Recently, the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University "Aptekarsky Ogorod" does not cease to please us with wonderful events. Now, in this strict and very serious scientific institution, you can not only admire plants and learn a lot of interesting things about their life, but also listen to lectures on botanical painting or become a participant in a master class in oratory and business communication, or even listen to music at Night Classical Concerts on the grass.
But we want to pay special attention to the exhibition "Bonsai - miniature landscapes from living Russian trees", which was held in the Aptekarsky Ogorod from May 12 to 19, 2017 as part of the XVII Spring Flower Festival.
This is already the second bonsai exhibition in the recent history of the Aptekarsky Ogorod - the first one, held in 2016, was more traditional (see Bonsai Exhibition "The World in a Clay Bowl"). This exhibition is entirely devoted to Russian plants.
Visitors to the exhibition had a unique opportunity to see plants so familiar and beloved by us - apple trees, oaks, birches, pines, hawthorn, red currants and many other trees and shrubs of Central and southern Russia - in a completely different artistic and natural perspective - grown and shaped in the legendary Japanese bonsai technique. Most of the presented exhibits are more than a dozen years old, some specimens are already more than half a century old, and the size is comparable to the size of ordinary houseplants.
The art of bonsai originated in 200 BC. e. in China, several centuries later, the Japanese, along with Buddhism, mastered it, brought it to filigree perfection, and now it is considered traditionally Japanese. The very word "bonsai" in translation into Russian means a plant (sai) in a low bowl (bon). About 400 species of plants have been selected and specially bred to create bonsai over the centuries since the birth of this art. But few could imagine that our native birches and currants can become an excellent material for creating compositions in the style of ancient Japanese art.
For most of us, bonsai is necessarily a purely exotic oriental miracle grown from special "bonsai" plants. Although bonsai is not a particular type of tree, bonsai is a work of art created by an artist from living material in accordance with a special technique that allows the artistic images of trees to be expressed in miniature. With this technique, you can form a beautiful bonsai from almost any kind of tree.
The author of the exhibition compositions is Andrey Darusenkov, a bonsai artist, a Russian master of this still rare art in Russia. All the trees that became part of the exhibition compositions were found by the author in wildlife, carefully dug up, transplanted into bowls and further formed in the traditions of bonsai art. All the "living landscapes" that we saw at the exhibition are kept in the conditions of the Moscow region. Some of them have won prizes at international bonsai competitions.
Andrey Darusenkov has been practicing bonsai for over 20 years. He repeatedly visited Japan to study this ancient oriental art. He regularly holds exhibitions of his works and master classes on various techniques of bonsai formation. He is the author and subject of many publications and television programs about the art of creating and maintaining miniature trees.
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In the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University "Aptekarsky Ogorod" opened the largest exhibition of Japanese bonsai in Russia over the past 10 years "World in a clay bowl". The exhibition presents coniferous, deciduous, evergreen and flowering plants from a unique private collection. Many of them are formed by a Russian master from Japanese material, but most of them were brought from Japan in their finished form.
From November 4, 2015 to January 24, 2016, visitors to the exhibition "The World in a Clay Bowl" will be able to get acquainted with the ancient Japanese art of bonsai and feel the spirit of the Land of the Rising Sun.
Bonsai (Jap. 盆栽 - "grown in a tray") is the Japanese art of growing miniature trees in small containers. Trees that are similar in appearance and proportions to large old trees are especially valued. Plant growth is regulated by a small root system, pruning and other special techniques. The beginnings of bonsai art arose in China during the Tang Dynasty (7th-10th centuries), and at the same time the first bonsai began to be brought from China to Japan by diplomatic missions and Buddhist monks.
The heyday of bonsai art in Japan occurred in the 19th century. At this time, complex techniques for growing and shaping miniature trees finally took shape and many styles arose. At the end of the century, the first bonsai began to appear in Europe and North America. So, at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1878, trees brought from Japan delighted visitors who came to the French capital from all over the world. The first bonsai competition as a separate art form was held in Tokyo in 1892. However, the first major bonsai exhibition was held in the Japanese capital only in 1927.
