Beauty in miniature

An Exhibition of Bonsai:

The Bonsai Club of Sri Lanka will be presenting an Exhibition of Bonsai on the 4th and 5th August 2007, at the National Art Gallery, Greenpath Colombo 7. The Club founded in 1980 has held biennial exhibitions of over the years, and this year's exhibition is being held twenty five years after the first ever Exhibition of bonsai was held in Sri Lanka in 1982.

On display at this exhibition will be a variety of beautiful Bonsai of different styles, nurtured by the members of the Club over the years.

The art of growing bonsai which originated in China, and developed as an art form in Japan has now spread worldwide, and members of the Club have over the years worked on the wide variety of tropical trees such as the Ficus varieties, Malpighia, Tamarind, Woodapple, Iron Wood and many other varieties, to create miniatures of the large trees as they appear in nature.

The techniques used are the same as those used in Japan and involve systematic pruning of the roots and shoots accompanied with a process of wiring and planting the trees in special shallow bonsai pots.

Flowers and fruits are often produced on these miniatures and the overall effect is an artistic masterpiece. Also on display will be a variety of Saikei (natural landscape) and Bonkei (landscape with ornaments).

Urbanisation of towns and villages often removes the giant tropical trees from landscape. By growing these in miniature form, Bonsai growers are able to bring these exotic tropical trees including many endemic varieties, into their homes and gardens.