However, one of the reasons for living in a condo is that gardens and outdoor areas are maintained by landscaping companies. Gardening doesn’t necessarily include mowing the lawn, weeding or tending vast gardens. Some condo owners choose to plant outdoor gardens on balconies or terraces, but this is a seasonal option and let’s face it, in Calgary it’s a relatively short season. Some condo-owners choose to have indoor plants, but watering weekly isn’t really gardening, so what’s left beyond that? Well, something that’s been around for a very long time but is beginning to gain popularity among condo-owners today is Bonsai gardening.

Although differing sources don’t always agree upon when Bonsai gardening began, its origin can definitely be traced back to more than a 1000 years ago, with some sources believing the art to have started as early as the A.D. 1000s. Either way, the art of Bonsai gardening has been around for a very long time. Although widespread throughout China and Japan, this type of gardening only became popular in North America in the early 1900s, with only a select few enthusiasts choosing it as a hobby. However, with our harsher climates and growing space restrictions, Bonsai gardening is now becoming popular not only for the enjoyment it brings, but for its philosophical representation of a traditional Eastern respect for nature.

Bonsai means “tray planted” and involves growing trees and plants on a small scale. This small scale is achieved through careful pruning of new growth and roots, shaping and repotting. Branch bending and shaping give the desired effect of age without size, and are usually accomplished through gentle bending and wiring of branches to the trunk of the tree or plant. Meticulous care must be given to these delicate works of art, as the composition of the soil, humidity and amount of light these plants receive are of the utmost importance to their health. Carelessness could result in damage to the plant and could easily kill it.

However, having said this, caring for a Bonsai tree is the ultimate in gardening as it is something that requires dedication and love, yet the experience doesn’t end once the weather changes. To watch something grow and transform with your attentions can be as rewarding as it is relaxing. While you are tending to your own little work of art, the stresses and pressures of the rest of the world can be left behind for a little while. Additionally, your Bonsai project can be a great conversation piece and will no doubt have friends and family intrigued and interested in its progression.

The usual plants used in Japan are varieties of pine, azalea, camellia, maple, beech, bamboo and plum. The plants most commonly used here include (but are not limited to) juniper, cypress pine, maple fig and schefflera. The choice of plant used is a very personal one, and usually reflects aesthetic preferences. However, traditionally  in a good Bonsai, three forces come together; truth, essence and beauty, so the variety of plant is not nearly as important as the process itself. The art of Bonsai is more than just the plant itself, with the selected container and surface of the soil being equally important to the overall product. The desired look is that of untouched nature and should never reflect the intervention of human hands. However in the related art of Penjing, trees often depict images such as dragons or intricate characters. Either art is an excellent way to express yourself and enhance your surroundings, while gaining some enjoyment out of this ancient type of gardening.

If you are interested in this type of gardening, there are a few garden centres that carry Bonsai trees. Sunnyside Home and Garden Centre carries both the plants and the tools to care for them, as well as offering an information hotline for the gardening enthusiast. If you have any questions about buying or caring for Bonsai you can call them  or visit their information counter the next time you are there. Bonsai gardening is definitely worth looking into, and is quickly becoming a fashionable art form and activity.