In the Soviet Union, bonsai was first seen in 1976, when the wife of the Japanese ambassador, Mrs. Shigemitsu, donated about 50 trees to the Main Botanical Garden of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Bonsai exhibitions in Moscow were held in the late 1980s, and the last time in 2004.
Entrance to the exhibition with tickets to the Pharmaceutical Garden. The cost of a full entrance ticket is 200 rubles, a reduced one (schoolchildren, students, pensioners and holders of an international student card ISIC) - 150 rubles.
"Aptekarsky garden" is open daily from 10.00 to 20.00, cash desk - until 19.30.
Japanese beauty. Age - about 30 years old
Azalea Indian (Rhododendron indicum). Age - about 50 years old
The exhibition will feature more than 60 bonsai trees formed in a variety of styles. Among them are the rarest specimens of great collection value. The age of the trees is from several tens to hundreds of years.
The first bonsai exhibition took place in Tokyo in 1914.
By the 21st century, more than 1,200 books have already been written about bonsai in 26 languages of the world.
In the first days of the exhibition, quite a lot of people have already visited it, there really is something to see :)
City beech. Age - about 80 years old
Pyracantha angustifolia. Age - about 30 years old
Japanese hornbeam. Age - about 40 years old
City beech. Age - about 50 years old
Juniper Chinese. Age - about 100 years old
The drupe is round. Age - about 50 years old
Ficus dull. Age - about 60 years old
Small-flowered pine (white Japanese pine). Age - about 70 years old
Holly serrate. Age - about 15 years old
Kaki. Age - about 12 years old
A group of schoolchildren write an amazing review in the Feedback and Suggestions book
I look at the thin branches
And the trunk is stocky -
The whole world in a clay bowl. (Unknown author of the 21st century)
The exhibition is located in a warm greenhouse
In the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University "Aptekarsky Ogorod", which is on Prospect Mira, a wonderful exhibition - "The Art of Bonsai" is finishing its work. I was going for a long time, and finally I got together - I would not forgive myself if I missed such a miracle.
The exhibition presents coniferous, deciduous, evergreen and flowering plants from the unique - the largest in the country - private collection of Valery Pitel. Many of them are formed by a Russian master from Japanese material, but most of them were brought from Japan in their finished form. The oldest of the plants is about 150 years old!! It is even impossible to imagine ... It is amazing, at least for me, that small plants in small bowls are real trees!
Bonsai (盆栽, "tray-grown" in Japanese) is the Japanese art of growing miniature trees in small containers. Trees that are similar in appearance and proportions to large old trees are especially valued. Plant growth is regulated by a small root system, pruning and other special techniques. The beginnings of bonsai art arose in China during the Tang Dynasty (7th-10th centuries), and at the same time the first bonsai began to be brought from China to Japan by diplomatic missions and Buddhist monks.
The heyday of bonsai art in Japan occurred in the 19th century. At this time, complex techniques for growing and shaping miniature trees finally took shape and many styles arose. At the end of the century, the first bonsai began to appear in Europe and North America. So, at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1878, trees brought from Japan delighted visitors who came to the French capital from all over the world. The first bonsai competition as a separate art form was held in Tokyo in 1892. However, the first major bonsai exhibition was held in the Japanese capital only in 1927.
It is difficult to convey the impressions of the exhibition in words - some kind of quiet feeling of the beautiful, wonderful ... Soft music in the pavilion enhances, or rather, deepens the impression.
I invite you to walk through the exhibition with me once again. There are a lot of photos - I can't exclude anything...
Cypress blunt. The age of the trees in the group is from 15 to 50 years.
Pyracantha angustifolia. Age - about 50 years.
Maple tripartite. Age - about 30 years.
70 years old.
Pyracantha angustifolia. Age - about 30 years.
Conifers in all their forms and diversity are my great love!
Juniper Chinese. Age - approx. 100 years.
Thunberg pine (black Japanese pine). Age - about 70 years.
The tree trunk is absolutely amazing! Well, how can that be...
Rhododendron Indian. Age - about 90 years.
He will probably bloom at the right time! Here to see...
20 years.
