I love, love Bonsai but until I master the art. I'm trying to pair up pots and plants, to create amateur bonsai.
1. Let's start with some attractive plants that we enjoy.
2. Be on the look out for pots/container that you find attractive.
3. Put them together; find out the result.
Enjoy!
At first I thought of using the green container for the palm, but I changed my mind, thinking the white pot suites it better.
The Blue Butterfly bush http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1874/ . I have decided, blue on blue, so I gently worked the rootball into the deep container. Since this is a tropical perennial. I perhaps can have this 'bonsai' as a center piece indoor over the winter months. ^_^
I have yet found a background to display these containers. But here they are together. ...
... or singly by itself. The blue Butterfly bush.
The Cardboard palm.
A better view of the miniature Blue Butterfly bush.
At the meantime, I tried to propagate another short piece Blue butterfly. The above plant I purchased from a nursery locally. But I also have a bigger plant that I acquired in early spring. It's now 5' x 5' and covered with blooms. I took a small branch with flower buds and all, and try to root it today. I will post the result.
Lily, Thank you so much! how do you water the bonsai plants? I may just have to try some now. I did finally get some of the clerodendron to root. I guess I had not had it in the right spot before.
Once you plant the bonsai plants, do they actually begin growing the dwarfed leaves?
Thanks again, Linda
Linda, hi. Thank you, I'm glad that you have apparently enjoyed seeing my project. But, just as I stated on the header post, amateur attempt at bonsai-ing was my accomplishment. And no, the plant doesn't change its habit/pattern of growth to fit the bonsai framework. I wished that it does, but in reality it doesn't. Like I've shared with Jeannette earlier. The Clerodendron is likely to out grow this type of confinement of a container, in which I'll have to transfer it back out to a larger pot in the near future.
On the question how do I water the container? Just like any other small container. I water it slowly until it's saturated. I also noticed that the Butterfly bush is drought tolerant. So knowing that I won't have to be concern with letting it dries out considerably before I water it again. I hope that helps?
Kim
Thanks Kim. I will try it and let you know how it goes.
Nice LL...love the miniature Blue Butterfly bush. I've never done any Bonsai planting, although I do admire the art.
Thanks sk. I tried. But it's a long way for me to achieve a fraction of the gift in creating bonsai. Maybe, maybe one day.
I love the blue butterfly bush. :)
I have had bonsais given to me several times as gifts. Each time I groaned inwardly and said "Oh great, another plant to kill."
I was still a "kid" and didn't have the time to devote to keeping them alive. The very small trays they are kept in do not hold a lot of water, and they need a high level of humidity. I know more about the plants after struggling to keep them alive. Alas alack. I have none.
A typical bonsai tray is only 2" or 3" deep. It is suggested that the entire tray be immersed in water for hours so the plant can take up as much as possible.
I'd love to have those bonsai back. Good luck with yours, Lily. :)
A.
Thanks Amanda, don't give up on your bonsai project. Put it in the back burner, if you must. But keep the dream. I enjoy gardening, and found myself being drawn to anything-bonsai anywhere. I too found the more I understand about gardening, and each plant's unique requirement, the better I can understand certain simple aspects of the Bonsai's art...
Here are those two miniature plants that I made nearly a month ago. :)
Nice!
Tell me what they are - is the plant on the left a palm of some sort?
I have started growing little sedum trays in what would be bonsai containers. I was thinking of giving them as gifts. I will let you inspire me for now with your bonsai. It must be a soothing pasttime. :)
A.
Yes, exactly. It's a 'Cardboard palm'. Plants would be very nice gifts for the Holidays coming. Great idea!
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/51472/
This message was edited Oct 23, 2011 9:42 AM
Nice plant. I gave Frooty a sago palm at the RU in VA this past spring. Poor thing, I just couldn't do anything for it because the cats wanted to eat it. :/
I took a bunch of cuttings of a purple (african?) basil I bought at the farmer's market this spring. The pollinators just loved it - and I have too. I suppose it's an annual but it's grown really large and shrubby. Hope I can grow a few plants - I love plants, as you know. ;)
Just not sure about the bonsai. PLUS you give anyone something like a bonsai at Christmastime when it just came out of a humid greenhouse and it's going right down the tubes unless you have the environment/equipment to take care of it.
Have you ever seen heather shrubs sold during the holidays shaped like a tree? They are blooming and so pretty. I have wanted to buy one, but couldn't justify it for me when tis the season for giving. ;)
