (il lentisco) (see photo 13) is an interesting plant, known to man since time immemorial. A tiny bonsai made from it is very decorative! It requires a lot of light, since the mastic tree used belongs to the eliofite plants - “in love with the sun” - this is how this word can be literally translated from Greek. Therefore, in nature, these trees choose places that are well lit by the sun, especially along the coast. It grows both as a shrub and as a tree, reaching a height of 4 m and a width of 2 m. Its wood is reddish with veins, it is highly valued in applied art because of its decorative effect. From the fruit of the mastic tree, oil is obtained, which is used both in industry and in cooking.

Interesting bonsai from a unique mountain elm tree (Olmo). In nature, these are giant trees, long-lived trees. They were known 25 million years ago, and, interestingly, have not undergone almost any changes to this day. The tree is very resistant to diseases, and its leaves contain an antibacterial substance, therefore, mountain elm has been used since ancient times to "protect" vineyards from diseases, planting these plants along the edges of the plantation. At the same time, the tops of the trees are usually cut off so that they do not interfere with the sun illuminating the vineyards.

Another unique feature of this tree is its wood, it is not only very beautiful, as it has a reddish-brown color, but it also has a density of 0.7, therefore it is resistant to destruction. It was used to make furniture and, most importantly, for the supporting structures of bridges under water. Some English bridges, made of this elm tree, have been in service for centuries.

The tannin found in mountain elm leaves can serve as a coloring agent for beautiful yellow hues. Medicines obtained from the leaves of mountain elm do not yet have the best analogues in the treatment of skin diseases.

Juniper (Juniper) is very decorative, grows like a tree or shrub, widespread in the Mediterranean. This evergreen plant has needle-like, straight leaves, closely pressed together, silvery-green in color (see photo 15). During the exhibition, courses were held there on the technique of creating bonsai, and those who wish could purchase ready-made compositions.

Bonsai creation techniques

There are three basic techniques for creating bonsai:

• grow a plant by sowing a seed. The value of this method is that you will be able to constantly monitor its growth and intervene in its development in a timely manner to change its shape, creating a bonsai. The disadvantage of this method is that it will take many years to achieve the result and a lot of patience;
• take a young plant and, using a number of operations: pruning, transplanting, tying and others, get bonsai in a shorter time;
• use a well-formed and mature branch with bonsai characteristics, taken from an adult plant or by cuttings. This method is the fastest, it allows you to start forming barefoot when the branch is not yet separated from the mother plant. This is the technique used by bonsai growers to obtain copies for sale.

Plant selection

Bonsai can be made from almost any plant, but experienced craftsmen recommend choosing specimens with small leaves (as well as with the same flowers and fruits), with dense branching and short internodes.

For bonsai, conifers such as pine, cypress, cedar are best suited, and for deciduous ones - cherry, maple, beech. Each of them has its own advantages. The coniferous plant looks approximately the same throughout the year; but only a deciduous tree survives the seasons: it changes its green color to a bright autumn one, in winter it pleases the eye with a transparent silhouette of branches, and in spring it is again covered with fresh greens.

For bonsai, ordinary trees are used, they become small due to constant pruning and various other methods, and their unusual shapes are formed with the help of wire to change the direction of growth of branches during their development and to "fix" the individual style chosen for the bonsai. At the same time, the ratio of the size of the root system, limited by the volume of the bowl, and the ground part of the bonsai corresponds to the proportions of an adult tree in nature.

Bonsai care

Bonsai is never completely finished, even having achieved aesthetic perfection, it does not stop changing, therefore it requires constant attention and care. Bonsai must be transplanted every few years, with the development of its root system, it is necessary to increase the volume of the container.

It is necessary to prune the plant, preserving the given style and shape of the crown, and from time to time to new emerging branches in time to give a beautiful direction

When caring for a bonsai, it is imperative to take into account which plant it is formed from. Then you will determine his need for light, temperature.

They must match the needs of the plant being used.

For bonsai, abundant and frequent watering is important, often by dipping the container into a large vessel of water to properly wet the root ball. However, the moisture requirements of the plant used must also be taken into account. Regular fertilization is no less important for bonsai, it is better to use ready-made mixtures for bonsai.

A beautiful bonsai, like any work of art, disposes to contemplation, reflection and creates a good mood for everyone!