A small tree with a completely bewitching shape of the trunk!
Cypress blunt. Age - about 50 years.
Trachelospermum Asiatica. Age - about 50 years.
City beech. Age - about 80 years.
Juniper Chinese. Age - about 60 years.
In my perception - a "classic" plant, some kind of bonsai symbol.
Siebold's Hemlock (South Japanese). Age - approx. 120 years.
Small-flowered pine (white Japanese pine). Age - about 50 years.
Small-flowered pine (white Japanese pine). Age - approx. 100 years.
Trees of the same species - white Japanese pine - and completely, completely different!
Juniper Chinese. Age - approx. 150 years (!!!).
Quince Chinese. Age - about 40 years.
Delicate leaves are blooming!
Cypress blunt. The age of the trees in the group is from 15 to 25 years.
Small but real forest!
Small-flowered pine (white Japanese pine). Age - approx. 100 years.
Thunberg pine (black Japanese pine). Age - about 50 years.
Small-flowered pine (white Japanese pine). Age - about 70 years.
Thunberg pine (black Japanese pine). Age - about 60 years.
Amazing little charm!!
Juniper Chinese. Compositions on stone. The trees are about 10 years old.
Juniper Chinese. Composition on stone. The trees are about 20 years old.
El Glen. Age - about 45 years.
And here is the Christmas tree))
A charming option for those who have nowhere to plant a large apple tree. Apples are real!
Japanese euonymus. Age - about 12 years old.
Simply aching simplicity, tenderness and grace!
From the Aptekarsky Ogorod website (http://hortus.ru):
"The rarest 100-year-old Japanese ume plum (Prunus mume) bloomed at the largest bonsai exhibition in Russia "Art of Bonsai" in the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University "Aptekarsky Ogorod".One of the most valuable exhibits is formed in the style of Kengai (cascade) and has hardly changed for more than half a century - there is a photo of a plum in Japanese bonsai catalogs of 1960. Flowering will last about two weeks. Plum is one of the main symbols of the New Year in Japan along with bamboo and pine. Seeing it bloom is good luck and happiness.
Plum is one of the main symbols of Japanese poetry, and most often it is depicted on ceramics, engravings, and scrolls. It symbolizes the feminine, as well as the stamina and purity of the soul, as it blooms when the snow falls. Sometimes it is even difficult to make out where the snow-white plum flowers are, and where is the fluffy snow. Therefore, it is no coincidence that plum blossoms and snow are the main images of Japanese poems dedicated to winter. Plum leaves appear much later - when spring comes.
The plum tree symbolizing strength is often used as a protective agent against evil and they try to plant it in the southeastern part of the garden, since it is from this side, according to Japanese beliefs, that it comes. If the first snow falls before the buds open on the plum, there is a danger that the flowers will quickly fall off. Therefore, the Japanese try to catch every precious moment. Like sakura, plum blossoms bloom in different parts of Japan at different times, which allows you to extend the enjoyment of admiring it, moving from place to place.
Japanese plum flowers have a unique aroma, colors - white, pink, red and their shades.
Japanese plum. Age - not less than 100 years.
How lucky I am to see it bloom!
Ginkgo biloba. Age - about 60 years.
The name of this plant is now known to many, and I am no exception. But outwardly, I would never recognize him!
Apple tree. Age - about 12 years old.
The art of bonsai: the history of its origin in Russia
Bonsai means "grown in a tray" in Japanese. In other words, these are created miniatures of large old trees. Grow bonsai in flat containers and small pots. With the help of pruning and splicing branches and other techniques, plants with a small root system turn into majestic trees that amaze with their beauty. The art of creating bonsai originated in China during the reign of the Tang Dynasty. The first dwarf plants came to Japan around the same period, thanks to diplomats and Buddhist monks.
The peak of the prosperity of the art of growing bonsai in the Japanese provinces occurred in the 19th century. Many masters involved in the creation of miniature plants used their techniques, subsequently they formed new styles and directions.
Bonsai came to Europe and North America in the 19th century, they were first shown to the public at the World Exhibition in the capital of France in 1878. The guests of the event were delighted with the small trees. This made the masters organize the first exhibition of their works, but it took place only in 1927 in Tokyo.
