Richmond Bonsai Society: Blog Posts

Notes from Japanese Garden Presentation

thomas sones

Japanese Garden Notes Thomas Sones

These are the notes I used during the presentation at our March meeting. The numbers correspond top slides.

2- History: During the Han Dynasty, the emperor Wu Di (140-87 BC) established a garden containing three small islands, mimicking the Isles of the Immortals. These gardens represented, in stylized abstract, the fabled lands.
In 607AD, China opened relations with Japan, and received the first envoy, at his lavish park. The Envoy returned to Japan with many ideas, including Buddhism, and four years after his return, the first hill and pond garden was established in Japan.
Asuka era 552-646AD - The Shinto tradition followed a deification of nature, down to the worship of particularly beautiful rocks or trees and the area was considered a holy site where man and nature could commune.
Nara era 646-794AD - Blending of Chinese and Japanese, including simple gardens of stones and plants that complimented temple complexes or royal palace. This introduced a Buddhist representation of the center of the universe with a large central mountain stone as the dwelling place of the Buddha, surrounded by lesser stones for his disciples.
Heian era 794-1185AD - The rise of opulence, luxury, and elegance in Japan. The gardens served as playgrounds for the rich and famous.
Kamakura era 1185-1392- The garden as a place for reflection. As the new shogun and his samurai began to embrace Zen as their religion, the garden transformed into a place contemplation.
The Muromachi era 1393-1558- while a time of great unrest and civil war, it is also noted as period of great culture with the development of landscape painting, and tea ceremony. The increasing influence of Zen is clearly seen in the arrival of the dry landscape style. The birth of a merchant or middle class, also led to courtyard gardens that fit inside the smaller, less ornate homes.
The Momoyama era (1569-1603) is sometimes referred to as the ‘rococo’ era of Japanese history. Gardens became even more elaborate, with cut stone beginning to appear in pathways and bridges.

3- basic principals- Symbolization or abstraction, reduced scale, borrowed views, enclosed space, hide and reveal (darkness), age veneration, non-artificiality (natural).
Styles of Gardens
8 strolling hill - Many pleasing views from various locations, hidden views
9 Rock and Sand Gardens- developed in the Muromachi Era represents Zen spiritualism a place for monks to meditate mostly found in Zen monasteries.
10 The sand can represent water and gives off the sense of space and emptiness.
11 FLAT GARDENS - rocks are the islands of Japan or the world; use of negative space
12. Some Gardens are combination of multiple styles.
15- Tea garden - an outer garden and an inner garden. Inner garden is used to center one’self,, symbolically cleanse and prepare to enter the tea house.
16- Court yard garden- Viewed from inside or one spot, – fit in small place, intimate and still looks natural.
Elements of Design
17 Honored Place for the gods-Ancient Japanese believed that a place surrounded by rocks was inhabited by gods and a dense cluster of trees and streams enclosed sacred grounds
18- Stones and boulders represent mountains or land masses.
22- Ponds represent the sea.
22- Waterfalls and streams- symbolizes human existence: birth, growth and death, remind of the relentless passage of time.
21 Dry river and ponds- Stone and sand may represent a river or waterfall.
A grassy area with a sandy area, hill, or tree in the middle or may represent and pond, island, and mountain.
32-PATHS represent journey through life -intentionally slows you down to stop and see the world around you. Wider stone set across the path stop are to tell you to stop and take in the view.

