Saturday, August 24, 2013

Instant Bonsai's Gonna Get You

I went to a barn sale this past Friday and was lucky enough to come home with a few treasures. I didn't really go looking for them, but they found me - a couple of vintage metal bonsai sculptures. They are really quite beautiful, each in their own way.

One, with jade-like leaves, white glass flowers and a small bird's nest is charming. The other, made of twisted wire, is stark but striking in it's simplicity. I feel a collection coming on . . . 

What I was looking for and have been for some time now, is a good deal on a wooden garden bench for a section of yard I've cleared and would like to make into a sitting area. I feel like I have been literally everywhere looking for that elusive bench. Today, I ended up in Kmart (yes, they still exist), to see if they had any clearance outdoor furniture (and maybe a wooden bench tucked into the back corner of the garden center). Alas, no benches, but as usual, ever the sucker for all things green, I made my way out to the discount perennial section. What did I see? A cute little juniper, with a bit of a lean to it. Bonsai on the brain, and a little cash burning a hole in my pocket, the little three-dollar juniper comes home. A couple of snips later, pot it up, and instant bonsai!

OK - you bonsai aficionados out there know that a few cuts do not a bonsai make. First off, after talking to the fine people of the Bonsai Society of Greater New Haven http://www.angelfire.com/art/bonsaict/index.html a week ago at an outdoor event (and my bonsai fever is all their fault), you really don't want to start with a dwarf plant (as this one is). And there are all sorts of special wiring, planting mediums, bonsai pots (pots? there's got to be a better bonsai-sounding word than that). Not to mention incredible patience. See? I have a lot to learn. And a place I just might visit next is: http://www.shantibithi.com/ one of the nation's premier bonsai growers/importers. Nice - it's in the area (broadly speaking) and they have classes too.

But for now, my little juniper will satisfy my craving. Hmm . . . now where did I keep that garden wire and those pliers? Look out, little juniper. You are about to become my latest experiment.