The Bonsai Obsession

misfit11

misfit11

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I was having a hard time sleeping last night and as I often do, I found myself thinking about bonsai. Geez! What is wrong with me? It can't possibly be normal to lose sleep thinking about miniature trees, could it? Anyway, it got me thinking about how addicting this hobby can become. I've seen numerous remarks on this forum as well as others about people's bonsai obsession and how it can be quite habit forming.

Why do you suppose this is? I think for me, although you could spend a lifetime learning about bonsai you would never know all there is to know about the subject. That and the fact that there are endless species to use and countless styles to develop them into tends to keep me interested. Plus, they're just so darn cool to look at. :D

Inspite of all of this, it seems that bonsai isn't for everyone. If it were, everyone would be doing it. It certainly attracts a particular type of personality. I knew the first time I was ever exposed to the art more than ten years ago I was hooked. For others, it seems that they think they are cool and everything, but they have no interest in doing it themselves.

Why do you suppose this is? What are your reasons for being obsessed with this hobby? Maybe we need to form a bonsai support group...

Cory
 
Good topic.

But seriously man...you need to see a doctor. LOL I say this but I had nights doing the same so I say yes to the support group! :o

Like you said, it is having infinite unknowns (because we are dealing with life form) that makes it interesting. Cause and effect also plays a major role. Our actions (or in actions) reflect on our trees...almost like a child...only we have better control with bonsai. LOL
 
I do it because I've always loved trees. I also knew I was hooked the first time I held a cheap mallsai in my hands 25 years ago. It was just something that I felt viscerally. I got similar feelings when I skiied alot in my 20's, although adrenaline played a big part there...Not as much adrenaline involved with bonsai, but the love for the outdoors and the woods remains.

I passed the "dream about it" phase of bonsai a while ago, but I still have issues driving and looking at possible collection candidates along the roadside...:rolleyes:
 
As a young man, i spent most of my army enlistment in japan and fell in love with the culture and the people.
I came home and build a japanese garden. followed by a koi pond, followed by interests in bonsai, suiseki, ikebana and mums...that's been more than 30 years ago.

the last dream I had was of a englemann spruce, that i was too tired to dig after a yamadori trip. I was really wore out so left it there for next return trip and never returned. It haunts me today.

As a young man before the service, I climbed alpine style the mountains of the cascades and fell in love with the aged look of trees. Yes, it's an obsession, but atleast a beautiful one :)
 
rockm said:
... but I still have issues driving and looking at possible collection candidates along the roadside...:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Hah! I am fairly safe driver, no accidents of my own fault and only one (speeding) citation my entire life. BUT I had a couple near miss accidents due to this!!! :eek:
 
I guess I am fortunate I have never rememberd a dream since I was a young child except for one when I used the "patch" to quit smoking cigarettes. Was odd being "trapped" in a room slowly filling up with Tangerines but I woke up laughing :p
 
It seems the longer you stay in and the more you learn about the hobby, the more you love it. I know it is called a hobby. However, I think it is more along the lines of having a pet.. You would not say your dog or cat is your hobby because it is a part of your life.

There are many people that do not seem at all interested in bonsai. I have thought that it might be because it is so misunderstood. However, I have come to realize that this is probably not the case. I have explained to many, many people over the years about the aspects of bonsai. For example, the different styles, how it can be any species of tree and how they live for centuries. Although these individuals were surprised, none ever started to do bonsai.

Rob
 
october said:
It seems the longer you stay in and the more you learn about the hobby, the more you love it. I know it is called a hobby. However, I think it is more along the lines of having a pet...
Click to expand...

Rob,

Funny. I presented in my daughters class about bonsai and used that analogy...that caring for a bonsai is like caring for a pet. Unlike in nature, they can no longer tend to them selves and have to rely on you to care for them. :)

I think I made the proper connections and to this day (several months later) they still talk about bonsai when they see me. A parent even talked to me asking about bonsai since his kid can't stop talking about it. Maybe it has to do with me using mentos candy as a visual aid. LOL :cool:
 
october said:
It seems the longer you stay in and the more you learn about the hobby, the more you love it. I know it is called a hobby. However, I think it is more along the lines of having a pet.. You would not say your dog or cat is your hobby because it is a part of your life.