36 Bridges represent transition between world and gardens.
37 MOON BRIDGE- Placed over water to create a full circle, an important Taoist and Buddhist symbol. The moon is symbolic of good harvest and prosperity.
39 – Flat Bridge – very natural, zig zagged, not imposing in scenery.
41 Earth bridge – nearly hidden, with soil and plantings on top of bridge
42- Not functional bridges that cross over sand or lead to nowhere are to show that there is no division between the visitor and his surroundings.
43 Stone lanterns - introduced to Japan 6th century, had no windows or openings to let the light out, were originally designed to hold sacred flame, which represents Buddha, Buddhist teachings, or the light that overcomes the darkness of ignorance . Later used for lighting the grounds of religious precincts, tea houses, and private gardens.
45 Stone water basins originated in shrines and temples for worshipers to wash their hands and mouth as a symbol of purification. The crouching bowl was designed to humble guest and create the right state of mind before entering the tea house.
46 Deer chaser- A hollow bamboo stick which, when it fills up, hits the basin making a sound. This sound supposedly chases the deer away and keeps them from drinking the water. The movement, sound, and flowing water created good energy.
43 Maymont’s Japanese Garden - Place of serenity and quietness, like stepping onto a different continent. It is cool, shaded and humid, reflective. It is a blend of different styles and two distinct periods of design. In 1911, the Dooleys hired Muto, a master Japanese gardener. Several features from that garden remain, including the stonework around the base of the waterfall, several trees and the winding watercourse that leads to the large pond.
In 1978, the garden was renovated by Earth Design, Inc. The style reproduced at Maymont is called a "stroll garden". In renovation, elements from classical gardens in Kyoto, Tokyo and Nara were incorporated.

Bonsai Soil Alchemy

thomas sones

Bonsai soil is the medium that transfers nutrients and oxygen to the plant’s roots. There are many formulations for different plants, growing and drainage conditions. Some “experts” suggest using potting and/or topsoil for bonsai, and these small particle soils can be satisfactory for large plants in big containers. However, these “natural” soils compact easily and drain poorly in small bonsai pots. Choose the wrong soil composition and the plant roots will rot due to poor drainage. If the soil is too porous, the plants will drain quickly and the roots will dry out. What’s a bonsai enthusiast to do?

A good bonsai soil must have three main ingredients and functions: an organic phase to supply nutrients, an inorganic phase used as porous filler for drainage, and a water-holding phase that retains residual water. The same phase can provide multiple functions. For example, inert ingredients act as a matrix to hold/transfer nutrients and to release water in a controlled fashion. Proper particle size is needed for aeration/oxygen transfer, and the material must have a neutral pH. A common consensus among experts is that the soil should be composed of 75 per cent inert aggregate and 25 per cent organic materials. However, bonsai soil is still much less “soil” and much more of a nutrient-transfer media.

For the aggregate part of the soil, many components can be used: akadama, kanuma, turface, haydite, chicken grit, gravel, sand, lava rock, pumice, and perlite. There may be a few more such choices, but the above list encompasses the majority of aggregates used in bonsai soils. Akadama, kanuma, and turface are clays that have been fired to achieve a proscribed hardness, porosity, and resistance to reverting back to mud when wet. Turface is used to soak up water on sports fields and golf courses, and is a readily available, inexpensive option to the Japanese akadama fired clay. Haydite is a heat-altered, porous rock made from shale or slate. As with turface and akadama, the very porous haydite absorbs water readily and releases it back to the tree roots. Lava rock, perlite, and pumice are crushed volcanic glasses that are used as soil components, but because of their very light weight, are never used in a 100% form. Chicken grit (a crushed granite), lava rock, and gravel are stone particulates of different sizes, and are often mixed with fired clay materials. If you prepare your own soil, your soil mixture will depend on raw material availablity in your geographical region. Since many (most?) bonsai enthusiasts purchase their soil rather than prepare it themselves, most people really don’t know the actual soil composition. Those who make their own soil know this soil alchemy, of course, but these people may be a minority among bonsai hobbyists.

The organic part of the soil can be composed of sphagnum moss, potting soil, pine bark, decomposed leaf mulch, and/or garden “dirt”. These materials must be pH neutral and pest-free. Their role in the soil composition is to slowly release nutrients to the plant roots, but they must not compact the soil to reduce porosity. Bonsai must still be fertilized on a regular basis for good plant health, and soil additives are needed on a regular basis. Both conventional chemical fertilizers and the organic variety (e.g. fish emulsion and bone meal) slowly release their nutrients to the roots. Both types work well with standard bonsai soils. Organic types sometimes lack the trace minerals (e.g. magnesium salts) that plants need for good health, so use of both fertilizer types is generally recommended. These chemicals also can alter soil pH in both good and adverse ways. Although pH neutrality is specified, it may be necessary to adjust some soils for specific plant types. Addition of aluminum sulfate to lower pH (for azaleas, pines) or dolomite limestone to raise pH can be used to alter soils, either via the watering route or by sprinkling them on the soil. Use of a soil pH meter is necessary, of course, to measure and to control acidity/alkalinity.

