The Chinese Garden Of Friendship

Bonsai on Display @ Chinese Garden of Friendship

The child in me has this innate fascination for automobiles, locomotives and various modes of transportations. So after having enjoyed a zip-zap-zooming joyride in the monorail, looping around Sydney’s CBD, I was game for yet another ride. After all, we still had over an hour to spare, before the 3D show at the Sydney, IMAX Theatre (boasts of the world’s largest screen) commenced.

People Mover 

My Ma and Maasi (Mom’s sister) however choose to sit back on one of the many  benches, relaxing and taking in the harbour side view, while I excitedly hopped onto one of these much slower trackless people mover train which would take me on a sightseeing tour, highlighting the major tourist attractions alongside Sydney’s Darling Harbour.

Darling Harbour

We crossed the Australian Maritime museum, Sydney Aquarium and Wildlife World, Sydney Convention Center, IMAX Theatre, overlooking the Cockle Bay, King Street Wharf restaurant, Children Park n spectacular water features en route to the Chinese Garden n China Town.

Main Attractions @ waterfront

 But, as soon as the People Mover reached the Chinese Garden, my first instinct was to ask the driver to stop so that I could hop out. On second thoughts, I contemplated whether I should complete the entire People Mover tour and then come back again for a stroll with Mummy n Maasi, if the time permitted. However, my excitement on seeing the Chinese Garden, in the heart of Australia… got the better of me and I got off on the next stop and headed back to the Chinese Garden of Friendship.

The Chinese Garden of Friendship, Darling Harbour, Sydney

Well….here’s what, I would have missed experiencing n capturing on my lenses had I not taken this instinctive split second decision to alight and take a quick ‘sneak peep’ into the garden before rushing back (this time on foot) to where my Ma n Maasi sat waiting for me.

Located at Darling Harbor, in close proximity of China town in Sydney CBD, it reflects the very essence of Oriental Gardens with its majestic Pagoda’s & a harmonious display of plants, rock n water elements in the form of ‘the Water Pavilion of Lotus Fragrance’ & ‘the Twin Pavilion’.

The garden was officially opened in 1988 as part of Sydney's bicentennial celebrations and aptly named the Garden of Friendship. This Dragon Wall (below) symbolizes the bond of Friendship between Guangzhou, China n New South Wales in Australia.

Dragon Wall

The entrance to the garden is guarded by this traditional Chinese Sculpture.

Once inside, the garden offers a rare insight into the Chinese Culture n heritage with beautiful display of Suihan Penjing / Bonsai right at the entrance of the garden.

These Bonsai’s are considered sacred n auspicious in the Oriental culture and are often seen on display in many a homes n even commercial organizations in China n most South East Asian countries.

Being a Bonsai lover myself, I was in complete awe… admiring these so very beautiful and well maintained living piece d’art.

Today, as I glance back at the pictures, I can’t help but smile, recollecting the dilemma I was in - whether to stay put to complete the tour or disembark right then.  I am glad I choose to get off n visit this beautiful n serene Garden Of Friendship amidst all the hustle bustle of Darling Harbour with the monorail offering a sky view of the CBD; the cruise boats, the ferries n motorboats coming into the harbour; the toy people mover's train &  kids whizzing past on skates.....n more....

   The city skyline n the Harbour Bridge…

…as seen from our Room @ Star City, Casino

Suihan Penjing

The Chinese refer to Bonsai (where a plant Sai) is grown in a shallow Pot (Bon) as Penjing…...

Sui Han Penjing…. (where Sui : Land & Han : Water) is the art of planting a group of small trees interwoven with rocks or stones and soil contouring on a marble slate. You can see distinct land and water areas well-demarcated on the slate….hence the name Sui – han Bonsai / Penjing.

This is an advanced form of Bonsai technique….. rather it’s a Living Miniature Landscape, changing & growing with you & your family….. within the premises of your own living abode. Bonsai needs constant care and attn, very much like your own child, for it to BLOOM and BLOSSOM, filling your life with unconditional love for Nature……

Material Required:

Lots of Love and adoration for these plants & Nature….

