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For Ed Stanton, if it’s a “bonsai day, it’s a good day.” With summer in full swing, Stanton has been having a lot of good days, as he spends his time watering and fertilizing his assortment of bonsai trees that he keeps in his backyard just a few blocks east of downtown. And pruning. Lots of pruning – one of the key aspects of a bonsai is maintaining the tree’s shape.
“My teacher says bonsai is 80 percent horticulture and 20 percent artistry,” Stanton says, “and that’s probably a good way to put it.”
Stanton initially became interested in bonsai trees when he saw the National Bonsai Collection at the United States National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., in the early ‘80s, and his enthusiasm for and knowledge of the delicate gardening art form has slowly grown through the years. For the past year, Stanton’s bonsai “sensei” – Tim Weckman of the Berea Bonsai Studio – has been helping him learn even more.
Bonsai loosely translates as “tree in a pot” in Japanese, so nearly any tree that can live in a smaller pot has the potential to be a bonsai, but there are certain species that lend themselves more than others, Stanton says, especially those that have small leaves or needles.
“One of the curious things is that flowers and fruits maintain the same size as a full-size tree or bush. There are apple trees that are just that big,” Stanton said, indicating a small plant, “but the apple is the size of a regular apple. It doesn’t matter how big the tree is, the fruit and the flower will be the same size.”
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Stanton’s custom-designed bonsai bench has a number of contraptions that allow him to have more control over the elements.
A recently constructed bonsai stand, custom built by The Element Effect with the designs of local architect Scott Guyon, gives Stanton’s bonsais a permanent home for every season – up on the shelves in the warmer months and in a covered bottom level during cooler times. As an architect, Guyon incorporates many Japanese motifs into his work, which made him an ideal collaborator for the project.
The structure, assembled with ipe wood – a tropical hardwood from Brazil noted for its insect resistance and durability – blends beauty with functionality. Moveable contraptions on the sides and roof give Stanton the ability to alter the amount of wind and sunlight to which the plants are exposed, and curtains made of remay, a fibrous cloth used as row covers, can be draped over shelves for added warmth when needed.
“I don’t know anybody who has done this exactly. There are a lot of bonsai collectors who overwinter their plants just under their benches, but this combination of the bench, the remay, the curtain and the wind wings – that’s unique,” Stanton said. “We’re exploring uncharted territory here.”
During this time of the year, Stanton estimates he spends about 15 hours a week with his bonsai trees, which he admits still isn’t enough time. Like other leisurely pursuits, Stanton finds the intervals he is allowed to spend in the company of his plants to be relaxing and meditative, even cathartic, but he’s reluctant to call the bonsai practice a hobby.
“I’d say it’s more like having a pet or a child than a houseplant, because it requires constant attention, vigilance and care,” Stanton said. “It’s really hard to define what it is. It’s not a hobby, because a hobby you can drop whenever you want. You can’t drop your bonsai because they need the daily care.”
The daily care – that’s what Stanton likes. A bonsai day is a good day.
And now, after 40 years of teaching at the University of Kentucky, Stanton retired at the end of June, so he’s certain he’ll have a multitude of bonsai days in the future.