Shanthi Fernando’s backyard is a veritable forest for Lilliputians. This horticulturist has spent over 20 years mastering the art of bonsai and now over 75 beautiful trees bask in the sun. Planted in shallow basins, they range in size from the miniature plants that sit in the palm of your hand, to more full sized trees that might reach your knee. Some even bloom, producing tiny flowers and seeds.
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| Shanthi Fernando |
“This is meditation,” says Mrs. Fernando of her art, adding that she finds it a great reliever of stress. Mrs. Fernando’s current designation is Coordinating Director to the President for Special Initiatives.
In her previous posting as the Chief Operating Officer of the Reconstruction and Development Agency (RADA), she undertook post-tsunami reconstruction across the nation.
As for her art, it represents the toil of many years - she has been working with some of these plants for over two decades. She is extremely reluctant to part with them, and so they are only seen by the public when on display at the annual show of the Bonsai Association of Sri Lanka, an organisation of which she is President.
A bonsai tree is clearly a labour of love, and the labour seems to begin with getting the right mixture for your soil. Mrs. Fernando explains that her soil contains a mixture of elements, notably cattle manure, charcoal, pieces of brick, red earth and coarse river sand. First, these are painstakingly sifted then carefully layered in a shallow tray according to size. Then comes the plant - to withstand the brutal discipline that is soon to be inflicted on it, a perfect bonsai tree has to be a sturdy specimen.
Among many others, atteria, candle plant, broom tree, tamarind, heen thambala, and at least two varieties of ficus make an appearance in Mrs. Fernando’s collection. Many are chosen for their strong trunks and relatively smaller leaves. The presence of thick bark on these trunks allows you to really see these tiny trees for how old they are.
Most of the plants in this yard are indigenous species and well suited to the climate. Though all these trees are hers to prune and shape, Mrs. Fernando strives to nurture “natural” shapes in her plants. Explaining that she draws on nature for inspiration, Mrs. Fernando says she keeps an eye out for suitable saplings even while travelling, and some of the plants in her collection once grew on the borders of some distant road.
The bonsai displays Mrs. Fernando has seen on her visits to China are the products of pruning alone. The wiring and the use of weights and rods to manipulate the shape of the plant is a technique she credits the Japanese with developing. Here in addition to root reduction and defoliation, Mrs. Fernando might use a little piece of brick to push a branch down, or bind a recalcitrant trunk to steel rod to get it to grow straight. She regularly devotes some time to her plants, tweaking wires and branches.
“Every day I see something different that I want to correct,” she says smiling. Some of her undertakings must require particular attention, such as the tray evoking a rugged landscape across which several perfect bonsai trees are distributed.
“I’ve always been interested in foliage plants,” says Mrs. Fernando, who nevertheless considers her passion for bonsai a hobby and a way to relax after work. She also finds time for the Bonsai Association which now boasts over 40 members.
The association is devoted to supporting bonsai aficionados and their monthly meetings see members bringing in plants to correct. Beginners are also offered guidance. “You can start it with a normal scissors and old curd pot,” she says, disdaining the need for fancy equipment or expensive trays.
The association is likely to host another exhibition this year as well and have even released a small information booklet titled ‘Bonsai: A Guide for the Beginner’.
Those wanting to learn more can contact the Sri Lanka Bonsai Association on 011 – 2695481. |
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