How to grow bonsai: a miniature garden on a windowsill. Penjing and Bonsai: the art of growing miniature trees

Bonsai is the art of growing miniature trees. This art came to Japan from China more than a thousand years ago, but it was in Japan that the art of growing dwarf trees reached its perfection and completeness. And today bonsai is associated with the land of the rising sun. The word bonsai consists of two hieroglyphs and literally means a bowl and a tree, a tree grown in a bowl.

Bonsai are created for admiration, contemplation and aesthetic effect. In the early seventeenth century, many wealthy families in Edo (now Tokyo) grew plants in small containers, but it was not until the eighteenth century that growing miniature trees began to become an art. The appearance of a miniature tree began to be given great importance and form in accordance with certain rules, this is how styles emerged that later became classic.

Previously, only rich families could afford to grow bonsai; a lot of time was spent on this entertaining and labor-intensive activity. Then gradually the bonsai hobby spread to samurai families, and then became a mass hobby.

Mention of bonsai can be found in the early stages of Japanese history; in the 14th century, a play was written about a poor exiled samurai who lived far in the mountains, and who was knocked on the door by a tired and frozen traveler in bad weather. The samurai had no firewood to warm the chilled traveler, so he used his three bonsai trees as firewood. The tired traveler turned out to be the shogun, who subsequently restored the samurai's rights and gave him lands ume(plum) , matzo(pine) and sakura(cherry), in the number and name of burned bonsai. In subsequent years, artists repeatedly created engravings based on this popular drama.

In the 17th century, stories emerged that Shogun Iemitsu Tokugawa spent so much time growing bonsai that his advisor was forced to remove the trees as far as possible, but this did not stop the Shogun from continuing to create miniature tree forms.

In the 18th century, a large number of people were already interested in bonsai, and annual exhibitions of miniature trees began to be held in Kyoto, with new types of bonsai being brought to each such exhibition. In 1829, the first book was published in which the technique of growing miniature trees - bonsai - is considered as an art.

Emperor Meiji showed great interest in the art of bonsai and tried to stir up interest in bonsai among the people around him. Those officials who did not show proper interest in bonsai fell out of favor. So the art of bonsai, whether the ministers wanted it or not, became an integral part of their lives and new tradition Japan. The Meiji Government Palace was lined with miniature trees both inside and outside.

Growing dwarf trees is a complex and time-consuming task. Bonsai are real trees taken from nature and, using certain methods, transformed into small copies of their larger counterparts.

Used for bonsai different types trees, evergreen conifers such as pine, juniper, cypress, fir, spruce are very popular. Along with the classic bonsai trees, the following are used: maples (momiji), cherries (sakura), plums, apricots, beech, acacia, azalea and many other types of trees and shrubs.

There are several styles of bonsai:

formal straight style (chokkan), the trunk is widest at the base, which tapers towards the top of the tree

informal straight (moyogi) - the branches and trunk may be slightly curved, but the top of the tree is always directly perpendicular to the base of the trunk and the ground

Double trunk (sokan), this style is a composition of two trunks with one common crown

Cascade style (kengai) - imitates trees that naturally grow on mountain slopes or on a river bank above water. In this case, the top of the tree drops much lower than the soil in which the tree is located. Similar to the previous style - semi-cascade style (han-kengai), the top of the tree remains at the level of the soil in which the tree itself is located

United root (netsunagari) - in this style, part of the trunk is covered with earth and the branches of one tree look like separate trees.

There are many more interesting styles bonsai, which will be discussed later.

Bonsai are not indoor plants, so it is preferable for them to grow in natural conditions, that is, on fresh air. Required in winter special care behind trees and, accordingly, the tree can grow outside if this is its native climate; if necessary, the tree is placed in an additional container or the roots are covered up to the first branches. Bonsai loves sun and light, under such conditions it can adapt to indoor conditions.

Literary style (bungingi) - characterized by a bare, usually distorted trunk and minimum quantity foliage at the top of the tree.

Bonsai sizes can range from tiny - up to 2.5 centimeters to huge (by bonsai standards) - more than a meter.

In bonsai, everything is important, not only the shape, but also the pots, which must be in harmony with the overall composition, stones that imitate mountains and rocks. Moreover, unlike the Chinese style, the Japanese believe that ceramic pots For bonsai, they should not be bright and prefer earthy or dark colors.

barefoot like self-sufficient art madeJapanese. It was they who stopped considering it only as one of the components of Chinese penjin. Moreover, in Japan this art, having crossed the fences of the imperial villas, has become truly popular.