~ A set of Bonsai Tools & accessories… like wire, mud scoops, dusting cloth etc
~ Turn table
~ Marble Slate…. oval, rectangular, or uneven design.
~ Rocks or Stones…. in varying sizes.
~ Plants….Depending on the artist’s choice….
Same variety for a forest arrangement….
Different varieties for a mixed landscape….
~ Filler plants: Mondo Grass, Lal Bhaaji, Euphorbia milli

~ Medium Soil (Both dry and wet)
~ Peat moss (slightly wet) & Finely chopped Spagnum Moss (kept in water)
~ Water Sprayer
~ Cement

Method
First and foremost, visualize the arrangement in your mind and then once the picture you want to create is clear in your minds eye begin to give shape to it, in reality…… using your vision and skills, in accordance to the Bonsai rules, related to creation of a Sui han Penjing.

~ Place the slate on the turn table, so that you can turn it around and observe it from all possible angles…….

First step: Placement of the Rocks on the Slate

The largest & sturdiest rock, has to be placed first, & at an off centre position of the slate.
The second largest rock has to be placed second, followed by other pieces of rock, in varying sizes.
Once the final arrangement is in place…. we need to draw an outline around the rock arrangement and then one at a time, stick these rocks on the marble slate with the help of cement.

These rocks help in demarcation of land & Water areas on the slate and also help to hold the soil in place & at the same time give a natural undulating Contouring effect to the overall landscape.

Second Step: Erect a Boundary wall
Erect a Peat moss Boundary Wall (about an inch tall) around the slate, to demarcate the land area, on the slate

This is needed to keep the soil from being washed away with each watering….

Third Step: Preparing the Slate
Cover the slate with wet mud, (area which has already been demarcated by the boundary wall) giving a mud base for the placement of the plants.

Fourth Step: Placement of the Plants

Main Plant, (tallest & sturdiest) to be placed first…. @ off centre position on the slate…. near the vicinity of the main Rock. Add some dry soil to hold the plant in place

In this case the main tree used was an impressive twin-trunk small leaved Ficus.

This has to be well co-coordinated by the secondary tree (second tallest) and then a number of small leaved, individually wired, MULTI TRUNK plants (Multi trunk plants are single trees with multiple trunks thereby, giving an impression of a number of individual trees growing together in a group)

Placement of Plants should give an overall triangular effect ……to the landscape.

Add a lot of Soil to hold each plant in place….. giving a natural undulating contour to the landscape.

Spray some water with the help of the spray on the soil and later give final touches to the Penjing by placing a few filler plants where ever required, and covering the mud with sphagnum moss.

VOILA!!
Your own self made Miniature Landscape is ready to be displayed in your very own House….. be it indoors or outdoors….. These plants, breathe a new lease of life into your own mundane existence……. just by being there for you…. smiling & blooming, just for you, & ur family, …….for all times to come….

The awe-inspiring Penjing, showing the trees bent over the rivulet, forming an interminable groove over it, appears as natural as any man-made creation can be.

Last but not the Least: Upkeep Of this Penjing:

Can be kept indoors or outdoors….
First one week …. Keep it indoors, away from the sun. Gradually expose the plants to the sun.

Watering:
Preferably once everyday, or as n when the soil gets dry.

Trimming:
Trim the new shoots back in place as and when needed…..more often during the peak growing season.

Care:
Make sure you say hello….. to your plant every now and then and shower it with all your Love .

PS: A compliation : As demonstarted by Bonsai Masters Jyoti n Nikunj Parekh to members of ABA... Lko, April 2007.

A Dream Comes True....

For most people, their first encounter with bonsai is probably in a local garden nursery, but my first brush with this fascinating miniature representation of a tree came during a flower show at the Alipore Horticulture Garden in Kolkata about five years back. Back then, as a post graduate management student, it was love at first sight with Bonsai, when in between lectures; I found time to visit the flower show with my friends.

