Valley View Farms has scheduled seminars to be helpful and fun for our community. In addition to our classes, we have many informative handouts, plant diagnostic services, water testing for ponds, and extraordinary signage on all of our plants. Most important, we have friendly, knowledgeable personnel to assist in any way we can.* This year we will be donating $5.00 for every project created in our workshops to the WBAL Kids Campaign.
This month Martha Meehan will be discussing pruning and wiring times for Japanese Maples, candle pinching Pines, and restyling older bonsai. Our Plants of the Month are Pine and Acer palmatum.
Photo credit : Heron's Bonsai
Many tropical plants lend themselves to bonsai styling. Most can be grown indoors during the colder months. Martha will demonstrate some techniques. Our Plant of the Month is Bougenvillea.
Photo credit: Bonsai Bark
What better way to find the next bonsai project than touring the nursery for possibilities? Martha Meehan will point out what to look for (hint: it’s all about the trunk) as everyone walks through our nursery.
Martha shares her love of literati and cascade style bonsai. Spruce and Chamaecyparis are the
plants of the month. The literati style, known as bunjin-gi in Japanese, draws inspiration from the minimalist landscapes depicted by Chinese scholars and poets (literati or wenren) who emphasized elegant simplicity and freedom of expression. Literati bonsai are characterized by a long, slender, often twisted trunk with minimal branches and foliage, typically placed high on the trunk. This style focuses on the beauty and expressiveness of the trunk line, suggesting the tree's struggle and resilience against adverse conditions.
The cascade style, or kengai, represents a tree growing on a cliff or waterfall, with the trunk bending downwards over the edge of the pot. This style captures the dramatic effect of nature's forces, such as wind and snow, on a tree growing in a harsh environment. Cascade style trees feature a trunk that initially grows upwards but then sharply bends downwards, with the apex extending below the base of the container. The branches follow the downward direction, creating a cascading effect.
Photo credit: https://abanahomes.com/
It’s your turn to take the stage and show us your own bonsai tree. Everyone is encouraged to share
their projects, telling us a bit about them and basking in the glory of your accomplishments. The Plant of the Month will be determined from the Show and Tell today.
As Old Man Winter approaches, winter care of both indoor and outdoor bonsai takes center stage.
Martha will discuss methods used to keep bonsai happy and healthy through the next few months.
Our Plants of the Month are Citrus, Olives, and Pomegranates
This month will cover carving and caring for older bonsai. Our plant of the month is juniper.