There is nothing quite like a bonsai to bring the outdoors inside. If you have always wanted to nurture a mango or a peepul in the interiors of your house, here is the opportunity to learn more from a self-taught enthusiast who has been practising the art of bonsai since childhood.
Organised by Bonsai Lovers Society, the ‘Bonsai Chat’ is for those with a green thumb and a passion for bonsai. Go gaga over bonsai over a cup of coffee and snacks, all on the house.
“I have been practising bonsai (the art of miniaturising trees) for years and I have more than 100 miniature trees, including local ones like mango, guava and tamarind. I even have an apple tree, which is not indigenous to Kerala,” says Prabhu Narayan, a non-resident Keralite working as a systems analyst in Kuwait.
He plans to hold a get-together of bonsai enthusiasts in the city on August 15. The idea, he explains, is to form an informal group of bonsai practitioners who can share their expertise on bonsai.
“They can also bring photographs of their favourite plants and talk about the pleasures and difficulties of rearing a bonsai plant. Aesthetics of the bonsai and the ways of creating a particular style can also be discussed,” says Prabhu.
He says that growing of plants and trees in the bonsai method need expertise and flair as each plant differs from place to place. Watering of the plants and the methods to give it a desired shape have to be carefully followed. “I hope to talk about the kind of plants that can be used for bonsai. Not all plants do well in our climate,” he says.
Since Prabhu wanted to get in touch with other practitioners of bonsai, he felt this was the best way to go about it. Eventually, he plans to bring out a booklet or a magazine devoted to bonsai.
The gathering is at Cherries and Berries, Carmel Towers, Vazhuthacaud, on August 15. Timings are from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is free and provisions will be made to display your bonsai. Contact: Lukose: 2735433; Prabhu Narayan: 9400559133
