Bonsai in Singapore Neighborhood
Experience Nature in Miniature Form
Super Mini Bonsai
Inspired by the book "Pop Bonsai" by Lisa Tajima, as well as "指尖上的幸福！超解憂迷你小盆栽" by 岩井輝紀 that my friend from the Community Garden gave me, I started to explore cultivating Super Mini Bonsais.
Super Mini Bonsai refers to a Bonsai plant at about 3cm height. One can excercise imagination to create the plant in any style without following.traditional guidelines. It is also fun to pair it with innovative ceramic pots (such as cups and cute containers) to form a delightful art piece
This is the first Mini Bonsai that I have ever created, but was unfortunately stolen on 7 July 2015.
References: "Pop Bonsai" (http://popbonsai.com/)
"超ミニ盆栽製作所" (http://www.wa.commufa.jp/tyoumini/)
Bonsai in the Nature
I constantly turn to the Internet and book sources for ideas to shape my bonsai plants. I find it interesting that there are many examples of full-sized Bonsai trees found in nature, such as Nature Parks, Reservoirs, and even along the motor way.
These two photographs of beautifully-shaped trees that I took (pictured left) inspired me to shape my Bonsai plant like one.
Cultivating Bonsai Plants
It is always easy to buy a semi-matured or full grown plant to start off the Bonsai hobby, but I personally do not favor it for 2 reasons:
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It takes away the thrill and joy of growing the bonsai plant and lack the opportunity to learn.
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It becomes costly to acquire the Bonsai plants.
On the other hand, it is hard to start off the raw materials with no idea of how and what to shape. Most of my materials come from the cutting method where I cut the stems and grow them in the plastic pots. I then repot individual plant once the sub-branches grown to certain size. The style of plant is then shaped according to its size and shape.
Here are 2 examples:
Before & After - Training Bonsai Plant
Plant trimmed on 31 Dec 2015
Plant trimmed on 31 Dec 2015
Photo taken on 21 May 2016, took about 2 years to train
Low-cost Hobby that Excite you
Growing bonsai as a hobby seem out of reach to most peoples because it requires money and space (backyard garden in particular). It is true that HDB flat does not offer a good environment for growing Bonsai because plant does not expose to full sun light, and limitation of air circulation.
Buying semi or fully mature Bonsai plants also a problem because it costs from few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars. It seem to be a rich-man hobby.
I was fortunate to have joined a Bonsai club for 3 years at one of Community Centre few years back. I have an opportunity to join the community garden at my place since 2014 and have restarted my hobby.
I spent little to buy the bonsai plants at Nursery Garden, average at the price of $6 to $18. Most of my materials are grown from cutting or air-layering method, Seeding is mainly for Shui Mei if seeds are available.
Art of Ceramic + Bonsai
After reading the "Pop Bonsai" book, I always dream of integrating the Bonsai plant with my hand-made ceramic pot, since I have been in the ceramics making class before I started to pick up Bonsai hobby.
Started growing the "Portulacaria afra" in the plastic pot before I repotted into this ceramics pot, art work from my friend.
Plant still in training stage, waiting for few more branches to complete the shape, it still look good at current shape.
Art of Ceramic + Bonsai
Another art work that combined Ceramic, Bonsai and hand-painting. I have been keeping this ceramic pot for years, one that made during my ceramics making class.
With a hole drilled at the bottom, the pot is half inserted into a box-type that I have made use of alumium plate and wooden plank.
Plant is similar to Portulacaria Afra - Elephant Bush, or baby Jade.