The art of Bonsai reached its greatest popularity in the 18th century. 19th centuries. Then there was another surge between 1926 and 1940. And now many people are trying to uncover the secrets of bonsai, and not only in Japan, but this is more of a hobby, a pastime, rather than a selfless tribute to art. In Japan, the first public demonstration of mini-trees was held in October 1927 in the capital's Hibiya Park. Similar opening days continued annually until 1933, after which the exhibition area was moved to the halls of the art museum in Ueno. A western world I became acquainted with bonsai much earlier - at the end of the 19th century. Several samples dwarf plants was exhibited in the Japanese pavilion at the World Exhibition in Paris (1889). But the 1909 exhibition in London was met with protests. The British criticized Japanese craftsmen for the “inhumane torment” of trees.

The art of bonsai is based on the technique of artificially reducing the size of living plants. To do this, they are planted in pots or containers no more than 30 cm in diameter. Careful dosage of fertilizing, watering, lighting allows you to achieve amazing results. Over several decades, the plant, while maintaining its species characteristics, grows in height by only half a meter. Of course, this cannot be achieved with all types of plants.

These are the best for bonsai conifers, like pine, cypress, cedar, and from deciduous trees - cherry, maple, zelkova, beech. The best specimens of miniaturized pine do not exceed 65 cm, zelkova - 50 cm, beech - 37 cm, maple - 17 cm. That is, the reduction compared to normal sizes occurs by 60-80 times. It should be borne in mind that for cultivation they take a seed or cutting of a regular plant, and not a hybrid plant with given genetic proportions.

Practicing bonsai requires a lot of patience. To master the basic principles of growing miniature trees, you need to spend 5-10 years. It is said that it takes at least three years to learn how to properly water a bonsai. It is easy to understand that this art is more attractive to older people. It's not just a matter of having free time and the ability to approach any work without fuss, which is only given by life experience.

There is a certain symbolic connection between bonsai and immortality, because often a tree is passed down in a family from generation to generation, along with the memory of those who planted and grew it. With good care, a bonsai can live for hundreds of years. Thus, the most famous specimen that has survived to this day is pine, the first owner of which was shogun Iemitsu Tokugawa (1604-1651). It is not for nothing that the Japanese consider pine a symbol of eternity.

Older bonsai specimens are valued higher than younger ones. But age is not the only criterion here. The main thing is that the plant produces the intended artistic impression, matches the size of its container and is healthy. There are two main directions in the classification of bonsai - koten (classical) and bunjin (informal).

The classics suggest that the trunk of a tree should be thicker at the base and thinner at the top. Bunjin proceeds from the opposite criterion, which, it should be noted, can be very difficult to achieve. A true artist, and this is exactly how the masters of this art should be treated, never strives to duplicate to the smallest detail what he sees in nature. Working with a plant, he tries to express own feeling living aesthetics. The prototype can be, say, the scenery of a Kabuki theater performance, a grotesque illustration of ancient poems, or one’s own idea of ​​trees bending under hurricane wind. But in any case, the bonsai should look natural, as if it had never been touched by human hands.

A few words about the styles characteristic of this art: vertical, inclined, cascade(when the tree leans over the edge of the container and the trunk goes down), with twisted barrel, with double barrel(when a single trunk bifurcates at the base), group(When side shoots under the influence of the master they are formed so that they resemble a group of trees growing nearby), with rock base(when the roots appear especially beautifully on the stone). There are 34 styles in total.

Bonsai with a rock base is closely related to art in its aesthetics suiseki. At the same time, skillful use of the advantages of each direction helps to brighten up possible weak points that exist in both living and dead components of the composition. For example, the lethargy, inexpressiveness of some facet of a stone can be covered with moss or plant roots, and the not quite classic bend of a tree can be masked with a miniature rock.

Bonsai is not grown in home greenhouses, but in outdoors- on tables installed in the courtyard or on the balcony. On enough short time Bonsai can be brought into the house, for example, by decorating a room for a holiday or special event. Here it is necessary to constantly monitor the light and water balance, because any deviations from the usual regime can be fatal.

It is very important to choose the right container for the plant you are growing. It should focus attention on the plant in the same way that a frame not only limits the size of a canvas, but also emphasizes the content of a painting. Others prefer Japanese containers - simple, solid, discreet or neutral colors that do not distract attention from the tree itself. Others opt for richly decorated Chinese containers that add extra sparkle to the humble plant. Small containers, no more than 5 cm deep, oval, rectangular, multi-faceted, depending on the appearance of the plant, are preferable.

When planting, it is very important to follow the aesthetic principles developed over centuries. The bonsai tree should be planted in such a way as to avoid any reminder of symmetry in the future. Acceptable and even preferred symmetry for European culture is taboo for the Japanese. Therefore, the seedling in the container should be placed slightly away from the center. This is not only about the aesthetics of appearance, but also about the belief that Earth and Heaven converge precisely at the central point of the container. It is not recommended to occupy this place.

