I bought a Chinese Elm and a Flowering tea tree last summer and have been enjoying them. I am planning on starting my own azalea bonsai and possibly a pine. I'm looking forward to the spring!
shareI can't understand the fascination with bonsais. What does a tree provide? It provides either shade, lumber, or fruit. A bonsai does none of those things. It's too small to sit under on a hot summer day. You can't cut it down and make a table out of it. It bears no fruit (that I'm aware of anyway). I guess they're good to look at if you have one sitting on an office desk, but they seem like more trouble than they're worth.
shareSo that's a "no"?
shareHah, I guess it is. But hey, to each his own.
shareIt's a discipline. A hobby. And some bonsais are quite beautiful.
shareItβs a work of art.
shareThey can be amazing. I was reading about some that were stolen in Japan awhile back. I'll post the story with the pictures. It's an amazing specimen.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/12/world/asia/bonsai-tree-stolen.html
I also keep an aquarium. I don't eat the fish. But cleaning the tank and taking care of the fish is calming to me and brings me satisfaction. The tank also ties the room together. Keeping bonsai give me a similar feeling.
shareI wouldn't mind having an aquarium, but I know that I am too lazy and irresponsible to maintain one, so I stick with having them on my screen via webcams instead.
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I agree.
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I don't have the patience!
I know someone who grows the loveliest bonsai, she started decades ago and some of them are just now starting to look really fabulous.
It takes time but some look nice quickly. That's why I am going to start an azalea. I would love to see your friends bonsai. Wow that didn't sound right, lol.
shareSome look nice right away, others spend years with wires everywhere, gently encouraging the plant to grow into an artistic shape. Bonsai are beautiful, living works of art, I do like to check out high-end bonsai when I get a chance.
But like I said, I don't have the patience to spend years on my works of art! My hobby is digital wildlife photography, it's pretty immediate.
Yours is a fantastic hobby I've thought about dabbling in. I live on the Outer Banks so there are endless beautiful shots available. I find the marshes the most beautiful with the egrets and herons etc.
shareNo, but I've always wanted to, I think thy're amazing. Pity we can't post pics here I'd love to see the two you have been caring for.
shareI have a "showcase" flowering tea tree and "grand" Chinese elm(categories from the place I bought them from, I'll leave links).
https://www.easternleaf.com/Bonsai-Chinese-Elm-Bonsai-Tree-p/101470-06.htm
https://www.easternleaf.com/Bonsai-Fujian-Tea-Bonsai-Tree-p/808500-03.htm
Great customer service and they arrived in perfect shape.
I've tried. Never succeeded. I once bought one of those kits from the bookstore. It wasn't until later that I further read and could take up to five years to get it presentable. Then I wen out and bought a grown one. It lasted about six weeks. The next about two weeks.
My mother is really good at plant care and couldn't get one to last. She has actually asked everyone to never get her another one.
Yep I almost lost my Chinese elm. The place I ordered my two from refunds or replaces if they die within a month.
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