Page 12 - BSAM 2017 Q4

For each bonsai that is acquired, an existing bonsai is culled. New trees are acquired thoughtfully, bonsai “experiments” are limited.Almost all of us who are in bonsai are “collectors”. We want a bonsai of this species, then that, a style we don’t have, a shohin, a chuhin, the list goes on. Building a satisfying and stimulating collection usually involves indulging our curiosity and experimenting with many diferent genera and species. Tis experimentation is part of a good bonsai education, helping us learn which plants can adapt to our very specifc environment and maintenance habits. At some point, however, we need to ensure that “collector” does not become “hoarder”, acquiring more and more, and disposing of nothing. It is a practice that is unhealthful for the bonsai and unproductive for the owner, since time that should be spent on artistic improvement is spent only on basic care of too many trees, and that can fnally deteriorate into neglect. Unfortunately, the aesthetic aspect of bonsai may become a casualty as well, if too many bonsai are jammed together on benches so that they cannot be individually appreciated, if they are lef on the ground, or stuck into odd corners. We should recognize which trees do best under our care, and which hold the most promise for developing into healthy, beautiful bonsai. While experimenting is always fun, there is a limit to its productivity. If a particular bonsai is clearly not suited for our particular environment or demands special attention to simply keep it alive, there is no good in retaining it, as it ofers no reward and absorbs attention and resources that are better directed to trees that have potential for improvement. Tere is general agreement among professionals that for a working person 30-35 medium sized bonsai Is the maximum number for a home collection. It might be as few as 4-10, depending on space and available time. Tis does not mean that a person will not obtain more than 10 or 30 trees, but it does mean that new trees are acquired thoughtfully, that bonsai “experiments” are limited, and (most importantly) for each bonsai that is acquired, an existing bonsai is culled. Tere is no better way to keep a collection growing in beauty and value while still keeping it manageable. About the Author: David De Groot currently serves as BCI Secretary. He is Curator Emeritus of the Pacifc Bonsai Museum, where he served from 1989 through 2014. He studied bonsai in Japan with Yasuo Mitsuya, Satsuki with Tatemori Gondo and Hayata Nakayama, and formal display with Uhaku Sudo. His educational journal articles have appeared in many publications throughout the U.S. and internationally, and he has presented programs on fve continents. His second book, Principles of Bonsai Design was published in 2014.RestraintAuthor De Groot has too many trees for his schedule. Although fewer than 100 in number, they are a challenge to keep properly groomed, weeded, wired and unwired, despite occasional help from kind friends. He is still himself working on “restraint.”