There is one type of bonsai that is gradually branching off from the main direction, gaining independence. This saikei. It differs from bonsai in that the composition of a miniature landscape on a tray is built not from one plant, but from several, often belonging to different species. Saikei fans love to include herbs, including flowering ones, in their compositions. On a tray with saikei it is permissible to place small figures - people, animals, houses, bridges. The white sand symbolizes the flow of water at the foot of the trees. The sizes of such compositions require trays bigger size, but they are smaller than bonsai containers. That is we're talking about about a phenomenon occupying an intermediate position between bonkei and bonsai. This is reflected in the name of the art, which consists of two hieroglyphs meaning “plant” and “species”.

Ancient Buddhists believed that the soul experiences a rebirth after death, and there is no worse fate for a person than to be reborn into a bonsai tree. Indeed, in the process of its growth, the branches of the tree are twisted, and the roots are pruned to achieve perfect shape plants. However, it was the followers of Buddhism who had a hand in the mass dissemination of the art of miniature trees.

Growing bonsai, according to the ideas of Buddhist monks, equated man with God, since the earthly world is the garden of Buddha, and he is the great gardener in it.

Excursion into history

The first bonsai appeared in ancient China back in the 8th century. There is a legend according to which one of the emperors ancient dynasty Khan decided to see his empire in miniature and ordered the creation of an exact copy of all its corners, and this is how the first dwarf trees appeared.

But miniature copies trees are associated more with Japanese culture, for which they have become an integral part. The art of Bonsai, brought to the land of the rising sun by Buddhist monks, organically fit into Japanese traditions, since the original beliefs of the Japanese were based on worship natural objects- plants, stones, water. Nature, according to the Japanese, personified the divine essence. Having adopted Buddhism as an official religion, the Japanese people also adopted the idea of ​​​​the sacredness of the Bodhi tree, under whose branches Buddha achieved enlightenment and which, in a sense, is the prototype of bonsai.

In Japan, the art of bonsai went through a period of its formation, trees became objects cultural value and collectibles, because, despite their small size, they can be several centuries old. Japanese masters emphasize the spiritual value of bonsai as an embodiment of the beauty of nature and the ability to find a source of inspiration in the surrounding world.

Choosing a Bonsai Plant

Almost all trees are suitable for growing a miniature tree, but for beginners it is better to choose unpretentious and fast-growing species. The most difficult trees to grow are coniferous trees - in Japan, the creators of spruce or pine bonsai are considered real masters.

If you want to grow a bonsai from a small seedling from the very beginning, it is better to choose a plant adapted to the local climate, so there is a better chance that it will take root. It is necessary to plant young trees, no more than three years old. For starters, or will do.

Plants selected from natural environment(yamadori), need to imitate the change of seasons - they need to winter in a room with temperatures down to -5˚C. It is impossible to keep trees at lower temperatures; the root system will freeze. It is not recommended for beginners to take plants from nature; they are difficult to form and care for; for the first experience, it is better to choose a houseplant that does not need wintering.

The best option for home bonsai are ficus trees. They are unpretentious, do not need wintering and are easy to form into beautiful plant in almost any style. Use better variety plants with small leaves, but . It grows very quickly, its trunk and branches bend well. In addition to ficus, you can choose,. ON THE PICTURE: Ficus benjamina bonsai

If you want to grow a tree from a seed, a shrubby succulent, a compact plant with a very beautiful flowers. Adenium seeds have a high germination rate, the plant grows quickly and is easy to care for. The trunk of this plant has a characteristic thickening (caudex), this will make the finished bonsai even more unusual.
ON THE PICTURE: Adenium bonsai

When choosing a bonsai you should pay attention to appearance plants, its condition, compliance with the declared style, resemblance to a real miniature plant. The tree should look healthy and strong. If selected foliage plant, it is better to buy it during the period when the tree is overwintering, that is, has no leaves, so you can inspect all the shoots. Coniferous trees should have shiny needles.

Growing bonsai is a labor-intensive process and requires a lot of time to develop, at least 4–5 years. Therefore, you can purchase a ready-made adult tree.

There should be no marks on the tree bark from the wire used to form the bends of the trunk. Choose better wood up to 30 cm in height, with evenly distributed branches and a well-developed root system.

It is recommended to buy a tree in specialized stores or nurseries, this guarantees that the plant was grown with proper care and in proper conditions. In addition, from specialists you can obtain all the necessary information about a specific instance, which will help organize further care and formation of bonsai. You should not purchase plants in regular home stores with a flower department - they only sell ordinary dwarf trees or bonsai styles.

Bonsai care

Bonsai are very whimsical, so that the tree does not die and does not turn into an ordinary specimen of a houseplant, it is necessary to maintain comfortable environmental conditions for it. First of all this:

Illumination

Indoor bonsai are plants that often grow in tropical or subtropical climates and therefore require plenty of light. In climate middle zone Russia needs them, especially in winter additional lighting, for which it is better to use fluorescent lamps. Deciduous plants do not need light during the winter after the leaves have fallen; they can be moved to a cool, shaded place. Conifers and evergreens need lighting all year round.

