Get paid to work with bonsai?
Ancient Art Bonsai
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3y ago
You might call it a dream job-what’s it like spending your work day around bonsai? Getting paid to do what many of us do for free. Carmen Leskoviansky knows just what that’s like!  She earned her Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from Michigan State University, and began working at Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum in 2009. Carmen oversees the care of the orchid and bonsai  collections as well as the Gateway and Medicinal Gardens.   Here are her responses to a few  questions: 1. Is your educational background plant related? Where you a "plant ..read more
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Finally getting down to business.
Ancient Art Bonsai
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3y ago
 This is a juniper of unknown variety and origin that has been knocking around my benches for a little while. I honestly don't know where it came from. From size and age, it looks like an old cutting, but I rarely even try with junipers-they just take so long to strike roots! Last year it was massaged out of a training plastic and into this small Chinese pot.  Many times my inspiration for how to style a tree takes a while to form up, and that means trees can evolve into a final form rather than just make a magical transformation.  This little plant has been growing and needed ..read more
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SURVIVABILITY
Ancient Art Bonsai
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3y ago
Those who are regular readers of these online jottings will know that Elephant bush-sometimes called dwarf jade or baby jade (Portulacaria afra) is one of my favorite species for bonsai. One if it's chief recommendations is hardiness. That quality is demonstrated in these two photos, taken about a month apart.   The first photo shows the morning after a rabbit came calling in my back yard. My neighbors spend lots of money on those sprays and treatments, so there is a green,grassy smorgasbord all around, but still the bunnies come to my back yard to sample twigs and berries.  Thi ..read more
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Always say yes to the free tree
Ancient Art Bonsai
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3y ago
 Always say yes to the free tree! This was a free hand out promotional item given away by a vendor set up at the recent International Tree Climbing Completion recently held in Columbus, Ohio. You didnt know there was such a thing? Neither did I until I walked out of Franklin Park Conservatory, having taught a class about a much smaller tree -based activity, and took a look at the various vendors. I cam away with a nice tote bag, filled with other fine "swag"-work gloves, magnifying lenses,temporary tattoos and a bumper sticker. And of course, trees! This is a variety of Rocky Mountain ..read more
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A Maple Make Over
Ancient Art Bonsai
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3y ago
 Amur maple-Acer ginnala is a populare subject for bonsai. It's leaves resemble Trident maple (A. buergerium), and though it's growth habit is a bit more coarse and unrefined compared to tridents, it is very cold hardy. A vigorous grower, it can be used in any style and any size classification of bonsai. I got hold of a bundle of Amur seedlings somewhere along the line. They went into individual pots and got grown on for a while. Having a big bunch of them may have meant they didn't get the individual attention they needed They grow some gnarled root, twisty trunk little trees that look ..read more
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Neat and Tidy
Ancient Art Bonsai
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3y ago
This apron was a Father's Day gift. My wife got to a point where she was frustrated with soil, bark or lime sulfur on good clothes. I thought the idea of an apron was a bit much when she mentioned it, but that didn't stop a determined woman from doing some internet shopping-her favorite hobby-and that lead to the package on Father's day. It's a very handsome piece of work, even if it is a bit over done and hipster-ish. Heavy, waxed fabric, leather straps and bronze tone metal hardware. I feel like I should be breaking done an organic, locally fed hog into house made smoked meat-or perhaps ca ..read more
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The flowers that bloom in the spring
Ancient Art Bonsai
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3y ago
Always a gorgeous show when the  Quince and Crabapple start putting on the colors ..read more
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SEEDY, Part 2
Ancient Art Bonsai
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3y ago
This is a follow up to a post from last year.  That post was about collecting Elm seeds from some landscape trees on the campus of Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. Collected in the Fall of 2016, the seeds were stratified in the back of the refrigerator, then planted in a large tray Germination rate was excellent, and the seedlings were allowed to grow with no real training or limits. They were kept well watered and had regular doses of fertilizer. Mid-way through summer the most vigorous seedling were picked out of the mass planting and put into this cell pack. They has been star ..read more
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Willow
Ancient Art Bonsai
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3y ago
The graceful form of willow, as well as its exotic Asian origin, make it popular in decorative arts. Willow is a species of tree that I see often mention in bonsai books, but not nearly as often as an actual bonsai. In all the time Ive been involved in the CBS annual show, I’ve only seen one willow, the lovely example the Jose Cueto displayed last year. Although the genus Salix-what are commonly known as willows-has about 400 member species, the word willow evokes images of the Weeping Willow. Originating in China, Salix babylonica spread rapidly through human traffic through out Asi ..read more
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Why Bonsai?
Ancient Art Bonsai
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3y ago
Why do we do bonsai? I had a light bulb moment during the recent beginner’s class sponsored by the Columbus Bonsai Society. Tom, Dan and myself have been leading this class for a number of years ( we think this was the sixth edition, but we are not sure). It is always a great way to spend a Saturday, and this year was no exception. Pen-ching, the Chinese forerunner of Bonsai  Tons of Blue and White pottery was produced for the export market. Each instructor has certain topics that they are assigned to present, and Dan is leadoff batter, getting the day starte ..read more
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