The plants were brought to the Soviet Union in 1976, at the request of the wife of the Japanese ambassador. Arrived 50 copies of bonsai were placed in the Botanical Garden of the Academy of Sciences. In November 1980, the first exhibition of mini trees was held in Moscow, the second exhibition took place in 2004. The current event is the largest and longest, so everyone can admire exhibits from private collections and robots of famous Japanese masters at a convenient time.
The world in a clay bowl: an exhibition of bonsai and artistic miniatures
Japan is one of the most mysterious countries in the world, its culture attracts with its versatility and diversity. Therefore, the organizers of the exhibition invite connoisseurs of the art of the power of the rising sun to visit their project. The guests of the event will be presented with many types of bonsai grown by skilful Russian gardeners and delivered from Japan.
The exhibits of the project will be coniferous, deciduous, evergreen and flowering tree miniatures. It is planned that in total, over 60 plants will be placed, made in a wide variety of styles. Some of them are very rare original works of great value for collectors.
Among the exhibits will be very rare perennial plants, which are a hundred years old or more, as well as specimens with a long history.
- 80 and 100 year old beech bonsai grown in classic upright Tokkan style;
- 100-year-old hemlock bonsai (coniferous tree from the Pine family);
- A 70-year-old Japanese white pine (a variant of the small-flowered pine, Pinus parviflora), formed in a cascading style.
- 40-year-old palm-shaped maple, made in one of the main bonsai styles - Sokan. It is a tree with two trunks growing from one root, which is why such a plant is also called "mother" and "child".
Guests of the exhibition will also have the opportunity to admire the famous bonsai, created from the Japanese Ume plum, the exposition is made in the cascading style of Kengai. This tree has been found in the catalogs of Japanese collectors since 1960, but no one can determine its exact age, since the appearance of the plant has not changed much since then.
In addition to viewing the exhibits, guests of the site will be able to take part in exciting master classes from the most eminent plant growing masters who will share their secrets of growing bonsai in bowls. There will also be a competition for the best Japanese haiku lyric poem. The winners of the poetry competition will be awarded memorable prizes.
Location of the event, working hours and visiting conditions
An exhibition of bonsai and miniatures, with the unusual title "The World in a Clay Bowl", will be held from November 4, 2015 to January 24, 2016. The event is organized by the oldest botanical garden in Russia - the Pharmaceutical Garden, located in Moscow at the address: Mira Avenue, 26, building 1.
Information for visitors and ticket prices:
- The exhibition is open every day from November 4 to January 24: from 10.00 to 20.00.
- Entrance ticket price: 200 rubles, for privileged guests - 150 rubles.
- The cash desk is open daily and closes 30 minutes before. before the end of the exhibition.
- The ticket price also includes admission to other events taking place during the same period: the Landscape Aquarium Gallery and the exposition of the collection of succulents (desert plants), located on the second floor of the Palm Greenhouse.
Outcome
Thanks to the efforts of the organizers, visitors to the Japanese bonsai exposition will be able to see the oldest exhibits, kindly provided by collectors from Japan and Russia, as well as the creations of modern authors.
Upon arrival from China in December, we had almost the whole day free until the train from Moscow. We went to Red Square, looked at the ice rink, we had to keep ourselves occupied with something else. A cursory googling suggested that the Apothecary Garden is currently hosting an exhibition of Japanese bonsai "The Art of Bonsai". This is the oldest botanical garden in the country, which is interesting not only in summer, but also in winter due to the presence of several greenhouses. The exhibition featured coniferous, deciduous, evergreen and flowering plants from a unique private collection. Many of them are formed by a Russian master from Japanese material, but most of them were brought from Japan in their finished form. More than 60 bonsai trees, formed in a variety of styles, could be seen at the exhibition. Among them are the rarest specimens of great collection value. The age of the trees is from several tens to hundreds of years.
