In these serious times, we have to take care of each other. Staying safe and sound. This means we have to reduce public activities and being together at a distance. To avoid the rapid spreading of the Coronavirus.

We can still enjoy and share the beauty of our art. Bonsai for me is where I find comfort in troubling times. It is where I find peace and beauty.

At the moment this is purely at home. I had to cancel my next bonsai demo and lecture abroad because of the security steps taken by my country. Demanding all of us to avoid unnecessary travels abroad. Steps necessary which I of course fully support. I hope everybody will understand.

Find peace in the art of bonsai

A tree I cherish every spring is the Wild cherry, Prunus avium. Not to be confused with the Prunus spinosa, Blackthorn common in the UK.

The flowers at my Shohin bonsai Prunus avium is a delight these early spring days. This wild cherry is featured in my new Shohin book too and has been with me for more than 20 years now. It started as a small simple nursery material, originally with a trunk at the thickness of a thumb. Piano hands and not a workman’s hands 🙂 just to mention.

I bring trees inside the house occasionally to enjoy. Simply placed at a shelf at a small bonsai table. For this presentation, I have chosen a bamboo table normally used for summer presentations. Because the bamboo represents the freshness of strong summer growth. I find the freshness of spring and new growth is supported well by the flat bamboo piece.

The delicate flowers is a joy. Later followed by nice fruits. Not every year the tree will carry many flowers and fruits. Often the tree itself takes a break to recover strength by new growth. Adding more leaves to suck up light and transform this into energy. The more leaves, the more photosynthesis, and new life.

Flowers take up the space for new leaves, and therefore it is a good thing to shift between growing seasons and flowering periods. Read more about this in the book Shohin – Through the sesaons.

Remember to take care of each other and find peace in the beauty of art.

Letting our minds rest a little between the worries of health and news bulletins making headlines. Take care.