GardenGrrl's WunderBlog

Posted by: GardenGrrl, 12:33 AM GMT die 03o May, anno 2012

When you ask different Bonsai enthusiasts what bonsai is you are likely to get many answers and philosophies.
Let's clear up one that had confused me for many years.
Bonsai translates as small potted plant. It is often confused with Banzai, the famed Japanese battle cry.

After seeing Banzai spelled Bonsai many times, I truly wondered why Japanese warriors yelled "small potted plant" on their way to death and glory. With this matter cleared up lets go on to the origins of bonsai.

Most enthusiasts will agree that this art started in China where it is called Penjing. This translates as "tray scenery". Chinese style tends to be more relaxed. The pottery can be brighter. Scenes such as mountain and water features can be added.

Japanese Bonsai relies on simplicity of form guided by many complex rules.

Whatever the rules or style, we can all appreciate how amazing a mature bonsai is. Here's the time to salute the folks that brought their prize bonsais to exhibit at the convention. After all, bringing a small but heavy tree growing in a 2 inch deep clay tray that is worth huge money from home to convention, what could possible go wrong? Thankfully they all made it.

Check out this black pine.

Here is a line of prize trees on exhibit. If you look to the far back there is a little girl in red that was dancing to the classical music they were playing.

This tree is a classic "Slanting" style. Notice a partial branch a third the way up. That is part of the rules for this style.

Here is a very nice semi-cascade bonsai. Notice the deep square pot.

This complicated tree uses a technique called "jin" where parts of the bark are deliberatly stripped away and the wood beneath is bleached to give it the appearance of being older than it is.

And here is my favorite part of the convention, the vendors area. These are bonsai azaleas.

Here are all the different tools for sale that are used to style bonsai.

Also available were lots of finished and unfinished bonsai for sale. I bought a few.

A few more bonsai Faq's. Bonsais are real trees carefully clipped and cultivated to be minitures of their wild selves. Most bonsais must be grown outdoors because they are real trees; oaks, elms, maples, junipers etc.
Only a very small number of bonsai trees can be grown indoors.
A bonsai hobbyist can expect to lose 50% of the trees they attempt to bonsai. (Learning that made me feel a whole lot better.)

Thanks for checking out the bonsais.

The importance of a UV lense

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Updated: 06:59 PM GMT die 21o May, anno 2012

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Butterflies & Horn Toad #25 !

Posted by: GardenGrrl, 05:17 PM GMT die 17o April, anno 2012

I'm still mentally skipping, doing cartwheels and grinning big. The butterflies, hundreds of them, all came to my yard this year.Several years ago a humungous group of butterflies called question marks and commas (seriously), came to enjoy all the fermenting peaches dropped from my tree.They flew in long lines together, in cirlces like they were holding hands. It was a butterfly dance.This butterfly party has everyone! Buckeyes (which are usually rare) by the dozens...

Butterfly Party

Updated: 04:29 PM GMT die 23o April, anno 2012

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NWS Tornado Report #7

Posted by: GardenGrrl, 10:34 PM GMT die 04o April, anno 2012

What a weekend. So far they are saying at least 12 tornados ripped through the DFW Metroplex. Thanks so much to everyone who checked in. Your concern is really appreciated. We even got calls from people we haven't heard from in years.Cannot believe the luck that we only got hail and it did not damage anything beyound small chips and dents. To the near north and south they had baseball size hail!Sunday I had gone to two plant nurseries and spent a bundle on new heat ...

Garden Do-Over

A Yellow Rose of Texas

Updated: 09:55 AM GMT die 07o April, anno 2012

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All Okay in Lewisville Just hail

Posted by: GardenGrrl, 04:13 PM GMT die 19o March, anno 2012

Yes folks, me and my two spouses (lol) are the biggest baddest "Life's Not Fair Monopoly" players in the realm. I have the trophy to prove it :-DLifes Not Fair Monopoly is one of the funnest versions I've ever played. The Community Chest and Chance cards often come with a message saying you just got a new baby. Passing GO means you lose $10 for every plastic baby game piece you have. Free Parking has become Welfare and if you land on that you get money for each kid....

Life's Not Fair Monopoly

Updated: 08:18 PM GMT die 03o April, anno 2012

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Stop and Smell the Trout Lilys

Posted by: GardenGrrl, 06:23 PM GMT die 05o March, anno 2012

Last week I did something unheard of at work. I took off during the middle of the shift for a nature hike. (Yes someone else was covering in my absence.)I had seen a news blurb that the Spring Creek Forest Reserve was giving guided walks to see a rare Texas wildflower called the "Trout Lily". It is also known as the "Dog Tooth Violet" and is not so rare in northern parts of the country.The Spring Creek Nature Reserve is also a rare find in the paved over metro-plex....