Bonsai(Jap. 盆栽 - lit. "grown in a tray") is the Japanese art of growing miniature trees in small containers. Trees that are similar in appearance and proportions to large old trees are especially valued. Plant growth is regulated by a small root system, pruning and other special techniques. The beginnings of bonsai art arose in China during the Tang Dynasty (7th-10th centuries), and at the same time the first bonsai began to be brought from China to Japan by diplomatic missions and Buddhist monks.
Chinese juniper (juniperus chinensis), about 70 years old
The heyday of bonsai art in Japan occurred in the 19th century. At this time, complex techniques for growing and shaping miniature trees finally took shape and many styles arose. At the end of the century, the first bonsai began to appear in Europe and North America. So, at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1878, trees brought from Japan delighted visitors who came to the French capital from all over the world. The first bonsai competition as a separate art form was held in Tokyo in 1892. However, the first major bonsai exhibition was held in the Japanese capital only in 1927.
In the Soviet Union, bonsai was first seen in 1976, when the wife of the Japanese ambassador, Mrs. Shigemitsu, donated about 50 trees to the Main Botanical Garden of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Bonsai exhibitions in Moscow were held in the late 1980s, and the last time in 2004.
Small-flowered pine, white Japanese pine (Pinus parviflora) ?
The bonsai style originated in China and dates back to the Tang Dynasty (VIII-X centuries). Among the wall paintings, an image of penzai was found - a plant taken from nature and transplanted into a pot. Now ordinary trees are used for bonsai, they become small due to constant pruning and various other methods. At the same time, the ratio of the sizes of the root system, limited by the volume of the bowl, and the ground part of the bonsai corresponds to the proportions of an adult tree in nature.
Blunt cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), about 50 years old
At the exhibition "The World in a Clay Bowl" you can get acquainted with the ancient Japanese art of bonsai and feel the spirit of the Land of the Rising Sun. At the exhibition, you can see more than 60 bonsai trees, formed in a variety of styles. Among them are the rarest specimens of great collection value. The age of the trees is from several tens to hundreds of years.
City beech (Fagus crenata), about 80 years old
There were many amazing exhibits at the exhibition, including:
- bonsai from the Japanese ume plum, formed in the style of Kengai (cascade) (her photo is in the Japanese bonsai catalogs of 1960 - for more than half a century she has not changed much, and her age cannot be determined);
- 80-year-old beech bonsai, formed in the style of Tekkan (straight vertical);
- 100 year old hemlock bonsai;
- 70-year-old white Japanese pine (Goyo-matsu) in cascading style;
- 100-year-old white Japanese pine in Tekkan style (straight vertical);
- 40-year-old Benichidori palm-shaped maple in the style of Sokan (father and son), and many other unique trees.
Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis Itoigawa), about 60 years old
Trees that are similar in appearance and proportions to large old trees are especially valued. Plant growth is regulated by a small root system, pruning and other special techniques.
Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), about 100 years old
As it was possible to learn from numerous reliable sources, the first bonsai trees in Russia appeared in the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University "Pharmaceutical Garden" - no later than the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. Previously, it was believed that this happened in the USSR only in 1976.
Tsuga Siebold South Japanese (Tsuga sieboldii), age about 120 years
The first bonsai exhibition "The World in a Clay Bowl" was held in the "Aptekarsky Ogorod" with a full house in autumn and winter 2015/16. She was awarded the Golden Diploma in the nomination "Best Environmental Design Object" at the VI Russian National Prize for Landscape Architecture - the most prestigious in the country.
Small-flowered pine, Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora), about 50 years old
The exhibition was held as part of the Japanese Autumn festival and with the official support of the Japanese Embassy in Russia, in the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University Aptekarsky Ogorod, for the second time in history. This is the largest exhibition of Japanese bonsai in Russia "The Art of Bonsai".
Small-flowered pine, Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora Zuisho), about 100 years old
In most cases, bonsai are not indoor plants, so they need to be placed outdoors, although they can sometimes be taken indoors for use as interior decoration.
Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), about 150 years old
Some trees require special protection in winter, and the intensity of the techniques used in cold weather depends primarily on how well the tree is adapted to the climate. If a plant has a hibernation period, then in no case should it be interrupted, especially in deciduous plants. To protect the plant from the cold outside, it can be placed in an additional container or cover the ground in a pot with a layer of humus that reaches the first branch.
