HYDERABAD: Horticulture combined with the art of meticulous intricacy, incalculable patience, control, and care for decades bring a Bonsai to life. Those who practise Bonsai not only take care of the tree as a parent would of a child, but they also monitor its growth, and the environment, sculpt its beauty — they also share a sense of reverence for the voiceless life that it lives
Each year, as the seasons come and go, a tree is transformed by battles it has fought against the winds, rain, lightning, and sun — its trunk is an embodiment of strength and resilience earned through the passage of time, its tiered branches unfurl twigs, leaves with unbridled optimism and it carries with it a personality — but give it to a Bonsai practitioner, and they will sculpt it into a miniature masterpiece. “Any life form becomes lifeless if it doesn’t have a personality wrought by environment over the years,” said Mike Pistello, a Bonsai practitioner from the United States while performing a practical demonstration for Bonsai growth and care.
Mike was speaking at the International Bonsai Summit organised by Friends Bonsai Society, at The Manohar, Begumpet, on Friday. He believes that Bonsai is an art form that involves a deep understanding of how trees shape with their environment. “We must not let branches grow on their own; close monitoring and patience are essential in Bonsai practice. In the initial stages, each bonsai shall be allowed to reach a certain height before its pruned. If pruned over and over, at this stage, there is a likelihood that it might remain dwarfed and shapeless,” says Mike. He now takes a 3D plastic material plain on its base but slant. He adds, “Here, a little block like this (places it under the pot) will help branches grow in the direction you might want them to grow in. But it can’t be overgrown; we must mind when to stop and prune over to get the desired shape.”
He goes on and explains how if supplied in adequate amounts- nutrients, sunlight, and water given can kill a Bonsai. “Exposure to the sun can lead to the unfurling of leaves, and if there are more nutrients than needed, it will grow up like a tree would. Everything in the environment should be monitored. The same goes for the shaping of branches; wires should be used to twist but not so to affect its shape or leave a mark,” he said, adding that patience is the essence, patience not just for days, months, or years but decades.
Yes! Decades and it pays off. The most prized possession at the International Bonsai Summit was Lipstick Ficus sculpted to life by Lalitha Shree for over 70 years. “The tree is 70 years old. It’s valued at over `10 lakhs. There are many Bonsai's at the exhibit which are over 50 years old; it's sometimes not the age that stands out; it's how the tree has been sculpted," said the former Director-General of Police of Andhra Pradesh, V Appa Rao. He is also one of the key members of the Friends Bonsai Society and the organiser of the International Bonsai Summit.
Appa Rao, whose collection is on the display, added, “I once saw this bougainvillaea turned in one direction by the flow of the wind. I wanted to recreate it, and so I did. It took a long time; it is here. But it is still taking shape.” He said, referring to a Bonsai he planted on a ceramic pot some two decades ago.
The International Bonsai Summit will be held till February 26 with workshops, talks and discussions on Bonsai. It also has an exhibition with all shapes and kinds of Bonsai.