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In The Bonsai Garden

© David J. Bockman

Rather than attending to a myriad of pressing tasks today, I puttered in the bonsai garden. With the heat of summer full upon us here in the terribly dry Midatlantic region, today brought some sense of relief with dryer air and more seasonable temperatures. A pleasant breeze blew from the North for most of the day, making my work even in full sun absolutely delightful. I have to be in a special mood to weed, and today was the day, so armed with a massive tub and Bach's 'Goldberg Variations', I attended to the invaders. Pulling weeds from bonsai and training pots is very rewarding, believe it or not. One pull on a clump of crabgrass, clover, or other invasive and unwanted guest will show you what I mean. These plants have huge, thirsty root systems that rob your bonsai of precious water and nutrients. With such a limited volume of soil, every drop counts. Often an enormous clump of soil comes along with the weed, so I find it helpful to 'frame' the stem with my free hand, pressing down around the weed as I pull it free, keeping the majority of the soil in place.

This was a banner year for Mulberry-- everywhere I look literally hundreds, perhaps thousands, of seedlings are sprouting in every available square inch of soil. Fortunately they're easily plucked out and added to the growing pile of victims. I have a Mulberry in the rear of my property that sports white fruit, so perhaps a few of those seedlings can stay. Who has a Mulberry bonsai...?

As I worked, those magical sounds of J.S. wafting through the garden, an occasional stiff breeze would pass by, and the massive Ash trees would shimmer. Dull thuds marked where the ripe black walnuts were dropping to the ground, chased by the neighborhood squirrels, their mouths stained black with the juice of the husks. Near the greenhouse, the Black Cherries are setting their tiny fruit, the branches bending low with their weight. Soon Mourning Doves will gorge themselves to drunkenness and stupefaction, as will the Cedar Waxwings and perhaps a raucous Blue Jay or five. The birds are my constant and welcome companions in the bonsai garden; nothing delights me more than to see one alight upon one of my larger trees. Brilliant, neon yellow American Goldfinch rocket through on their way to the cutting garden, on the lookout for ripening sunflower seeds, teutonia, or perhaps thistle from the feeder. Towards the front of the garden, Flickers and a rare Piliated Woodpecker work on the raw openings in the Clump Birches, ravaged by last winter's ice storms. As I tardily potted and trimmed a few more miniature hostas, Chickadees stole about the trees around me. A Nuthatch scolded me for some unknown transgression, and then proceeded over to the feeder for an oily sunflower seed.

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