Hi everyone...
I have a bad habit (as many of us do) of not giving up on any tree... But even after it has died?
This post may serve to spark someone's creative ingenuity, or possibly open a discussion on what is and is not Bonsai or with any luck both.
As I mentioned I have a habit of saving Bonsai even though it may have long died. I do this for a number of reasons.
- For grafting or replacing damaged bark on existing bonsai.
- For phoenix graft material, jin material, or some other future project.
- As an educational visual-aid to teach wiring techniques, or to show branch ramification
- Or to simply visually explain that everyone looses trees at one time or another
At MABA2000 I recalled seeing rather unique forest planting. It was a charred arrangement of trees. Some standing, some toppled over. All burnt, even the soil was blacken in order to depict a forest fire that had ripped through in the recent past. At the base on several of the trunks a small green fern-like plant grew out of that blacken soil.
Some of you may recall seeing this.
I thought to myself that this “planting” was very innovative and a great use of material that had died. It has stuck with me. But was it Bonsai? Good question. I always considered Bonsai as a blending of horticulture and art. And this was definitely to the extreme art side of the spectrum.
I was amused to see the response this forest “planting” received. Some concluded that it had no business being displayed. Others appreciated the skill of the artist. (Unfortunately I do not remember his name). Issues of perspective, depth, empty space, tree and branch placement all still needed to be addressed as with any group planting. But this artist had to also deal with others such as the natural placement of broken limbs and fallen branches.
But people were talking about it and taking note. Is that not what art is about?
Also I recall it had a live component - the fern-like material signifying the “rebirth” of the forest. It’s alive… therefore its Bonsai
That got me thinking…. Generally a scary proposition. Many of the famous bonsai shows are at the time of the year when the deciduous trees have shed their leaves. In-fact the silhouette of a well ramified tree is highly regarded. Right.
Well, what if that is all the tree has left,. just the silhouette. Is it Bonsai?