How to Make cascading Style Bonsai with Ficus plant

Cascading Style Bonsai 

Cascade style is a interesting style in Bonsai. Usually In nature plant grows to wards the sky , but here in this style Plant is growing towards gravity downwards. It makes the plant attractive and unique. When water from top of the mountain falls down it takes makes interesting path in cascading way. 

The trees Growing on peak of the mountain generally effected by Natural disasters like heavy winds, thunder storms, sun burns etc... During that top branches break down and there wont be proper growth there. then the branches at the down portion of the trunk where there is less effect of wind try to grow down . then slowly development of tree will be on earth bound branches.

courtesy google image

Here in this photo we can clearly see the effect of the wind and development of earth bound branches. Bonsai is an art that nature and Bonsai art is interlinked. Creation of Bonsai style is entirely depends on the nature of the growth and evolution of the plant as it gains age. Keeping this in mind we are creating our Bonsai trees. 

Our Bonsai Lovers last month workshop is demonstration and learning the principals of Tree development on Mountain cliffs and applying that philosophy in our demonstrating plant Ficus triangularis . It is also known as Ficus natalensis leprieurrii variegate.

Ficus natalensis leprieurrii variegate.

This plant is a tropical plant with variegated light green and with whitish yellow attractive leaves . The 

leaves  are in triangular shape. 

               

Trunk of the plant is vert stiff and cant bent. so a notch is made on the main trunk line where the main trunk going to have a hard bend. one of the branch removed raft tape is wrapped around the main trunk is wired and made a bend slowly

  

Among three branches one branch is removed and second main trunk is wrapped with raft tape and  wiring is done to that branch to bend it down in cascading manner just like how water flows down from mountains .

The entire link of making Cascade style Bonsai in below.

Once we done with wiring selection of pot is very important in cascade style.  Usually the pot for cascade style is heighted depth pot , so the free fall of the Bonsai plant can be seen clearly.

 we used Heighted pot for placement of the plant to show as if the plant is growing on Mountain top. and due to heavy rains ,winds and thonder storms plant developed down ward growth just like how water falls from mountains plants shape is  also happens to be like in that manner. Here I am sharing a plant in natural surroundings how it is growing in on hill top, Bonsai is nothing but we are creating natural styles in our plant

Below is traditional pot. Here heighted pot is traditional way of using for cascade style in Bonsai. Now Bonsai is a art, so Bonsai masters are using different pots. I will give you some example of of here.

Plant is in decorative pot

Cascade style in a half open shell like pot

Cascade style in a hand made pot

On a rock  and the plant fall is cascading

coming out of the rocks and the tree is growing down.

In Bonsai Art the Creation is infinite

     

                                                                                                    

Making Ashoka tree as Bonsai

Making Ashoka tree as Bonsai

Ashokais a beautiful plant to make it in to Bonsai. I am training the plant for the last eight years, there is a lots of development in the plant . It is taking a Beautiful Bonsai style.

Photo is of eight years Back

Allowed to grow wildly for two years and given a shape by cutting and pruning.

Plant is having a good trunk like and having a good look.

 

Creating a Naturalistic Penjing with a Hand made Brick wall and Bonsai plant

Creating a Naturalistic Penjing with a Hand made Brick wall and Bonsai plant

Brick walls prepared for the use of Bonsai Land scape

Our Villages are having Beautiful Nature. Bonsai artists Natural Lovers. They are creating their Bonsais as natural as in Nature. This penjing is one of its creation. 

Material required

First Preparation wall is important. It is very simple. we need 

1) Cement and white cement 

2) Earthen cement color powder

3) Fine Sand

4) Plastic or Iron Mesh 

5) Brush, Trowel 

4) Wooden frame 

These are three different sizes of frames. It is better to make a wooden frame of your choice. then your wall will be of correct size and shape without any crooked edges.

Preparation of the Wall

One cup of cement

1/4 cup of sand

Color as required 

Mix them well and start adding water little by little and mix it properly

Take a plastic sheet and on it place a news paper and kept the frame on news paper .  Now a thin layer of cement to be filled by Trowel inside the frame. Spread it evenly as shown in video.

After Making a thin layer place the mesh of the wet cement, It helps to hold the Wall strong.

Now Again fill the Frame wit cement layer by layer with Trowel by spreading evenly, in between spray little dry cement powder on wet cement and spread it nicely.   

Make sure the thickness of the wall you want have , if it is more thick then wall becomes heavy,  so make medium thickness  and let it dry for 20 minutes. when the cement becoming a little dry draw straight lines with a knife or any wooden or metal stick so the lines will be of thin as shown in the photo.

After finished drawing the lines let the cement dry completely for a day water it next day.  Then check the cement. once it becomes dry take out the wooden frame, dry the wall completely. once it is ready our rectangular wall is ready.

Second method 

In this Method we removing the edges of the wall when it is still wet. 

This photo reminds us the aged wall structure. To get this when we finished cementing wait for 20 minutes and draw the lines. at that time select the edges of the wall which bricks you want to remove, Other wise remove randomly with a knife. Insert the knife in to wet cement and remove that piece carefully without damaging the wall. ow let the wall dry fully and and we can use for our landscape Bonsai styles.

