Growing up with Bonsai

Growing up with Bonsai

By: Susan Abraham

A forest style

 Many beautiful things in the world are created from skills which were either born with us or handed down from people around us. These creations rely on our senses of sight, feeling and touch. Bonsai is such an art with a mystical air surrounding it. This art originated in China and spread to the Far East and is now popular in most parts of Asia and also in the Western world.

            A good Bonsai artist should be a visionary having an idea of what his specimen should look like finally. In nature one can see elements like the sun, water, soil and wind having an effect on the grooming of the tree. The Bonsai artist tries to replicate this scene in a miniaturized version by following a set of rules and practices. When we adopt a few plants into a Bonsai there is a lot of enjoyable work involved just as with any other art. We have to take a tender approach using soil with good drainage, balanced nutrients and water, skillful pruning and wiring to create a good Bonsai.

It takes many years for a bonsai tree to acquire the required form and design. The trunk and root system requires many years to mature and have the desired effect. So, if this art is taken up as a hobby, one can grow with it. As one grows older gracefully with age, so also a bonsai tree becomes more mature, appreciative and valuable with age.

Spending time with plants is a very stimulating and soothing experience. It helps you to observe nature and connect with it. Grooming a bonsai plant is like tending a pet. Each time we visit our plants we have something to do to improve them. We can de-stress ourselves as it decreases our levels of anxiety and agitation. Waiting for a new leaf or a fruit to emerge teaches us patience.

Bonsai as a hobby is a lifelong activity which can be cultivated early and continued till ones end. The art of Bonsai brings peace and harmony into your life.