The last consideration for soil is plant type and age, pot size and depth, and watering schedule. These factors will produce a much longer discussion outside this primer-sized article, but all are very influential in choosing a proper soil. There is a lot of internet information available as well, so good luck in your hunt for the perfect soil.

Photographing Bonsai

thomas sones

Now that fall is with us, but leaves & foliage are still on your bonsai, this would be a great time to make a visual record of your bonsai’s appearance, and to compare it to a like picture without leaves (deciduous only). This comparison will allow you to anticipate which branches to remove or bend when wiring or trimming your tree in the spring. There also are other reasons to photograph your bonsai: detailing growth history, preparing for publication, confirming insurance value/presence, or merely sharing pictures with friends. Although choice of camera appears to be a major factor, even simple cameras will suffice for most tasks. Digital cameras now are dominant for most photography, and with their many automatic features, instant feedback and computer editing, their use in plant photography has now become widespread. We’ll concentrate on the conditions necessary to make good pictures.

The most important factor in producing good photos is composition – what you see in the frame. Composition is the position of the tree within the frame while considering the aspects of background, lighting, degree of magnification, and artistic content. Generally speaking, the object should not be in the very center of the frame. Some people use the rule-of-thirds concept to position the tree, which lessens the mechanical aspect of the photo and provides a balanced view. Any “blank” space within the frame should remain small. Shoot the picture from the front of the tree and level with the trunk. Be careful about shadows, since they will detract from tree.

Background also is a critical compositional factor – any other object detracts from the main subject. There should be no background clutter. Background color should be neutral and should complement the colors of the plant. Most people use a neutral, beige background, and avoid white, which appears too stark. Of course, if you’re documenting plant growth or features with background stadia lines, these precautions should be disregarded. Indoor photography allows one to use a piece of paper or a blank wall to control the background, but this option is not always available given the size of the tree or its location (e.g. at a garden show). Some internet sites use black backgrounds and lighted trees to get a dramatic effect, but in general, a neutral background is best and is easiest to manage technically.

For advanced photographers, you can override the automatic digital controls and use the camera’s depth of field feature to blur background objects, or if desired, to bring more of the tree (front-to back) in focus. Depth of field controls how much is in focus in front of and behind the subject. Use of a long lens, i.e. magnification, will flatten the image, give less distortion, and allow the tree to be positioned further from the lens – a good thing.

Regardless of whether you are shooting indoors or outdoors, one should always avoid high contrast lighting in close-up shots. Too much light can produce unwanted shadows or washed out, overexposed areas. This high contrast phenomenon sometimes can be avoided indoors by using angled lights or flash units. Most people with multiple or very large trees will likely take outdoor pictures. Ambient light conditions can be either detrimental or advantageous. As with the high contrast example above, sunny conditions can produce unwanted shadows and/or loss of detail. Shooting under cloud cover will diffuse the light and give more acceptable results. Choosing shooting time will also alter your results. When the sun is low in the sky, picture colors will appear more natural and warmer in color to the eye. Overly back-lighted pictures will give darker objects and loss of detail, but the halo effect – if not overdone – also can be very dramatic. Use of filters and diffusers will modulate the light and can soften the picture.

Although not mentioned specifically above, image sharpness also is critical for good pictures. Keeping the subject in focus is usually a camera function. However, some people will override the automatic features of the camera and will use the macro feature to get the best close up pictures. Focusing then becomes more critical. The best advice for macro photography and indeed for taking any pictures of bonsai is to use a tripod. The stability obtained with a tripod should result in excellent pictures, even at less than optimistic lighting.

Lastly, increasing the resolution or pixels in a digital photo will give sharper pictures and detail – especially if you are printing or viewing large pictures. Any digital photo suitable for 8x10 inch prints will give sufficient detail for most uses. You should print out the best pictures of your bonsai and put them in a photo book for easier comparison with earlier pictures or defoliated/branch-only shots.