There are many people that do not seem at all interested in bonsai. I have thought that it might be because it is so misunderstood. However, I have come to realize that this is probably not the case. I have explained to many, many people over the years about the aspects of bonsai. For example, the different styles, how it can be any species of tree and how they live for centuries. Although these individuals were surprised, none ever started to do bonsai.

Rob
Click to expand...

You Sir are correct -I have a personal network that extends out to 850-900 people from every aspect of life and over 30 Countries - 2 of them "want" to do Bonsai... The rest think it is "interesting". As far as "pets" are concerned I recently "fired" a top notch local groomer because of the way she was handling our Havanese. I find after 7 years or so "learning" mostly from my Wife these "plants" are truely a part of us as in Children or Pets. ;)
 
Exactly. The thing is that everyone finds different things interesting, that is what makes the world a great place. However, sometimes, I do not understand how, when you are showing someone a bonsai that has been alive for 400 years and is a masterpiece created by the collaboration of man and nature... How can this not be of interest. How can someone not want to learn more about this. Then I just think, well, to each their own.;)

Rob
 
Yes indeed we also have a Sulcata Tortoise for 6 years or so now. He was the size of a 50 cent piece and now is 15-16 inches from tip to tip of the shell. Honest he has his own room all winter and requires far more attention then Bonsai. "WE" however find it facinating and a part of our life :cool:
 
GrimLore said:
Yes indeed we also have a Sulcata Tortoise for 6 years or so now. He was the size of a 50 cent piece and now is 15-16 inches from tip to tip of the shell. Honest he has his own room all winter and requires far more attention then Bonsai. "WE" however find it facinating and a part of our life :cool:
Click to expand...

lol.. I was/am a huge reptile and amphibian fan.. At one point and for years, I had a whole room set up with a ton of exotic animals. Including horned frogs, south african bull frogs and an enormous black and white tegu lizard named Smokey. At the moment I am down to just 2 horned frogs. All the other animals I either adopted out or they died.

Here is Smokey. Just like bonsai,,there is a can of coke in the pic for a size reference.;)

Rob

pictures2060-1.jpg
 
Awesome! At one point in my life I had "rooms" of such things, it just got to be to much and I "gave" all away over a few year period to people that were trusted. Fact is Bonsai and Reptiles are much the same except reptiles require far more maintenence time and return a lot less time you can sit and "enjoy" them. I find I can spend far more time with plants at a larger scale. Therefore it is a much nicer experience to me... I do not know if it is proper to term it "Zen" but that is how I approach plants(any) in general. Pets are "close" but again if there is to many then you become a caretaker instead of an artisan...
 
Exactly.... I had so many animals that it was consuming a huge chunk of time and money. I felt that I wasn't get anything in return because for one, they really didn't do much and where hidden most of the time and Two, it became very costly. It was costing me an enormous amount of money in utility bills and food.

Rob
 
I love bonsai.I love the beauty of the naature that surrounds me.Believe it or not,I am not much of an art afficianado or the art side of bonsai.I still love bonsai though.I have fun with the constant part of my trees that is always with me because I try to grow bonsai.Something that it constant.Maybe the art and style of bonsai will become more important to me in the future as my trees grow.I also love the silence of it with my Bonsai magazine on my day's off when no one is around.Just to hear the sounds of the house and yard with my Bonsai magazine.That is very addicting.
 
october said:
lol.. I was/am a huge reptile and amphibian fan.. At one point and for years, I had a whole room set up with a ton of exotic animals. Including horned frogs, south african bull frogs and an enormous black and white tegu lizard named Smokey. At the moment I am down to just 2 horned frogs. All the other animals I either adopted out or they died.

Here is Smokey. Just like bonsai,,there is a can of coke in the pic for a size reference.;)

Rob

pictures2060-1.jpg
Click to expand...

Awwww...you don't have Smokey anymore? Too bad...I liked him almost as much as I did some of your shohins.....seriously.

ps My son is recently into snakes....we currently have 3 ball python morphs with the intent to breed down the road;).
 
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