PHA opens bonsai garden at Jilani Park

LAHORE : The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) has opened Lahore's first government-owned bonsai garden featuring dwarfed trees at Jilani Park.

A PHA spokesperson said translated from Japanese, 'bonsai' means 'tray planting' and involved cultivating dwarfed trees, shrubs, or vines in small pots.

Bonsai can vary in size from just a few inches tall to towering Imperial trees exceeding six feet. The dwarfed trees were hundreds of years old and have been in training for five to 14 years, he said.

While the Western world often associates bonsai with Japan, dating its origins to the third century A.D, the ancient practice actually originated over 2,000 years ago in China, the spokesperson mentioned.

The brainchild of Director General Muhammad Tahir Wattoo, the display centre introduced enthusiasts to hardy trees and shrubs like pines, junipers, and maples that typically thrive outdoors. The centre spans over 10,890 square feet (two kanals).

Among the plants on display are Ficus, Fukien Tea, and Cedar, among others.

Speaking following a visit to the centre, Wattoo remarked that the centuries-old craft of bonsai was thriving as both a hobby and an art form. He noted that the craft has its roots in Taxila in the Gandhara Civilisation and emphasised that the centre was a new year gift to Lahore and its residents from PHA.