Regardless of whether you understand all the detailed technical aspects of photography, the experience gained by taking pictures will help you make better pictures. Comparison of your work with published internet photos as examples will improve your results. The important element here is to take pictures.

Bamboo Bonsai

thomas sones

Most people regard bamboo as a large, beautiful, invasive plant that is found in warmer climes, but it is really just a grass. Giant bamboo forests are found in Southeast Asia, but the plant is grown in many forms all over the world, even in high mountains. Bamboos are classified by their rhizome root propagations: either runners (tend to be temperate) or clumpers (tend to be tropical). Bamboo is anchored and nourished by a thick underground network of roots, called rhizomes. Running bamboo propagates in all directions, sending up shoots that grow vertically extremely fast. Clumping bamboo grows - bunched together – in dense circular groupings. In both cases, the shoots become clums. Nodes form at the end of each clum, separating one hollow segment from another as the bamboo grows vertically. Segmented branches grow from the nodes, and produce leaves and very rarely, flowers. Bamboo plants are evergreen, and dropping their leaves in the fall, and growing new ones in the spring. Bamboo can be as small as one foot tall at maturity, and other species can mature at over 100 ft in height.

Bamboo is an excellent houseplant and makes beautiful bonsai as well. The fact that it doesn’t require wiring is a bonus for some people. There are very few diseases and pests that affect bamboo, so this is a perfect plant for those with browner thumbs. Bamboo bonsai are almost always displayed in a forest mode.

There are a large number of bamboos suitable for bonsai such as the species from the Sasa, Pseudosasa, Arundinaria and Phyllostachys genus. All are clump forming and they produce rhizomes that coil in the bottom of the pot and push up through the soil. The easiest to grow as bonsai are the dwarf versions, which can be started from outside plantings. Heavenly or Sacred Bamboo (Nandina domestica) is widely sold for bonsai, but is a shrub rather than a true bamboo.

Bamboo requires the same conditions as any houseplant – well-drained, good soil and sufficient light. They cannot grow in standing water. Potted plants should be fertilized every two weeks in the Spring and given high nitrogen fertilizer in late Spring/Summer to promote stem propagation. A high-nitrogen, low potash fertilizer, such as 30-10-10 is preferred. Bamboo bonsai should be repotted every one to two years in a basic soil mixture. You must leave sufficient space between the root ends and the container walls, so a wider, flatter pot is preferred. When the bamboo becomes root-bound, you must either re-pot into a larger container or must trim back the roots. Not surprisingly, the running types are more difficult to control than the clump types. Bamboo bonsai are best displayed in shallow light colored glazed oval or round pots.

In early summer, all the leaves should be removed so that smaller leaves will grow back. For thicker caned plants, decreasing the amount of water and sunlight can control growth. Temperate bamboos require a dormant period, as do most bonsai trees (exception are tropicals). Also, watering depends on soil drainage and the ability of the plant to absorb water. Over-watering can lead to root rot. Although bamboo is easy to grow, it is not fool proof.

If you have any thoughts of growing bamboo outside of a pot, please think again. Bamboo in the ground is considered a very invasive plant. Rhizome propagation can only be stopped by building impenetrable barriers below ground, and making sure that the spreading roots cannot find any cracks or openings to penetrate. One of our club members planted bamboo in his yard many years ago, and it quickly spread all over his and into his neighbor’s yard.

If you are already growing one of these fascinating plants, please share your knowledge and expertise with club members. You also could bring one of your bamboo bonsai to one of our monthly meetings to show our newer members.

Trip to Little Five Azalea Nursery (by Randi Sharp)

thomas sones

On 2/29/09 I stopped by Little Five Azalea, located in Ashland off of Rt. 1, to take a quick look and see if I could find any prospective bonsai material. It was close to their 5 pm closing time for winter hours so looking would have to be completed quickly. I ended up taking home an older mugo pine and a Juniperus chinesis. I am not at all sure of the variety of mugo however I believe it to be a dwarf variety since the needle length is approx 3/4". The juniper was located off to the side, away from the general stock, is a twin trunk and contains a fair amount of deadwood. Once the weather settles down the material will be repotted into grow boxes and once established will be fed heavily over the next two years to build up vigor of the tree. Little 5 "typically" prices their older material by container size, so that the mugo in a 3 gallon container was $20 and the juniper, while not appearing as robust as the mugo, although in a 3 gallon container, was a steal at $10!! The juniper was unmarked as to price and was 'staked' to the ground to avoid it being blown over. Little 5 is an excellent nursery for scouring for nursery stock. Patience is required as is a check or cash since they do not accept credit cards. The nursery is family run and is extremely friendly and helpful.

