LITTLE BIG TREES

Hiroshima Survivor, photo by Sage Ross Little Big Trees

by Sandy Robson

IF YOU ARE OF A CERTAIN AGE, your first introduction to bonsai may have been watching the bonsai scene from Karate Kid as Mr. Miyagi shares yet another life lesson with his young protégé while tending his trees. When I was a child and saw a bonsai display for the first time, I remember imagining myself as suddenly shrinking in size and climbing up to sit in its branches. The scale of these amazing creations is what first draws you in from a distance. Is that real? Is it a dwarf tree? It is upon closer inspection that the magic is revealed. These are living trees just like the ones in the forest. Diminutive versions perhaps, but the same in every other way, except they have been tended, trained, coaxed and cared for over many years by a patient and guiding hand.

Bonsai is based on the ancient Chinese practice of penjing, which was adopted and developed, under the influence of Japanese Zen Buddhists, to become a horticultural artform. The term’s literal translation is “planted in a [shallow] container” but the practice goes well beyond that. The ultimate bonsai is a replication of the full-sized tree in nature, with the same look and feel in the landscape but in miniature. By restricting the root space available and through meticulous shaping and pruning, over time the tree conforms to the constraints. Certain species of tree are better suited to this process, but many trees, as well as woody-stemmed shrubs can be used; some of the more popular options being juniper, pine, Japanese maple, and fig. And if you are interested in flowering varieties, azalea, and crabapple are well suited to bonsai with their smaller flower size.

With bonsai, it is all about the details: pinching, clipping, pruning, wiring branches and restricting roots while also encouraging healthy growth. The wiring process allows the grower to sculpt the shape of the plant so that it has the shape and appearance of a much older tree. And the art is definitely best practiced by those interested in the long game as the trees can outlive their creators— sometimes by generations—if properly cared for over the years. One of the oldest bonsai alive resides at the Crespi Bonsai Museum in Italy and is believed to be over 1,000 years old. The Yamaki Pine, donated to the US National Arboretum in 1976, is almost 400 years old and a survivor of the atomic bomb dropped at Hiroshima.

1000 year old FICUS RETUSA

And bonsai are never complete. They are alive and of course keep growing (albeit slowly) which requires ongoing care. With this kind of investment in time, it is fair to say that bonsai truly becomes a passion; as it was for John Naka who began training what would become a masterwork named Goshin, meaning ‘protector of the spirit’ which in its final form has eleven trees, each representing one of his eleven grandchildren.

There are many ways to enjoy bonsai. You can simply be an admirer and visit garden club shows, as well as botanic gardens and museums dedicated to the art of bonsai. And right here on Vancouver Island you can see some lovely specimens at Canada’s second largest outdoor bonsai display at The Gardens at HCP in Victoria. The collection has over 60 trees on display and includes trees native to Vancouver Island including Douglas fir and western red cedar.

When we are travelling again, the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Vancouver is worth a visit for the ambience alone, and they have a lovely collection of penjing (the Chinese term for this practice) to enjoy. The Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way, Washington is also worth a visit. And of course, if you are anywhere near the US National Arboretum in Washington, DC… just go!

Support for your bonsai journey wherever it may lead is close to home with the Mt. Arrowsmith Bonsai Club. The group was founded in 2002, and has an active membership ranging from 10 to 20 members over the years, ranging from beginning to advanced practitioners. The club focus is on learning together and having fun with bonsai, so most meetings involve members actually working on their trees. Their regular meeting time is the second Saturday of each month (September through June) at Nanoose Place Community Centre from 1 pm to 4 pm, and everyone is welcome. Club member Frank Corrigan’s nursery, Rivers Edge Bonsai in Nanoose, is a small specialty nursery with limited production of high quality pre-bonsai with a focus on the development of Japanese Black Pine, assorted Japanese Maples, and collected yamadori from Vancouver Island.

And there are many resources available, from books to online guides and tutorials to help guide you to create one (or more) bonsai of your own. Local bonsai enthusiast Janice Stevenson recommended Jonas Dupuich’s website Bonsai Tonight (bonsaitonight.com) for links to his beginner’s guide to bonsai. He also wrote The Little Book of Bonsai: An Easy Guide to Caring for Your Bonsai Tree. There are, of course, many YouTube tutorials available online and for some inspiration, watch American Shokunin, a short film about by Ryan J. Bush, commissioned by Bonsai Mirai. Bonsai Empire’s YouTube channel has a number of videos including master classes and online exhibitions. And I really enjoyed Learning the Ancient Art of Bonsai - in 1 Day, by a very energetic dude known as Jazza and Jeff Barry, bonsai boss of Chojo Feature Trees in Melbourne, Australia.

Bonsai can be enjoyed for a lifetime and on many levels. It’s like Mr. Miyagi indicated, the study and practice of bonsai teaches us about patience, dedication, joy, philosophy and well, life in general… when we allow ourselves to “think only tree.”

Detail of John Naka's Goshin

THE GARDENS AT HORTICULTURE CENTRE OF THE PACIFIC

This island gem is a wonderful place for anyone interested in gardening on Vancouver Island. Referred to as a “gardener’s garden” and has many areas to visit including the herb garden, a Birds, Bees and Butterflies Garden, as well as a Mediterranean Garden, a conservation park and other. They are also home to the Pacific Horticulture College for those looking for certification and also offer a wide range of community education programs.

For more information visit their website at: hcp.ca