Japanese maples and landscaping has always given me great satisfaction over the past few years. I always felt like our back yard was the perfect way to wind down after a busy day at the office. On December 30th, 2010 life as I knew it would drastically change. I was arriving to work and getting out of my car, as I have thousands of times. When I stood up, my legs completely gave out and I felt the most intense pain I have ever experienced. For the next 15 minutes, I was completely paralyzed from the waist down, desperately holding myself up with my arms by clinging onto the car roof and the top of my car door. I was all alone in a dark parking garage downtown, with no one around to help. Then, I was able to gain movement and minimal strength in my legs. After spending most of the day in the ER, my MRI discovered I have a herniated disk (L5-S1) and a tear in the disk above. As a result, I was 34 years old and depending on my wife to dress me in the morning and to help me into the living room, just for a change in scenery. The pain was so intense, I went weeks without hardly eating or sleeping. I was once a strong, very active 6’5†and 215lbs, but in a months’ time I lost 25lbs and could not get up under my own strength. After a few months of pain management and physical therapy, I finally was able dress myself and regain my sleep and appetite. To date, I am still trying to recover from the injury. As last spring began to roll around, I realized all the landscape projects would be put on hold and looking out at the yard was a constant reminder of what I use to be able to do, but now could not. Once very active and always a very positive person, I now found myself battling cabin fever and depression. Hungry for a sense of accomplishment and desperate to find fulfillment, I started to think about what I could do with my extremely limited physical ability and fragile mental state. I have always been fascinated by bonsai, but knew nothing about it. I thought it could be a solution, so I bought my first bonsai book. Then in April, I bought an Acer Palmatum ‘Sharp’s Pygmy’ in a 5 gallon nursery pot and decided to give bonsai a try. For the first time in months I felt a sense of accomplishment. As I continued to create bonsai from nursery stock and plants from the landscape I felt great satisfaction and found a wonderful distraction from my reality. It was the perfect fit for me, using small plants while still being able to get my hands dirty and satisfy my love for plants. My day is filled with constant pain, but when I am doing bonsai, I become so focused, there is almost a moment when I forget about the pain. Bonsai maybe a good source of therapy, if you know someone who has recently had an event that has drastically changed their life as they once knew it. I find it’s a great way to feed the inner horticulturalists in us all. It’s also a great way to gain a better understanding of growing and maintaining the plants we collect and grow in the landscape. Here is a link to my Bonsai gallery on Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/65934757@N06/sets/72157628103730586/ I created all the bonsai except the Fairy Hair, from nursery stock or plants gathered from the landscape. Bonsai is guided by several rules, but I have thrown the rule book out, as its more therapy for me. I hope you enjoy the pictures! An example from the gallery, my first bonsai creation 'Sharp's Pygmy' and my second was a 5.5' 'Bloodgood' from nursery stock turned into a 1.5' bonsai.
JT, so sorry to hear about your health problems. Thankfully the beauty of your maples, and your bonsais, can provide some solace. Best wishes and my hopes for a speedy recovery. -E
Beautiful collection you have there. Really glad you have found beauty in your maples as I have recently develop an interest as well. I don't know how many times I've been mesmerized at my maples. All the best in your health.
Encouraging testimony that shows the healing power of plants. Great work you have done there, beautiful plants. Keep going. Gomero
JT, I understand to a large extent what you're talking about as I have had myriad health problems my whole life and sometimes you just need that distraction from it all, something that gives you the motivation to keep going. Thank you for sharing your story. :) I haven't yet had the chance to check out your gallery, but if the two pictures you included in your post are any indication, I'm sure I will be impressed. As I am not able to be active in the garden the way I would like, bonsai, and containerized plants in general, have been a way for me to indulge my love of nature without the greater physical work and effort required in the yard or garden. Many of my trees are still what you would consider pre-bonsai, but I think some of them have nice potential down the road.
Absolutely wonderful, beautiful work. Thank you so much for sharing! You certainly are an inspiration!