When you go:

* Check out the information on the Knowledge of Bonsai Forum, Article titled Collecting From the Wild, the article includes pictures and tips to remember when looking through nursery material. The last few pictures address what to look for when evaluating “trunks” and how to locate the root system of nursery grown stock. http://www.knowledgeofbonsai.org/collecting/basics.php

* Time- allow lots of time to comb through their multiple hoop houses

* Clothing – old, old clothes. The older azaleas are 'packed' in hoop houses and walking through may be difficult. Since you are looking for bonsai material, you will be traveling through hoop houses on your hands and knees! You may want to take along gardener's kneepads

* Shoes - the land around the back hoop houses may be wet due to less than ideal drainage and the run-off from watering in the hoop houses. Be prepared for muddy/swampy footing between the back hoop houses.

* Money - REMEMBER Little 5 does NOT accept Credit Cards

* Vehicles - If you are taking your material home and you have over purchased based on the size of your trunk, backseat, or truck bed...PLAN for this.... be sure you have a tarp in the car to protect your new purchases from the wind as you transport your material home.

After you get your material home, don't just delve in and start chopping away to reveal your next masterpiece. FIRST evaluate the health of your tree and always err on the side of caution. Make sure your tree is growing robustly – remember it has been in a nursery environment! Consider the stress you place on the tree by styling. And remember...you really DO NOT want to style, repot and wire in the same WEEK. When repotting from heavy nursery soil to fast draining bonsai soil evaluate the roots and then make the informed decision as to how long you need to wait before styling.

Root-Over-Rock (by Randi Sharp)

thomas sones

(Disclaimer: As with any bonsai endeavor there is NO QUICK way to produce a root over rock bonsai) This procedure requires thought of what you want to achieve. There are some aesthetic considerations. A tree overlooking a stream calls for a flat and shallow stone where the water has washed the soil from the roots. A tree perched on a mountain requires a tree that sits on a stone where the roots drip over the stone and merge with the soil; the appearance of the soil eroding from the side of the stone also gives the impression of the tree clasping to the side of the mountain. In both cases, the concept drives the style of planting and requires very different stones and planting material

Variables to consider:

Stone color…as this plays into your pot selection

Placement of the material on the stone

Placement of the branches and the angle of the branches

The texture of the bark to the texture of the stone

What do we need to start this project? First of all, a stone – it does not need to be craggy, and the shape is not important other than to be agreeable with your design. Secondly, you’ll need appropriate bonsai material. Finally, you’ll need an accumulation of materials to hold the tree to the stone. A key ingrediant is “muck”, which is a mixture of clay and fines sifted from akadama or kanuma, water, long fiber sphagnum moss (holds the mixture together and provides structure much like rebar in concrete). You’ll also need some raffia or string to bind the roots to the stone, and finally some plastic wrap or aluminum foil to hold the roots against the stone.

Timing for this technique is early spring to increase your chance of success (the tree lives). An important goal is to match the tree to the stone. Regardless of the forms mentioned earlier, there’s no getting around a large tree on a small stone; the effect that you get is of a full-grown tree without the rock. However, use of a small tree and large stone gives creates enormous perspective.

Some more details: the stone bottom must be flat - either chisel the bottom flat, cut the bottom of the stone so that it is flat, or find a stone that has a flat bottom

Assembling the project:

1. Wash off the roots gently, and then divide them into bunches and position the tree on the stone. It is critical that the tree roots are to stay moist at all times.

2. Prepare the much and apply where the roots will rail down the stone

3. The muck mixture cannot be too wet as it will serve as the cement for the roots that will grow to grasps the stone.

May Growing Tips

thomas sones

All trees can now be put outdoors.

