We recently experienced a heat wave that pushed temperatures over 100 degrees for almost a week! During this time many of my trees were unfortunately killed by the weather. Saddened by the loss of the trees that had become a regular fixture in my garden, I also learned a number of valuable lessons. Next time there is a heat wave, I’m dragging my penjings and bonsai indoors, or at the very least, moving them to the shadiest spot possible and giving them plenty of water. These shallow planters can dry out very easily, and I believe that’s what led to the death of my penjings.
Two of my penjings were completely wiped out, including the first one I ever made, and another that housed a Korean Fir and Mugo Pine. I’ve decided to reuse the planters and start over with a new design. For the trees in the new penjing, I chose some Douglas Fir saplings I’ve been growing for the past few months.
I’ve always wanted to create a little village scene, like those seen in model train landscapes. I decided to leave plenty of room to place miniatures, allowing me to create a small village on the edge of a forest. Since I had two planters to fill, I connected them with a bridge, imagining the empty space between them as a river. To emphasize this even more, I added a small boat that can be seen sailing under the bridge.
Going forward, I plan to add more figurines, especially people. I’d also like to include paths and walkways throughout the village. I already added a few animals for the town, including cows, llamas, wild horses, and a fox hiding out in the woods.
This winter, I plan to remove all the miniatures and cover the pots with Douglas Fir bark to protect them from the elements, giving me the opportunity to redesign the village next year. With the lessons I’ve learned over the past year, I hope to keep this two-planter design around for quite some time!