Ancient tree art at Sherway Gardens

Half art and half horticulture, bonsai is an ancient and difficult pursuit, whose roots date back thousands of years to China.
Practitioners create miniature, healthy living trees, then shape and adjust the tree's proportions by carefully wiring the trunk and branches, without causing damage.
The art originated in China where tiny trees were cultivated in trays, wooden containers and earthenware pots and trained in naturalistic shapes. Bonsai, however, has been developed primarily by the Japanese.
This weekend the ins and outs of the craft are revealed by experts at Sherway Gardens' popular annual exhibition of the practice, called Learn the Secret of Bonsai.
Although they look like dwarf trees, bonsai are not a naturally dwarf variety. Nor are they treated with any special potion, as many people believe, to keep them from growing.
Growth is not restricted by confining roots in a pot, but rather by constant clipping and trimming. The size and shape are entirely determined by the grower. Bonsai come in four selected sizes: miniature, small, medium and average.
Staged with the assistance of The Misseto Bonsai Club, the show takes place Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
For more information, call 416-621-1070 or visit www.sherwaygardens.ca or www.misseto.ca.

jstewart@mississauga.net