A pretty miniature zonal pelargonium, “Mantilla” was hybridised by the Rev. Stringer and introduced in
1969. “Mantilla” has single orange flowers with a white eye. The green leaves have a slight zone.
Several years ago Brian, my husband, who is not a
gardener, decided he wanted to grow bonsai trees.
Every time we went to a garden centre he would look at the miniature
trees, and often buy one. We soon had a
collection of tiny trees on the window ledges in the house and conservatory (I
think he was trying to outnumber my pelargoniums in the conservatory). As these tiny trees were growing indoors
they needed daily misting, so he would traipse backwards and forward from
kitchen to sitting room or conservatory to mist his little trees. Not being a gardener or even, I dare to say,
a great lover of plants, he soon got bored of the daily traipse. So the little trees soon disappeared from
our house. I kept the trays though as I
had in mind an idea I had read about – bonsai’d pelargoniums.
Fast forward to last year when I visited Toronto in Canada and
the Ontario Fuchsia & Pelargonium Society Annual Show. They have a class for bonsai’d pelargoniums
and fuchsias. They were all very good,
but one really interested me. It was
a bonsai of the scented leaf P.bontrosai – a sport of P. graveolens , and has curly leaves and
as a bonsai reminded me of the Japanese Cloud Trees. So on my visit to Fibrex Nurseries last week I got a
small P.bontrosai, found one of the
small bonsai trays and potted up the P.bontrosai. I was enthused to then look for another
miniature I could ‘bonsai’ and found a pot bound P. Sandown in a 3” pot. Then stem had hardened to brown, an ideal
candidate. (I am ashamed to say it was
rather old but I have another two growing well).
So, here they are, and I have to say I am delighted with
them. I feel another interest coming on!
P. bontrosai as a bonsai |
P. Sandown as a bonsai |
If you've grown bonsai pelargoniums, or decide to have a go yourself, do let me know. I would love to hear about your experiences with these bonsai's.
I have various other bonsai, but not anything as beautiful as these. Have ordered a few to start my experience with these. Am very interested in any info along these lines. Hope to bring much more color to my collection. I have a small group of junipers, jap. flowering cherry, weeping willow, maple, and on and on! I'm addicted!!!
ReplyDeleteBonsai is a tiny plant raised inside a pot. It is just like every other grow however bonsai is sort of distinct because it is managed in its miniature size. Bonsai Tree Gardener
ReplyDeleteVery interesting blog. A lot of blogs I see these days don't really provide anything that I'm interested in, but I'm most definitely interested in this one. Just thought that I would post and let you know.
ReplyDeleteplant hangers outdoor