How to make a white color Wall

If  we want to make a white wall dont mix any color in to cement use as it is and and after finishing making a wall when it is wet put white cement little by little on wet cement and spread well. After 20 minutes draw lines on white cement ad make it as a white wall, Now our white color Wall is ready . 

Four Different sizes of Bonsai walls are ready for our Penjing.

These are plain straight walls without any hole in middle. 

I will share the another post of white walls with a hole to place the plant with roots coming out of the wall.

Ficus rumphi Bonsai on a Rock

 Ficus Rumphi on a Rock

Ficus rumphi Bonsai on a Rock

This is a variety of Ficus rumphi plant. This is a variety of ficus. This plant is also called as Bodhi Vrush. There  is a little difference between leaf of Ficus religiosa and ficus rumphi. Ficus religiosa  that is peepal tree leaves tip is long and sharp, while ficus rumphi leaves  tip is short and sharp. There are many medicinal uses are there with the latex of this plant. 

Ficus rumphi can be grown from seeds, branches and air layering. its a tropical plant and favorite plant Bonsai lovers because of its trunk line structure, umbrella shape of canopy  and matured radiating roots development of the plant. its a fast growing tree. Responds well to  cutting and pruning by developing more branches from its  nodes. 

 Ficus plant is placed on rock and looking for a correct position on the rock

The placement of plant on a rock should be as natural as it is growing on the rock

After fixing it tie the plant to rock with any tape so plant wont move. Then there will be proper growth of the plant, Roots will hold the rock slowly as they start growing.

This is the fresh placement and positioning on rock . I will share the growth of the plant on coming chapters.

 For a complete video I am sharing the link. Please check it.

Good and Best alternative for raft tape for bending Bonsai tree branches

Good and Best alternative for raft tape for bending Bonsai tree branches

Bonsai is Art of creating beautiful  Trees in shallow pots. when we are shaping or styling a plant it is necessary to bend branches. Some times  bending is very difficult if it is a thick branch. Because some times branch can be brake when we use lots of stress on branch, So to make it convenient to bend a branch without hurting, a rafting material is used to rap around the branches and on wrapping material wiring can be done . Then when we are bending the branch there wont be , damage to the branch because the rapping material is covered around the branch, only some  delicate cracks will be there which will  heal on its  own. This rapping tape is amiable on online. Other wise we can use insulation tape which is having much sticky substance. any eletrical insulation tape is also good. Another option is  Banana Plant stem will bw having some dried brown fiber like thin ribbon like patches will be coving the stem. They are Having Lots of fiber inside it, that is good for wrapping around the branches. Jute cloth also can be cut in to ribbons and can be used as wrapping tape. these are safe and good options for raft material. 

In this video construction tape is used to bend branches.

Here In this video jute thread Sutali is used instead of raft tape.

ART OF MAKING A BONSAI PLANT

 

ART OF MAKING A BONSAI PLANT

I am explaining the art Bonsai art through the photos for the beginners . It is a live art . With imagination one can create beautiful Bonsai.

This is a hard plant , it can be grown from the branches also. The plant has compact small leaves which is good for making Bonsai. Depending on height , bonsai plants are divided in to three sizes , one is Big Bonsai, second is Medium Bonsai, third is small Bonsai , it is also called as Mame Bonsai. First keep the plant in front of you and think for a while how to shape the plant.

Start wiring the plant branches with aluminium wire. Bend the Branches gently with two hands with one and placing underneath the branch, please don't harm the branch, one should be soft towards these plants and handle them just like small kids.

In detail you can check it on this below link

/ART-OF-MAKING-A-BONSAI-PLANT

https://bonsaiart.quora.com/ART-OF-MAKING-A-BONSAI-PLANT

Challenging Bonsai China Box Buxus

China Box is a good plant for any style of Bonsai. Long Back I bought a stone from a nursey.  Select a plant which is having attractive trunk line.

Plant is already having a good trunk line, nice branching. Thought of enhancing the beauty of the plant with placing  a behind the plant. 

Started searching a suitable rock . The structure of sand stone is matching with trunk line maturity.

Merging the rock and plant is a job of lots of creativity because the trunk and roots should be completely merged with rock . 

The roots are well developed and radiating in all directions giving a matured look to the plant.

Now we have to see the placement and position of the plant with the Rock. Check all sides of the rock and select one side that will be the front side and suitable for placing the plant. Now if we place plant as it is the plant and stone match with each other because the roots are covered with lots of soil. Some of the soil to be removed.   

Half of the soil is removed from down . So height of the plant is reduced to suit with the rock 

Now soil from back of the plant is also reduced

  

Some of the Soil from back side of the Plant is also reduced and placed near rock .

Merge the plant with rock , by removing back soil plant bought near the rock , so the trunk line of the plant perfectly fits with the groves of the rock.

pot is fitted with new soil

some wiring is done to give a shape to the plant

Video of Making a Rock Grown Bonsai.