by Sandy Racinski
(modeled after Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s ‘How Do I Love Thee? Let me count the ways…”

How do I love trees? Let me count the ways.
I love trees to the depth and breadth and height
Their trunks can reach, when climbing out of sight.
For the ends of Time and ideal Place.
I love trees to the level of everyday’s
Most quiet garden, by sun and moonlight.
I love trees freely, as men strive for Might;
I love trees purely, as they turn toward Sun.
I love trees with the passion put to use
In their old limbs, and with my childhood vigor.
I love trees with a love I seemed to lose
With their old leaves, —I love trees with the bark,
knots, jin, shari, of all my cuts! —and, if Master choose,
I shall but love trees better after Winter.

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If you are in Florida in November, come take a safari with Orlando Bonsai to the Melbourne Zoo. We are one of the vendors mentioned in the announcement the Brevard Zoo posted on their web site :

November 17 – 18 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bonsai Weekend, hosted by the Bonsai Society of Brevard, will be held November 17 – 18 in the Nyami Nyami River Lodge. Bonsai is the artistic miniaturization of trees, woody, or semi-woody plants shaped as trees, by growing them in small containers. The art of bonsai became a part of the Japanese culture when China invaded Japan in the 14^th century and its popularity spread to the United States after World War II. The exhibit features more than 60 trees, demonstrations on how to care for bonsai, and vendors will also be on-site selling bonsai trees and related materials. This exhibit is free with Zoo admission and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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We will be there in person selling our wares, admiring the bonsai displayed in the permanent exhibit and enjoying the special bonsai events and, of course, the animals and the zoo. Come join us!

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The weather has been beautiful here for bonsai gardeners.  Well, if you ignore the winds and rain from Hurricane Sandy.  I hope the storm is not too harsh as it goes up the eastern seaboard.  It’s knocked a few bonsai over here but no damage, thankfully.  The temperature was actually cool this evening.  The bonsai seem to be enjoying it too!  Buds and pink flowers abound on my camellia, the Chinese hat plant is in bloom and some of the bougainvillea are still sporting flowers. All of the bonsai know that fall is here and winter is around the corner!

As always, be sure to look for updates on our Facebook page.

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As TS/Hurricane/TS Isaac is still hammering the Mississippi Delta and our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected, it makes us think of the ravaging effect nature can have on people and their environment including trees.  When Hurricane Charley hit our neighborhood in our city in Central Florida, over 400 oak trees were down. It was a strange time having no water or electricity for days and having to chop and move fallen trees to get to the main road. For months and years later, the remaining trees were affected.  Most had their leaves blown right off and at their rebirth the leaves were so close to the huge branches – just like after we do a hard chop on a bonsai. A trip to Georgia and seeing the lush, green leafy trees reminded me of how much our landscape had changed.  But ultimately, secondary and tertiary branching happened and the trees’ leaves filled out and normalized.  Then new trees were planted and we compared their upright branches to the downward, heavier, gnarly branches of the older trees that seemed much more aged after the storm. Bonsai!  That’s the look I had been trying to achieve.  All we have to do is look around and emulate what we see.  Easy, right?

I started paying more attention and was encouraged in a Peter Warren Chinese Elm workshop in May to wire correctly all the time. Then in July at Tropical Bonsai School, I noticed that some of the best-looking trees were older trees that had been gifted or inherited from older club members.  They had substantially more movement in the branches - natural aging.  Wiring, care & time had combined to create trees worthy of exhibit display.  The significance of wiring became very clear, proper wiring, that is.  Also key is to remove the wire at the right time – not too soon, not too long.  Like a clay sculptor, with passion we sculpt our trees with wiring and carving to create our ‘masterpiece’.  Also, like a painter or sculptor, practice, practice, practice paves the way to the finest works of art.  I’m still a fan of ‘clip and grow’ for some tropicals that aren’t conducive to wiring, but when there is opportunity wire will improve the trees faster and better.  Take a look at the Wiring Techniques video on Orlando Bonsai and tomorrow when you’re in the bonsai garden or at the next bonsai exhibit, take a new look at the trees with only wire and branch movement in mind.  Then, as always, take action when the time is right!

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July 1 – 7 – seven straight days of bonsai.  I attended Tropical Bonsai School, Year One directed by Bonsai Master Pedro Morales.  Pedro travels extensively as a bonsai speaker and artist and has a nursery in Puerto Rico and the class was at Wigert’s Nursery in Ft. Myers Florida.  It’s a 3 year program with an optional fourth year. We celebrated Independence Day working on Bonsai but I did wear my USA red tee shirt and watched fireworks on the way home and later on television.  My hands felt like they had run a marathon by week’s end.  Although they are used to working all day long, using bonsai tools, bending branches and pulling guy wires ALL DAY is a whole different exercise. Highlights of the week included working on trees using new techniques, educational powerpoint presentations, learning about specific tropical trees and then working on them, making a karama (cement pot/slab), eating Pedro’s cooking at our dinner celebration (yummy), spending time with new and old friends, walking through the nursery and a wonderful sense of accomplishment.  I worked on big trees and little trees, all tropicals – each one with their own good features and little challenges.  To improve at bonsai involves paying attention to your tree(s) and practice.  Practice analyzing options, cutting, styling, pruning, wiring, potting etc.  Like with computers, bonsai is a life long learning process and people are at all different stages and that’s okay.  We learn from each other – novice, intermediate, professional and master.  Reading is very important but to learn from other bonsai artists and masters and from other people’s trees is a wonderful opportunity. The trees themselves teach you a lot if you will just look.  Speaking of looking, check Orlando Bonsai’s Facebook page for pictures. Our group picture is there as well as a small Ilex that I worked on but haven’t finished yet.  I will add more pictures in the coming days so check back often.   I highly recommend a focused period of bonsai – pick some trees and some time and focus on something you want to improve i.e. wiring, certain styles, a new technique, watering, pest control etc.  Have your own backyard bonsai workshop and work on a tropical tree or two or three!

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