Bonsai gardening making inroads

People, of late, are attracted towards raising Bonsai plants due to dearth of gardening space with the growing urbanisation. The plant lovers in Vijayawada too are shifting their focus and hobby towards Bonsai horticulture these days.

With more awareness on gardening and horticulture and with the development of international standards, gardening lovers are growing plants at all possible places available at homes.

Vertical gardens and Rooftop gardens are some of the options being chosen to give more elegance to the houses these days. Since recent past, people are shifting their focus from vertical and rooftop gardening to Bonsai plantation, which gives grace and beauty to the homes.

The Bonsai plants are attractive and create a healthy atmosphere in the house. Naturally, denizens are making space for Bonsai plants in their homes.

Amaravati Bonsai Society (ABS) president Amrita Kumar, speaking to Womenia, said ABS is the first of its kind in Andhra Pradesh. She said, “Bonsai gardening is a Japanese technique which is picking up across the country and needs lot of patience and skill.

The society was formed to educate people and train them in preparing bonsai with very minimal soil, which would fit in a small pot. Due to lack of place people can have a miniature of a big tree inside the house, which was smaller than a bush.”

She said her interest to form a Bonsai Society at Vijayawada grew after participating at a Bonsai exhibition during a Horticulture expo in Hyderabad. The visitors of the expo showed interest in knowing about how to grow a Bonsai and take it up as a livelihood option which gave an incentive to start a society at Vijayawada when she relocated.

She formed the society with 25 members. She said that Vijayawada is a happening place these days and they would organise awareness programmes and classes on Bonsai gardening regularly to create awareness among farmers to take up Bonsai nursery as a livelihood programme.

Amaravati Bonsai Society headed by its President Amrita Kumar, Vice-President Yerneni Padmaja, Secretary Pathi Naga Lakshmi, Joint Secretary - Gamini Suneetha, Treasurer Durga Sowjanya Kancherla and one of the members Dr Neelima are actively involved in Bonsai gardening activities.

She said that the plant cost ranges from Rs 1,500 to more than one lakh depending on the rare variety, size and age of the Bonsai. These Bonsai plants are placed in commercial complexes, shopping malls, offices and houses these days.

There are a variety of Bonsai plants and the ones that are easily available include Phycus, Boganvilias, Temple trees, Edenium , Tamarind and all variety of fruit plants, wild plants in forest, flowering plants, Peepal, Banyan, Umbar, Christmas Tree, Silver Oak, Rose, Bakul and many more.