Bonsaiographies shed a spotlight on everyday bonsai enthusiasts from the Bonsai Outlet community. Meet your fellow enthusiasts and learn some of the tales and techniques that have made bonsai a more enriching part of their lives.
| Name |
Ryan |
| Occupation |
Senior Care Manager
from Lake Forest, CA |
| Gardening Zone |
Zone 9 |
How and when did you get started into Bonsai? I'm pretty new to the hobby I got interested after seeing the bonsai gardens of Huntington Library and the San Diego Wildlife Preserve.
Who or what has had an influence on you and your gardening?
It always bothered me when people top trees and don't work with them and there natural branching structure. My father used to hire the cheapest guy that came around to cut our trees. They always seemed to cut the trees as high as their ladder and ruined many trees. This started my study of how trees should grow and started my love of arborism.
What was your first bonsai?
A juniper I bought from nursery stock.
How many do you currently have?
Two, one in training from the nursery and the second I started as a cloning from a branch of the first tree.
Do you have a favorite bonsai?
I love forest style and Cascade style. The two I have right now I am trying to train in Cascade style.
How much time each week do you spend bonsai gardening?
Not enough. Until now I haven't had the right tools. Several hours each week working on all my plants including the bonsais. (BonsaiOutlet: Ryan was the winner of the 10-piece Japanese Bonsai tools kit in Novermber 2006)
What is your favorite gardening tool and why?
I'm glad I won the tool set! I bought my brother a set of bonsai tools for Christmas this last year from Bonsai Outlet, but he loves them and won't let me borrow them.
Where do you purchase your bonsai?
I bought some seeds online and plan to start them soon. The other is a Juniper that I bought from a local nursery and have started to train. I picked it because of the excellent base and rooting structure.
Do you have a favorite online bonsai website we should know about?
Bonsaioutlet.com.
Do you have a favorite bonsai book everyone should read? Why?
The Bonsai Workshop by Herb L. Gustafson, great well-rounded book with great illustrations as well as step-by-step photos for training and pruning techniques. I also like Bonsai by Peter Chan, this is a great hard cover coffee table book. My friends love to look at it when they come over and has great information on picking healthy nursery stock.
What bonsai would you like to add to your collection next?
I would love to work with drift wood or train a bonsai roots over a rock
What tip or trick can you share with other bonsai enthusiasts?
I am still learning from all of you, thanks Bonsai Outlet. |
