Bonsai, like fine wine, improve with age.
Some of the hardy bonsai specimens in the permanent exhibit of Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens might be older than the Victorian glasshouse itself, which first opened its doors in 1893.
The public will have a rare opportunity to view exquisite examples of the Japanese-inspired horticultural art when Phipps hosts its annual Bonsai Weekend Aug. 30 and 31.
The Oakland conservatory has 300 plants in its permanent bonsai collection, but only a small portion of them are regularly on display, says Kevin Haughey, Phipps' bonsai manager. The rest reside in outdoor growing areas not open to the public.
Most of the basic bonsai styles -- informal upright, slanting, semicascade and cascading -- are represented at Phipps, along with several miscellaneous styles, including forest, root over rock, and driftwood.
"During the weekend, everyone will be able to look behind the scenes and access those outside areas," Haughey says. In the outdoor Japanese Courtyard Garden, visitors will have an opportunity to see an assortment of hardy and tropical bonsai that needed a minimum of three to five years to train to form.
Caring for a bonsai is a labor of love that requires regular pruning, styling, wiring, repotting and feeding. Haughey says certain plants -- typically pines, junipers, horn beans and maples -- lend themselves to the artistic style.
"Theoretically, a bonsai can be any long-lived woody tree or shrub that can tolerate the techniques of pruning and wiring," he says. "The smaller the leaves, the better they look aesthetically."
Norbert Pietrzak of Moon, president of the Pittsburgh Bonsai Society and a founding member, says patience is a virtue when growing bonsai. "It's not that easy," he says. "When a plant dies, some people get disgusted" and give up the hobby.
Pietrzak says the Bonsai Weekend events are a good way to become familiar with the tools and techniques of the hobby. He has traveled to China, Japan and Korea to pursue his interest and adds that the art is gaining followers in the Philippines, Malaysia and Australia.
"Pittsburgh was one of the first groups in this country to get involved with bonsai," Pietrzak says.
Another member of the society, Ralph Dukstein of Bethel Park, says the hobby requires "a degree of knowledge of horticulture and artistic talent." However, there are only three basic tools necessary to create a bonsai plant, he adds: fine pruning shears, a concave cutter and a wire cutter.
Dukstein says that most of the work required to refine and maintain a plant is to prune periodically so it keeps its shape. "There's no such thing as an instant bonsai," he says. A plant also needs constant watering, sometimes twice a day when the weather is hot.
While effective pruning is key to maintaining a plant, says Haughey, "Most people are afraid of pruning. They feel they're hurting the tree. Actually, it forces new buds to break out and form new branches."
During Phipps Bonsai Weekend, Haughey will conduct workshops and activities to introduce visitors to this miniature world. Sessions from 10 a.m. to noon on Aug. 30 and from 1 to 3 p.m. Aug. 31 will focus on familiarizing beginners with tools and accessories needed to create a bonsai plant. Participants will be given a Scotch pine on which they will practice techniques.
A Bonsai Studio Workshop from 1 to 3 p.m. on Aug. 30 in the conservatory's Botany Hall will help those who already have a bonsai plant. Tools will be provided.
The cost for each workshop is $16 for Phipps members, $20 for nonmembers. There is an additional $15 materials fee for the beginner workshop, payable with registration.
Dukstein says it's important to start with good stock. Once a plant matures, it can become valuable if well-trained. "I've seen some at nurseries in this country for upwards of $18,000," he says.
| Annual Bonsai Weekend |
