Bonsai lovers in Ireland are in for a treat as the National Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin is showing off its fantastic collection from Irish bonsai artist Andrew J. Murray in the Teak House. Visitors can marvel at about 40 miniature maples, flowering quinces and cherries bursting into blossom on a tiny scale.
Andrew likes to reproduce Irish native trees in bonsai form, and it’s something you can have a go at yourself at home. Raise your own from seed, buy a bonsai starter kit or take the easy option and buy a pre-pruned bonsai tree from our garden centre here in Athlone.
You can grow bonsai indoors or outdoors, but the important thing is to match your tree variety to its environment. So outdoors is the place for bonsai native trees like oak, chestnut or birch; indoors go for subtropical trees which thrive in the extra warmth.
Bonsai is created mainly by pruning in spring and summer to create a tree shape which resembles nature as closely as possible. Wire wrapped carefully around branches bends and shapes them. Water sparingly, feed regularly and repot every two years or so: a healthy bonsai could well outlive you.
Bonsai at the Botanic Gardens runs till 17 April (www.botanicgardens.ie).
