Bonsai show offers workshops to learn how to create natural works of art
The millennium-old art of bonsai is coming to the Morton Arboretum when members of the Prairie State Bonsai Society show off their masterpieces and demonstrate the award-winning techniques at the Art of Bonsai show.
During the show — open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 21-22 — visitors will see more than 60 bonsai specimens, ranging in age from a decade to more than a century, and will be able to vote for their favorite in the Best in Show competition. Bonsai and bonsai supplies will be for sale. Prospective bonsai growers can get professional tips on creating and nurturing bonsai as society members display their skills in live demonstrations at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle.
“Bonsai is the perfect antidote from our high-tech, high-stress world,” said Dan Kosta, publicity chairman of the Prairie State Bonsai Society. “It offers a chance to get away and retreat to a natural world in our trees without ever having to travel great distances or even leave home. Working on a bonsai brings about a sense of calm and peacefulness.”
Once a predominantly Chinese and Japanese art form, bonsai now can be found around the world. Contrary to common belief, bonsai are not created with genetically dwarfed plants but are naturally occurring plants that growers keep small through careful training and pruning. Bonsai are designed to showcase the inherent beauty of the trees and create a sense of nature in miniature, the natural world captured within a single pot.
Visitors who want to dig deeper can enroll in one of the following bonsai workshops on Saturday or Sunday. To register, visit mortonarb.org/education or call (630) 719-2468.
Cotoneaster workshop
Are you interested in bonsai but not sure where to begin? Cotoneasters are fast growing and achieve bonsai style quickly. They produce beautiful white flowers followed by red berries and possess a striking purple fall color. The workshop is 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday. Cost: $65 for arboretum members, $70 for others including admission.
Jaboticaba workshop
This tropical bonsai with bronze foliage and tan and brown exfoliating bark is fast growing and suitable for growing indoors by a window sill or under lights. For beginners to advanced bonsai enthusiasts, the workshop is from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Cost: $50 for members, $60 for others including admission.
Kamagata Japanese maple
This Japanese maple has excellent branch placement and tolerates both heat and cold. It is a dwarf cultivar that can be made into a shohin. Bonsai master Ivan Watters, curator of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s bonsai collection, teaches this workshop from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Cost: $195 for members, $210 for others including admission.
Children’s workshop
Children ages 8 to 14 can try their hand at bonsai with ficus philippinensis, a popular houseplant that is easy to grow. Children will bring home their tree upon completion of the workshop, which is from 9 a.m. to noon Sunday. Cost: $35 for members, $40 for others including admission.
Japanese yew
An often forgotten but excellent material for bonsai, the Japanese yew is easy to grow, is tolerant of both semi-shade and sun, and has durable hardwood that is good for deadwood effects. The workshop is from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday. Cost: $75 members, $85 for others including admission.
Pine workshop
Guest instructor Jim Doyle leads a hands-on workshop using material he personally collected eight years ago for bonsai. Both Ponderosa and pitch pines will be available. Pitch pine is a fast growing, excellent specimen tree that can become the centerpiece of any collection. Ponderosa pine is an ideal material for bonsai culture because of its flexible branches and growth habits. The workshop is from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Cost: $225 members, $235 for others including admission.