Page 34 - BSAM 2018 Q4

TRACK YOUR TREES
My Bonsai Diary, a modern tool for the ancient Art of Bonsai
By Lizzy Fowler, Australia
Photos, courtesy My Bonsai Diary
32 | BCI | October/November/December 2018
Top; Use your laptop, tablet or smart phone in your bonsai garden to record and monitor your progress with My Bonsai Diary.
Bottom; Screen shots on this page and next show some the many ways you create a rich and interactive database for your bonsai.
Kept in the right environment, and with optimal care, many species of Bonsai can live well in excess of 100 years, outliving even the artists who have tended to them over the years, and who hold crucial background about their beloved Bonsai—from where and when it was sourced, to how it was maintained—even the
origins of the pot it grows in. But passing on your Bonsai’s complete story to a new owner or second generation, has until now, been a cumbersome task of sorting through photos, tasking your memory and compiling sometimes sketchy details with no real proof as to the age or origin of your Bonsai.
“It struck me that, with today’s technology, there must be an easier way to document your Bonsai’s history and enjoy its journey,” says Chris White who, alongside his technical team, launched My Bonsai Diary earlier this year. “We built a solution that allows Bonsai artists to compile and track everything relating to their Bonsai—from where it originated, to when it was repotted and, with the ability to add multiple images to your Bonsai’s gallery, you can watch and enjoy your Bonsai grow as you build up its timeline.”
There’s no denying that Bonsai is an ancient art but, according to Chris, that’s no reason to avoid the benefits of modern technology.
“We believe that every Bonsai tells a story, and it’s that story that not only adds value to the Bonsai, but that gets lost when Bonsai are sold or handed on to a new generation,” he explains. “We’ve built a tool that allows Bonsai artists to preserve their tree’s unique story.”
Not only does My Bonsai Diary build and preserve a timeline of your Bonsai, it also allows artists and enthusiasts to keep track of important maintenance tasks and even improve their Bonsai’s condition.
“Once you have a number of Bonsai, which many Bonsai growers do, it can be all too easy to forget a maintenance task. How many times have you forgotten to take the wire off your Bonsai before it cuts in?” laughs Chris. “My Bonsai Diary sends you notifications for each of your Bonsai, ensuring you’ll never forget a crucial task again, helping you to cultivate a healthy and longer-lasting Bonsai.”
Originating in Australia, My Bonsai Diary is already proving popular with International artists and enthusiasts, and the community boasts members from around the world. One of the benefits of My Bonsai Diary is sharing your Bonsai’s journey with this community, learning from them and even inspiring a new generation of artists.
Robyn Tarrant has been practicing the art of Bonsai for 13 years, and has been using My Bonsai Diary for the past four months. “When I first started using My Bonsai Diary I wanted to wait until I’d tidied up my trees before adding photos of them to the platform,” she says. “But then I realized that by loading my tree onto the program, I would then enjoy the before and after photos and be able to share this with the My Bonsai Diary Community. I also realized that when I studied the photos alongside each other in the platform, it became clearer what changes would improve the tree. It’s really rewarding to see the positive changes in our trees as you view their timeline in pictures.”