Forest Style in a Hand Made Pot

 Forest style in Bonsai is a group of plants potted is a shallow bonsai  pot in Natural way as if they are growing in a forest. Forest in Japanese language called as Yose-ue. It is also called as group planting. Usually in forest a group of plants placed together. there is a difference between forest and Land scaping. landscaping is also called Saikei, in china it is called as Penjing. Penjing means these will be different plants like grasses , ferns, stones , river, houses, temples and figurines will be placed along with Plants to show it as a natural land scaping. Saikei is also Group planting.

In group planting mostly same species of plants are used. Number of plants is not make any difference, for the beginner odd number of plants like 3 ,5,7  gives a realistic look of a forest. Some forests made  by Bonsai masters contains plants more than 100.  To give forest a pleasant look Placement of plants in different angles, different heights is more important. Penjing can be made in oval or rectangular shape pots or in flat trays or on rocks.

World's best Forest style is Goshin meaning protector of spirits  made by John Naka with eleven  Foemina junipers , each plant represents his eleven grand children. Grand Master John Naka of Bonsai Art donated it to National bonsai Museum in Washington DC in USA in 1984. Goshin is taking care by other Bonsai masters. It represents Grand masters great treasure of all the times.

Forest style can be start from seedings also. we can start with tamarind, put tamarind seeds in seeding tray with soil and cocopeat let them start growing. let them grow for six months in tray and shift them to big garden bags. Start training the plants in to individual Bonsais. Once the plant attains some age and style shift the plants into a shallow tray as a group and arrange them and place them in forest style.

Another way of making plants ready forest is from branch cuttings. Take a branches of a trees of the same species and apply root all hormone on cut branches and put them in soil and allow them to grow. Then these branches grow in to individual plants. These plants can make a good forest material. like ficus retusa , jade,  ficus microcarpa, juniper, are some of the easy growing varieties that can be grown from branches, can be made as good forest material.

Once we select plants for making Bonsai forest, next step will be shaping and styling of each plant as individual bonsai. Select the branches and by Wire them and let them grow. Before placing them in a tray or Bonsai pot have a idea how to place them. First draw on a paper how, you are placing the plants that gives an clear idea and view of forest style or Penjing.

For Penjing I have taken a cement stone has selected, it is like a block like that is light weight. I selected light weight. Cement stone can be carved easily with drilling machine. There is a link shared how we can do drilling on cement stone to make it as Bonsai pot. 

This link shared below is carving of a cement stone

https://youtu.be/Rdu_OjProeg

Final product 

The plants are selected for saikei are Juniperous chinensis. They are selected and are given a training  

These plants are going to be placed in oval shape pot with the rock.

The placement of plants in more important, usually in group planting more than three plants will be taken. In Traditional style of group plants odd number of plants like, 3,5,7,....49...are taken by Bonsai masters. But now tradition has changed. In nature we wont count the number of tree we see only how they are arranged, how these trees enhances the beauty of that land scape place a main role.

will continue ........