How much light a particular plant needs depends on its species. When choosing a location for a bonsai, it is necessary to take into account all factors that affect illumination: the direction of the world, the distance from the window opening, the angle of incidence of the sun's rays.

Light is also an important factor in the formation of a plant; with a lack of lighting, it changes shape - the branches stretch towards the light source, the lower, shaded branches atrophy. The bonsai must be rotated relative to the light source so that the tree develops evenly. However, you should not place the plant in the sun, especially at noon - this may have a negative effect on it. Almost all types of flora do not tolerate direct sunlight.
ON THE PICTURE: Placing the bonsai away from the window will protect the tree from exposure to direct sunlight

Temperature

Choice temperature regime depends on the type of tree. Some plants need a cool winter, some all year round can be kept without changing the temperature environment. Subtropical species in winter should be kept at a temperature of no more than +15˚C, and in summer they will do better outdoors. Tropical - kept year-round at a temperature of +18–25˚C.

Classic tree bonsai in Japan are always outdoors; in our climate this is impossible, since the plants do not tolerate temperatures below 0˚C.

Humidity

Bonsai need moist air, so the best way out will purchase a special humidifier. If this is not possible, then the container with the tree can be placed on a tray with gravel, which must be constantly moistened. You can place containers of water on operating heating radiators; this will also make the air in the room more humid. Spraying gives a good effect; it must be carried out daily, preferably in the morning.
ON THE PICTURE: Spraying of Carmona (Heretia) should be carried out year-round (source - http://www.bonsaiforum.ru)

Watering

Most miniature trees require frequent watering. The most important thing in watering bonsai is to maintain optimal soil moisture so that it does not dry out, but is not flooded with water for a long time. Water the bonsai through a watering can with small holes or by half-immersing the pot in a container of water for a while. All the soil in the container should be moistened. Most plants do not tolerate “hard” water with a high salt content; rain or melt water is better for them. Tap water must be allowed to stand before watering - impurities will settle and the water will heat up to air temperature. Bonsai cannot be watered cold water why - you can find out from the article. The pot for the plant must have large drainage holes to avoid water stagnation.

Top dressing

Bonsai is demanding when it comes to feeding due to the small volume of substrate in the bowl in which it is grown. Fertilizer recommendations on the packaging must be carefully followed (for coniferous plants It is better to divide the dose into two). The fertilizers themselves must be extremely High Quality, preferably liquid and separate (separately phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen). Excessive feeding is also harmful - it can damage root system plants and ruin the soil. During the formation of the plant, when it grows intensively, it is necessary to use complex fertilizers. Later, fertilizing with a low nitrogen content is usually used so as not to increase plant growth. Plants should not be fed after replanting or pruning, during illness or wintering.

Disease and pest control

Bonsai, like all plants, can suffer from certain diseases and be affected by pests. This is usually due to errors in the conditions of detention. To avoid this, you should adhere to the basic rules for growing:

1. It is necessary to carefully monitor the cleanliness of equipment used to care for the plant. All tools should be washed in soapy water after use. Blades of tools for pruning plants are disinfected with alcohol before storing.
2. The pruning areas must be treated with garden varnish to prevent infection.
3. Branches of weakened, diseased or damaged plants should not be pruned until they have recovered.
4. Bonsai should be in sunny place. Fungi, which most often cause diseases in miniature plants, love moist and dark rooms, where they multiply well. If a fungal infection is detected, the tree must be sprayed with fungicidal agents, the affected leaves must be removed, and it is better to stop watering and spraying the plant for a while.
5. Regular inspection of the leaves and branches of the plant, collection and destruction of detected insects is necessary. If necessary, suitable insecticides should be used.

Subject to the rules of care and maintenance of home bonsai long years will delight you with its beauty. Shaping a plant in a certain way is not just entertainment, but a real art, a unique way of learning and changing existence, which can be accessed through a miniature tree.

1. If you want to form a bonsai of a certain style, carefully select suitable plant. Not all types can be brought to the desired shape.
2. For newbies the best option there will be unpretentious indoor plants that do not need to change seasons.
3. For your first attempt, do not take a plant from its natural environment - it will take a lot of effort, some experience and endurance for it to take on the intended appearance.
4. When purchasing a ready-made bonsai, remember that you will have to continue shaping the tree yourself, otherwise it will lose its decorative appearance.
5. When caring for a bonsai, the main thing is to provide it the necessary conditions maintenance, timely pruning and feeding.
6. Before planting or purchasing a bonsai, consider whether you have enough time to care for the tree as much as it needs.

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