A chance meeting with Mrs Santosh Arora, the president of Avadh Bonsai Association, Lucknow and a visit to her Bonsai Garden a few years later, brought back the immensely captivating feeling & the resolve to learn more about the subject. The fact that Bonsai is a work of art, resulting from many years of patient care and constant attention by its owner came to light, by meeting Mrs Arora who has been creating some of the most beautiful Bonsai’s for over 30 years now and who has also been instrumental in starting a Bonsai Club in Lucknow and teaching this extraordinary art to new enthusiasts like myself. Just watching her conduct a workshop on Bonsai with such energy and dedication inspires me as well as, all her students to learn more about this vast subject and create a much admired Bonsai from an ordinary garden plant.

Even in my wildest dream, I had never thought that one fine day this fascination for Bonsai, would take me all the way to China to attend the BCI 2006 International Penjing, Shangshi Exposition & Convention. Attending the week long convention at the Chencun Flower World, Foshan, provided me the wonderful opportunity to travel with Nita Singh, Suman Agarwal & her spouse, Benu Kalsi, & her spouse from Lucknow & to learn more about the various aspects of this art form, from world renowned Bonsai masters & also meet like-minded enthusiast from different countries, across the world.

Chinese Penjing, or Bonsai, as we call it here in India combines the beauties of nature, art and artistic conception of plants by human beings to create splendid masterpieces appreciated by one and all. The Grand Master Masahiko Kimura from Japan demonstrated his skills on a huge Cypress Penjing while Lindsay Bebb from Australia created the impression of Aged Cypress implementing intricate wiring techniques and advanced carving techniques, using his high powered Bonsai tools.

Qingquan Zhao from China demonstrated his skills working on Fraxinus Chinensis to create a beautiful Shui-han (water and land) Penjing. An advanced group style Penjing by Yun hua Hu and Chun-gang Liu also from Mainland China impressively incorporated the idea of placing a flowing water fountain on the curvaceous marble slate with a group of Hai Nan Flambeau tree ( Bischoffia chunii) Penjing. The picturesque jungle created by them was so natural and harmonious, for a viewer to actually imagine the chirping of the birds amidst the trickling flow of water down a stream and the sashaying of the flambeau trees, in this miniaturized Penjing. Qin-fei Zhu, Singapore created the most amazing piece of art with completely defoliated trees of Wrightia Religiosa (Water Jasmine) placed together in a well balanced group interwoven with rocks of all sizes on a 1.7 mts. long marble slate.

Robert Steven, Indonesia while working on Triphasia Trifolia (wild Lemon) to create a windswept Group Planting on Rock emphasized on the essence of the key word “MOTION”. The movement of wind, gentle or strong and the winds effect on the group of trees and their individual branches and twigs.

Zhong- mingLiu/ Ke-ying Xie demonstrated their skills in creating a Lingnan Penjing on various plants using the clip and grow method, advocated by the Lingnan school of Bonsai (Penjing) from Guangzhou. Han-lian Yang / Song-en Wu also emphasized on few trimming techniques after completely defoliating the plant and later trimming the individual branches, sub branches, step by step while shaping the overall personality of the plant into a beautiful Lingnan Penjing.

The individual lectures on Global Penjing and Evolution of World Bonsai Friendship Federation (WBFF) by its outgoing President, Solita Rosade, Latin America; and on different types of Japanese Suiseki, by Arishge Matsura, Japan are worth mentioning.

It was indeed a Dream Come True…… for a novice like me, to meet our very own Bonsai Masters from India, Jyoti and Nikunj Parekh who are the pioneers of this wonderful art of Bonsai in India. A gala get-together was organized for them with lots of singing, dancing, to celebrate the auspicious occasion of their wedding anniversary in China along with lots of friends from across India.

The trip to china has been truly enriching and worth the while, as I now appreciate the variable splendor of nature in the form of a delicate, lovingly crafted Penjing even more. The knowledge gained & the memories of the convention will definitely linger on in my hearts rendezvous for a long time to come…………..

PS: An abridged version of my write up has been published in Nichin Bonsai 2006.