CHENNAI: Four potted bonsai trees sit pretty in four corners of Suseela Vergis’s drawing-room. Two junipers, one casuarina, and one araucaria - each one-and-a-half feet. All are coniferous evergreen varieties that acclimatise well to the city’s weather conditions. They’ve been with her for the past 10 to 15 years and get specially dressed up for Christmas every year.
Suseela Vergis , also known as the bonsai expert and lover of gardening, shares her thoughts on turning bonsai into a great Christmas accessory. “A bonsai isn’t any lesser than a traditional Christmas tree. It’s way better than having a plastic tree at home. Bonsais are easy to maintain, they’re within your reach, and convenient to keep in apartments. It looks great with or without decorations and requires only two to three hours of sunlight exposure every day. I have adorned mine this year with simple lights, bells, and baubles in a minimalist fashion.”
A Syrian Christian, Suseela grew up in central Travancore. She vividly remembers setting up the Christmas tree in her home at the beginning of her winter holidays begin. “The elders would chop branches of casuarina tree, put it in a pot, and keep it at the house. It lacked shape or beauty. We kids would craft stars out of bamboo leaves and adorn the tree with it and balloons. Kids these days don’t get to enjoy such simple pleasures. We were so connected to the traditions of the festivities. Everything was eco-friendly and there was no such thing made out of plastic,” she said.
It’s never too late to switch over to sustainable alternatives.These readymade bonsai are available in nurseries ahead of Christmas. One can get creative with designing it. Suseela feels it’s an opportunity for the family to bond over arts and crafts and also get the kids involved.
“The significance of the Christmas tree dates back to 1,000 years when it was kept at home by Egyptians and Europeans to mark the end of winter and arrival of spring. This was even before Christianity. Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition in the 16th century. It’s widely believed that Martin Luther King first added lighted candles to the tree when he was awed by the brilliance of stars twinkling amidst the trees while walking back home one day.
Queen Victoria is also said to be a lover of trees and would set up one every Christmas in Buckingham Palace. That’s how it became popular in American and western European countries. Indians got introduced to it by the British in the 1980s,” said Vergis.While pines, spruce, and fir are much-preferred options abroad, bonsai can be suitable for our conditions. They can also be a great gifting eco-friendly option for Christmas.
Blooming celebrations
Go for varieties like juniper, casuarina, or araucaria
Can be shaped as per needs
Can be potted and kept near windows in apartments
Tiny decorative elements for bonsai are available in shops
Bonsai are available in nurseries around the city