1. WATERING: Keep plants well watered.

2. FEEDING: Fertilize routinely, but do not fertilize for one month after repotting.

3. TRIMMING: Trim, shape, drastic prune, and wire as needed. You can also repot hardy and tropical plants, but not needled evergreens. Make sure that wires are not cutting into growing limbs.

4. LIGHT: All trees can be put outdoor; Tropicals should be given half shade for the first week before final placement outside.

Getting Bonsai Tools in Shape

Jim Galante

Its still winter outside, and since most plants are dormant, this is a good time to look over your bonsai tools and to make them ready for spring use. Some may be dirty and others nicked or dull – a sure recipe for future problems. So let’s get them out of storage and get them in shape.

If you tools are dirty, they must be cleaned before re-sharpening or re-storage. Most tools and their cutting edges can be wiped clean with a cloth, but sometimes tree sap, stubborn dirt, or rust may be present. Wiping with a wet, soapy cloth will cure many problems, but sometimes turpentine, rubbing alcohol (isopropyl), or a hydrocarbon solvent (lighter fluid or paint solvent) is needed to remove sticky deposits. If one solvent doesn’t work, choose another until you get tools clean. If there is rust on a tool edge, light scrubbing with a rubber pencil eraser is a gentle fix; use of 0000 steel wool, emery/crocus cloth, and wire brushes is more aggressive. Heavy rust can be removed using Navy Jelly or a similar preparation. Cleaning the cutting surfaces is critical, since these mating edges have very precise angles and meeting surfaces; overly vigorous use of abrasives can ruin a tool or mandate re-sharpening.

Suppose that your tools need sharpening. Ideally, you should monitor their condition as you use them, never letting them get really dull. You will need sharpening stones to sharpen your tools. There are generally three kinds of stones to buy: natural (Arkansas or silicon quartz), man-made (India or aluminum oxide, and silicon carbide), and ceramic (man-made with precise abrasiveness). Any of these sharpening stones will work for our purposes, as long as they are properly shaped and as long as we have a range of abrasiveness (fine vs. coarse).

Flat stones are used for straight edges, and curved or rod stones are used for knob and side/branch cutters or for any curved surface. Additionally, flat stones are flat with no wavy surfaces. It is important that the stone be fixed or secured on a bench, so that it doesn’t move when the tool’s edge is drawn across it. Some kinds of stones are best used “wet”, that is with a cutting fluid or water to keep removed particulates in suspension and away from the sharpening edge. One starts with a coarse stone, especially to remove nicked surfaces or to sharpen a really dull tool. Then one progresses to a finer abrasive to smooth the surface. The real secret to obtain satisfactory results is to maintain the same cutting angle throughout the sharpening process. This can be very difficult but is imperative to obtain good results. Sharpening a straight edge, one keeps the flat and beveled edges flat against the stone surface, generally moving the edge in a circular motion.

Sometimes you only sharpen part of the cutting edge. For example, with anvil blades, only the top blade is sharpened, but the blade is sharpened and beveled on both sides – much like sharpening a knife. Concave and knob cutters have complex cutting surfaces – maybe too difficult for an amateur to do. Both types of cutters are sharpened only on the inside of the tool with a curved stone, round or half-round, to maintain the beveled edge. However, the actual edges are perfectly mated along the entire cutting edge.

After one uses the various stones to get the proper sharpness, a final step of honing is performed. Here, the edges are not sharpened, but are smoothed to removed any burs or rough spots. This is analogous to stropping a straight razor at a barbershop. In fact, leather-stropping straps can be used with straight bonsai tool edges. Very fine pieces of porcelain can be used for curved surfaces. Sometimes tools must be adjusted to cut better or to change the amount of overlap (straight edges) by adjusting the hinge screw tension, by removing small amounts of metal at the hinge, or by peening the hinge rivet.

Finally, the tools – especially the cutting surfaces – should be well oiled before they are put away for the winter. In fact, after any tool is cleaned or sharpened, it’s a good idea use oil or WD-40 to prevent rust. Your tools will last for many years and perform well if you take care of them and keep them sharp.