BONSAI SUCCESS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
Carl Morrow Keith Kirsten
Published by Human & Rousseau
The Oriental art of bonsai has spread throughout the world at an amazing rate during the past fifty years. In Southern Africa, too, the ranks of passionate practitioners are swelling apace.
Carl Morrow, a botanist and bonsai artist of note, and Keith Kirsten, the well-known gardening personality, have written Bonsai Success in Southern Africa with local conditions in mind.
In easy-to-follow text, accompanied by almost a hundred inspirational and practical colour photographs, as well as colour and black and white drawings:
The classic styles for Eastern plants traditionally used in bonsai – such as pines, azaleas and maples – are explained to aid the reader’s understanding of the art. At the same time, the authors allow for the evolving nature of the art, and describe styles developed by South African artists that are typical of the African landscape: shapes influenced by flat-topped acacias and the thickset baobab. These styles produce more suitable growth habits for indigenous trees in the Southern African climate. A useful species list discusses the suitability of forty indigenous trees for bonsai, making suggestions for their care.
Carl Morrow has been a passionate grower and keen student of bonsai ever since he was first introduced to the art in 1987, at the tender age of fifteen.
An accomplished lecturer and teacher, he presents regular and hugely popular bonsai demonstrations at all levels – from local club meetings to national conventions. He has written extensively on the subject, with most of his work appearing in specialist bonsai magazines both in South Africa and abroad. He has consulted on and supplied photographs to three other bonsai books.
Carl’s trees have gained widespread recognition and have received numerous awards at local exhibitions, while one of his trees was selected as one of the top 100 trees in the World Bonsai Contest 2002. His trees are often portrayed in South African lifestyle magazines.
Carl holds a PhD degree in botany, is married and lives in Cape Town.
In this uniquely Southern African book, Carl Morrow and Keith Kirsten guide readers step by step into the magical realms of bonsai as a hobby, horticultural practice and art form.
The contents reflect the natural progression most people follow as their interest grows:
Bonsai Success in Southern Africa is the ideal guide for those making there first foray into this fascinating and rewarding art, as well as for more experienced bonsai growers.
The publishers are Human & Rousseau
ISBN 0 7981 4399 1
9 780798 143998
Foreword by FNB
First National Bank (FNB) is proud to have had the opportunity to become involved with the publication of a book that celebrates the perfection of nature in the form of the bonsai. We too believe that there is many a lesson to be learned from the natural order of things. That is why we have taken a distinctly African tree, the acacia tortillis, as our logo.
Like the acacia, FNB is deeply rooted in the South African landscape. We too have a mutually beneficial relationship with our environment, providing vital services to our clients while we rely on their support and loyalty. As the acacia provides shelter for a multitude of insects and animals, so FNB provides shelter for our customers’ money. And, as trees bear fruit and leaves, so too FNB believes in giving our customers the very best possible returns on their savings and inves™ents.
We wish all the readers of this book many hours of joy enjoying the creativity and tranquillity of their bonsai collections. We hope that, like FNB, you too will be inspired by these miniature creations of nature.
Wendy Lucas-Bull
First National Bank
