Bonsai garden....

I've been laid low by a virus for the past couple days. Lack of sleep, periodic coughing spells and lack of interest in food have all combined to leave me just a bit worn out, even when I've just gotten up in the morning. But I'm on the mend I think and then I can start taking care of Don, because he is beginning to sound a little sniffly. We haven't had a cold/flu in so long, I guess we are due.

The morning has dawned, warm and golden. The sunshine streaming through the kitchen window feels pleasant and lights up the plants that I have on the window sill. Some people like African violets on the sill over the sink, a lovely array of pinks and purples, blues and lavenders. But I have little bonsai in training. Mind you, they aren't your typical junipers and japanese maples. These are plants that do well indoors and they are small size (called mame which is pronounced "mammy"). When we lived in BC, I had quite a nice little collection of great bonsai. As nice as some that I see on a bonsai website that I like to go to. But they ranged in size up to 2' high, quite large really and with correspondingly large pots. Unfortunately, when we moved, it wasn't possible to fit the big pots and all into the car so I donated them to the local bonsai club to be used as raffle prizes. I thought that when we arrived here in NS, I would give up the bonsai hobby. Too much work and maintenance. While I don't have the big ones anymore, I have started a few small cuttings with the intention of developing this very small size. In the event that we ever move again, particularly into an apartment one day when we are really old and rickety, I can take a few little plants with me.

I have a little fuschia and I'm developing a small flowered chrysanthemum, as well as a few Chinese elms. Chinese elms are actually interesting as a bonsai subject. They are a tree that will grow up to 50' tall, but you can maintain them in a size that will fit in the palm of your hand and as the small pot size restricts their growth, the leaves are correspondingly tiny. The pictures above are of the fuschia and chrysanthemum, part of my indoor garden.