Chinese quince (Chaenomeles sinensis), about 40 years old
Contrary to popular belief, bonsai can be grown indoors as long as it gets enough light. Maple or pine can grow both outdoors and indoors, but they have a dormant period. Many trees need to be grown indoors first and then moved to the garden.
Blunt cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), age of trees in a group from 15 to 25 years
Japanese black pine and some other species, being outdoor trees, can survive in a room, although they are best placed in a cold room or even in a special refrigerator. To make sure the position of the tree is correct, you need to monitor the lighting and conditions during the cold season. To ensure this, it is often possible to simply open a window, but this is not the case when living in very cold areas. In fact, there are no completely "outer" trees. All cold-resistant trees, after being placed in heat, acclimatize after a while.
The art of bonsai (translated from Japanese means “a plant grown in a tray”) is the process of growing in a small shallow vessel an exact, but reduced to a miniature size, copy of a tall tree grown in natural conditions.
Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), composition on stone, trees about 10 years old
The birthplace of this fascinating art form is China, where it originated about two thousand years ago, and six centuries later, together with the Buddhists, it ended up in Japan, where it developed: the Japanese not only improved the methods of growing graceful trees, but also systematized them (Japanese bonsai from Chinese is distinguished by great elegance).
Small-flowered pine, Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora), about 70 years old
If we talk about Japanese art, it must be borne in mind that it is not just a process of growing a bonsai, but is a whole philosophy, since the person doing this must have the appropriate attitude: be wise, benevolent, delicate and have a sense of justice.
Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis Itoigawa), about 70 years old
Since the art of bonsai became extremely popular in the twentieth century, this approach to growing miniature trees by Europeans was somewhat simplified: those who want to have such a miracle in their home, it is enough to take their work seriously, with love and show maximum attention to the plant. In this case, miniature trees are quite capable of living for more than a hundred years, uniting several generations of the family with their presence.
Round stone fruit (Osteomeles subrotunda), about 50 years old
The most popular indoor bonsai are from five to thirty centimeters: they are so beautiful, fragile and graceful that, causing involuntary awe, they give the impression of belonging to an amazing magical land of miniature things.
Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis Itoigawa), about 50 years old
Before you grow a bonsai with your own hands, you need to take into account that the occupation is not easy and you will have to constantly take care of the tree: in order to get a full-fledged plant, it will take at least four years (this is how much it will take for the seeds to germinate and form a strong trunk).
white flower on crooked bonsai
It should also be borne in mind that indoor bonsai are trees, therefore, like other plants of this species, they need fresh air and enough light. For example, bonsai pine is quite a way to grow both indoors and outdoors, but Japanese black pine prefers to grow only outdoors, so in winter you need to place the plant in the coldest room and monitor the lighting.
bonsai persimmon with fruit
One of the most difficult tasks is to create a tree of the intended shape, for which they use methods such as pruning, bandaging, cutting branches and other methods (the plant should not have more than two or three branches).
Maple tripartite (Acer buergerianum), age about 75 years
Japanese masters divide the art of bonsai into 15 styles. With the help of them, the tree can be given the most bizarre shape. The names of the styles - "broom", "blown away", "cascade", "creeping forest", etc. - speak for themselves. Moreover, bonsai can be not only trees, but also shrubs, and even grass.
blooming bonsai with pink flowers and white leaves
The meaning of the unusual art of growing trees is to emphasize the beauty of nature by showing it in one or more miniature plants.
Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis)
To make the tree look as natural as possible, the bonsai master must be not only a skilled gardener, but also an artist. He must mentally imagine the image of the future tree (and here the master can roam as it should), and then embody it in a plant. Bonsai are often presented only as a houseplant, but they can also be grown in the garden.
Bonsai apple tree with apples (Malus sp.), about 12 years old
The greenhouse with a bonsai exhibition is not the only one in the Pharmaceutical Garden, there is also a tropical greenhouse, and a rain forest, and a lake with Victoria water lilies with huge leaves, and a branch of succulents with cacti, and other palm trees and orchids.
