It has been a while since my last update regarding my Bonsai journey. Let's take this back, 3 years to my last bonsai post: http://jameswashington.co.uk/bonsai-update/
My last post discussed my collection, the art, balance, and style of Bonsai, and my journey into it all. Let's recap after three years of growth.
Tree Collection
In the last three years, my tree collection has grown significantly:
- I have a mixed forest planting consisting of four Japanese Larch and a single European Larch,
- A Japanese White Pine,
- an Itogawa Juniper (which is not particularly doing well),
- Many Silver Birch saplings,
- A Satsuki Azalea,
- A Katsura Japanese Maple.
- A Chinese Elm.
I love the colours these different trees bring to my garden. Although it looks unkempt, there are too many plants for such a small space.
I won't be getting any more trees for the foreseeable future, however, I do have plans for the ones that are now in my possession.
The Forest Planting
The forest planting has already started training, wiring mainly, but I have an idea that is rather unorthodox: movement, but not in the usual way.
In Bonsai, movement provides the illusion of age but also mystery. Mystery that encompasses the life of the tree. Mystery allows the mind to wander, to dream, to question and visualise how a tree came to be, what it has endured, but specifically in this particular case: what this group of trees has endured.
As I said above, the forest planting is made up of two different types of Larch:
- Four Japanese Larch: these have a much darker and deeper green foliage.
- A single European Larch: the foliage is a much more vibrant shade of green, almost a luminous highlighter green.
My idea for this forest planting is born from a much more human affliction, the human capacity for exclusion or, more importantly, aversion to difference. I did say this was unorthodox.
I aim to make the Japanese Larches look like they grew away from the odd one, out of malice, even though they are all Larches. But in the end, force them all to grow in the same direction, eventually and upwards, signifying unity in a common goal that every tree has: to grow towards the light.
The Game Of Patience
Again, going back to my original post, I detailed my plans for the refinement of one of my Maples.
The last three years have shown a massive improvement. The original shape was asymmetrical, with a leading branch heading off towards the left of the main trunk, and away from what I chose as the front of the tree. You can see it in the image I uploaded in the original post.
Removing this branch was the beginning of the refinement. It forces your eyes to focus on the bulk of the tree, the trunk, and the main branches.
The main plan was to bring the remaining branches down to build pads of leaves. Honestly, I was scared to do this because, whilst this Maple wasn't expensive, I had grown attached to it. That fear became reality.
This is where patience pays off, but also decisions made from a place of calm, not excitement. This was the first lesson I learnt, and I learnt it quickly: do not rush into it, make one set of changes at a time.
After three years of patient care, bending, refining, pruning, and allowing the regrowth of lower-level branches, a somewhat smaller pot. This is where this tree is at today.
To follow up, I commissioned a Bonsai pot from Springwood Ceramics for this tree. I have a vision in my mind's eye, and I feel like that vision is morphing into reality. The pot this tree is now in was originally purchased for this planting, but as you can see, it is not the best fit in terms of size.
The new pot is oval in shape, 54cm across at its widest point, 8cm tall internally. It's glazed in a turquoise blue, and it looks amazing. I love the contrast in colours, the dark red tones of the leaves, and the stunning blue glaze will bring lasting beauty and serenity to my garden for years to come.
There are still a lot of changes I want to make to this tree, reducing leaf size, increasing ramification, building out the lower branches, potting back and into an appropriately sized pot, which is most important now as we're headed towards summer.
Hopefully, you, the reader, can see what I see in this tree now and why I'm so attached to it.
Paying It Off
I wanted to conclude this blog with some shared experience. My parents always told me that "the best things in life come to those who wait" - thanks, Mum and Dad. However, my understanding of this has changed over the last few years.
I think the best things in life come to those who make careful, deliberate decisions - decisions born from patience. Not just waiting. Not rushing. But patient, deliberate decisions.
Bonsai is not just an art form for me, it's a release, it's deep contemplation, reflection, it's acknowledging that life is not easy even for trees, it's grounding oneself back into nature and nurture, because for the tree to survive, you have to provide.
It's symbiotic.
