Today as I headed out to my hair appointment my hairdresser texted that she would be running late. What is a person to do when you get that message? As a gardener on a cool spring morning you head for the nearest display of plants available. Yep, no self respecting nursery around here has much to offer this time of year but the local big box store has plenty of pansies and small shrubs etc. I must say I did succumb even though it was spitting rain. After all the weather watchers say we aren't going to have any frost for the next 10 days or so.
While there I also picked up a magazine MINI GARDENS & TERRARIUMS. I thought I could sit and read until called to the shearing chair. I just got started reading this magazine when I came upon a picture showing a small Japanese Maple in a box being trained as a bonsai. It had moss and rocks around it.
Oh be still my heart. This reminded me of the small Japanese Maple that I nursed through last summer. When early winter came along I stowed the pot in the the window well that leads to our crawl space. I thought it might survive with a bit of protection. I couldn't hardly wait to get home and check on my little maple with it's mini hosta and moss. As you can see the little darlings survived and thrived. This is the only tree in the garden with leaves. So I can say it is a bit warmer in there sort of like a greenhouse.
With the picture in the magazine as an inspiration I wired the little tree into a cascade. It being so small it was easy to do.
As you can see I added a small fern that I bought this winter that is supposed to stay small. It looks larger in the pot than I imagined I can always take it out if it gets too big.
Have you ever tried bonsai? I have always admired the small trees, plants, moss and rocks that all are part of the whole scene. I have no idea what kind of moss I have in there. The clump of moss that has the spore capsules is a dark green. It has been in the pot as long as the tree and hosta have been together there.
The flat moss, which is larger and a lighter green, is a piece of moss that I collected not long ago. I hope it likes it's new home. Do any of you have an idea of what kind of mosses I have here?
I would like to hear your thoughts about my little bonsai start. I don't know what I am doing even though I have read about the process. I decided to go for it. We will have to wait to see what happens now.