SAHRAWATISM: February 2019

102th BLOG POST -->>

Entrance View of Bonsai Park

National Bonsai Park is quite well known as an urban natural park in the heart of Lutyens Delhi. It is open for visitors; I’ve visited two times to this park which naturally always increased my curiosity. So, it was a lucky day in spring for me last year, when on one of my walks through the park and I had my camera of some good quality with me, I saw this National Bonsai Park of Lodhi Garden. Sometimes some Bonsai Associations are holding an exhibition here. The visit to National Bonsai Park turned out to be a world of miniature wonders for me.

Multiple Pots on a Pole Before Entrance

The National Bonsai Park is located near to the main entrance path of Lodhi Garden, though the enclosure. On any exhibition day, it is nicely decorated. I spotted Zen Garden as soon as I entered inside the park with some other interesting bonsai plants. Banyan tree was a fascinating sight as barring its size, it looked like a real old Banyan tree. Not only there were single bonsai plants, but thematic gardens and forests, all made out of a cluster of bonsai plants. I could only imagine the ingenuity, patience and hard work of the bonsai masters who created and nurtured these plants for many years.

Here I take a lot of photos. Some pictures are sharing here. A few plants and trees I've seen somewhere roadsides and some plants were very interesting that I've bought my home years age but I's not know the name of plants and their style. It was first experience that I've learned about species of plants and their growing style. Here with exhibition, all details were displayed. I've searched a lot on internet about these plants and their style after going to home. I'm sharing some information about its style with I captures images at Bonsai Park. When I reached here garden's workers were watering and cutting at main entrance. A sign board with name Bonsai National Park is placed with a pole on the top of which many beautiful pots of plats were placed with lights.

National Bonsai Park Sahrawatism article

Creative planting with pots on a Pole

Slanting Bonsai Style:

This style is also known as Shakan . As a result of the wind blowing in one dominant direction or when a tree grows in the shadow and must bend toward the sun, the tree will lean in one direction. With Bonsai, the leaning style should grow at an angle of about 60 - 80 degrees relative to the ground. The roots are well developed on one side to keep the tree standing. On the side toward which the tree is leaning, the roots are clearly not as well developed. The first branch grows opposite the direction of the tree, in order to create a sense of visual balance. The trunk can be slightly bent or completely straight, but still be thicker at the bottom than at the top.

Khirni Plant- A species of Slanting Bonsai Style

Ficus is a pan-tropical genus of trees, shrubs and vines occupying a wide variety of ecological niches; most are evergreen, but some deciduous species are endemic to areas outside of the tropics and to higher elevations. Fig species are characterized by their unique inflorescence and distinctive pollination syndrome, which utilizes wasp species belonging to the family Agaonidae for pollination.

Ficus plant has many species with different style. Some species I captured are posted below :

In above picture left plant is of Ficus Benghalensis Banyantree (Barth) which has Informal Upright Style and right side plant is of Ficus Virens (Pilkhan).

Ficus Tsiela

Indian tree in the family Moraceae; contains an unidentified toxin which causes hepatitis and hepatic encephalopathy.

Ficus Tsila is a Informal Upright style plant

Forest Bonsai Style:

The forest style looks a lot like the multi-trunk style, but the difference is that it is comprised of several trees rather than one tree with several trunks. The most developed trees are planted in the middle of a large and shallow pot. On the sides a few smaller trees are planted to contribute to one single crown. The trees are planted not in a straight line but in a staggered pattern, because this way the forest will appear more realistic and natural.

Basendu holoptelea is a medical plant.

Casuarina Equisetifolia Jungli Sarn - Forest Style. This tree reminds me of my school, where this tree was planted.

Premna (PENJING) Style:

Premna (Penjing) style

The premna is a sub-tropical plant native to the Indian subcontinent and South-east Asia. Over a hundred species of Premna exist, with the Premna Obtusifolia, Microphylla and Serratifolia as popular choices for Bonsai and these species are also very popular. Its small leaves and beautifully textured trunk make it a popular species used for Bonsai and Shohin sized Bonsai. In summer the tree flowers occasionally. It needs temperatures above 50°F (10°C). When placed indoors it needs a relatively high humidity and lots of light.

As the tree grows lots of new shoots from the trunk you can style the tree by only pruning. But to speed the process you can wire the branches, make sure you check after wiring to see the wire is not damaging the bark - the Premna grows very fast. If you planted this tree in any pot then need watering properly. Water thoroughly and frequently, allowing the soil to dry only slightly, not completely, in between watering. If the leaves hang you are late with watering.

Twin-Trunk or Sokan Style:

Sokan style or twin-trunk Bonsai has two trunks rising from the root system, or nearby. The trunks may split immediately above the roots, or rise as one from the soil and then split after a few inches. Many Bonsai enthusiasts love the Sokan style as it gives the grower a chance to work with two trees, sometimes making a great piece from two trees that wouldn’t otherwise have made great Bonsai on their own terms.

Ficus Longsland - Twin Trunk Style

The perfect and most sought-after Sokan Bonsai has one trunk taller and thicker than the other, with both trunks being visible when viewed from the front of the tree. You could imagine this style of Bonsai to be like creating a marriage. The larger tree is the male, carefully and lovingly protecting his wife from the harsh elements by shading her and gently arching over her. Ultimately the apex of both trees will meet to form one and when creating correctly, this can be an absolutely stunning composition.

Ficus Infectoria- Twin Trunk Style

Care must be taken when creating Sokan style Bonsai, especially where the back branches and the roots are concerned. There will be an empty void between the two trunks that will require filling with suitable back branches, if not the grower will have created an empty void that will detract from the composition.

One of the most favored species for creating Sokan style Bonsai are Japanese Maples – they provide excellent trunks with great character, superb nebari, lovely leaf colouration throughout the summer and autumn, plus as they are deciduous they expose the branches perfectly during the winter and early spring. Here’s other species ideally suited to this style:

• Japanese White Pine (Pinus) • Japanese Zelkova (Zelkova)

• Brush Cherry (Eugenia) • Ponderosa Pine (Pinus)

• Pomegranate (Punica) • Crab Apple (Malus)

• Juniper (Juniperus) • Jasmine (Murraya)

• Black Pine (Pinus) • Beech (Fagus)

• Maples (Acer) • Spruce (Picea)

• Olive (Olea) • Ficus (Ficus)

Jade :

This tree is originally from Africa. The Jade tree is considered an indoor tree in most temperate zones, although it can be grown outdoors in full sun and sufficiently high temperatures. Keep temperatures above 5 degrees C (or 41F) at all times. It needs lots of light or even full sun. The Dwarf Jade tree is a fleshy, softly woody shrub or small tree up to 3 meter. The Jade has a thick trunk and a fine branch structure with thick oval green succulent leaves. During autumn sometimes small white flowers appear, but only when the tree has experienced droughts in the season. The bark is green and soft when young, becoming red-brown when it ages. The Dwarf Jade is very similar to the Jade (Crassula ovata).

Jade - Informal Upright

Jade trees can hold large amounts of water inside their leaves. Water sparsely and allow the plant to dry out a little bit between watering. During winter time watering can be as seldom as once every three weeks - though only when the tree is kept relatively cold - monitor your tree closely and water the moment the soil dries out slightly. The Jade Bonsai is not as particular about over-watering as most other succulents. As a succulent, water is contained its trunk and branches; they tend to bend from their weight. Jades respond well to pruning, which should be done regularly to force the tree to grow branches also lower on its trunk. Do not use cut-paste though, as this might lead to rotting.