Some bonsai plants. Collections belong to some of my friends. I have applied for membership in the Bonsai Society here in Karachi. I myself do not have many bonsai plants, but my friends have dozens, and we work with them together. I am still learning this art of keeping trees in pots.

Definition of Bonsai

Bonsai literally “potted plant” is the art of aesthetic miniaturization of trees by growing them in containers. Cultivation includes techniques for shaping, watering, and repotting in various styles of containers.

‘Bonsai’ is a Japanese pronunciation of the earlier Chinese term penzai. The word bonsai is used in the West as an umbrella term for all miniature trees in containers or pots, but properly should be applied only to container-grown trees following the Japanese tradition.

All pictures are copyright protected by Khurram Ali, please ask permission before using them.

seen in the picture from left to right, Mr. Naeem-ul-Hassan of CHAEF, Mr. Jimmy Engineer and Mr. Khurram Ali

One of my best friends invited me to go on a picnic (overnight stay) at SST Public School Rashidabad.

It was a last minute decision and I am happy now that I agreed.

It was a 3 and a half hour drive by Coach from Karachi.

The trip was organized by the PACC and we were accompanied by around 50 other members, mostly middle aged ladies. However my company was with two photo journalists, Masood and Ahmed from Afghanistan, we enjoyed and had fun.

I was impressed by the magnitude of the project.

One building built for LRBT

Another Building as 100 Room Old Age Home

A Hostel for Boys and residential homes for Doctors and Teachers.

and many other projects in the works.

I will offer them my services to improve their website

you can find more info on the project here SST Public School Rashidabad

Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. More than simply putting flowers in a container, ikebana is a disciplined art form in which nature and humanity are brought together. Contrary to the idea of floral arrangement as a collection of particolored or multicolored arrangement of blooms, ikebana often emphasizes other areas of the plant, such as its stems and leaves, and draws emphasis towards shape, line, form. Though ikebana is a creative expression, it has certain rules governing its form. The main rule is that all the elements used in construction must be organic, be they branches, leaves, grasses, or flowers. The artist’s intention behind each arrangement is shown through a piece’s color combinations, natural shapes, graceful lines, and the usually implicit meaning of the arrangement.

Another aspect present in ikebana is its employment of minimalism. That is, an arrangement may consist of only a minimal number of blooms interspersed among stalks and leaves. The structure of a Japanese flower arrangement is based on a scalene triangle delineated by three main points, usually twigs, considered in some schools to symbolize heaven, earth, and man and in others sun, moon and earth. The container is also a key element of the composition, and various styles of pottery may be used in their construction.

All pictures are copyright protected by Khurram Ali, please ask permission before using them.