In Good Thyme - by Mariana Graham

Roger Hickman is a big man who likes little trees.

The burly, bearded Langley resident, by trade a fabricator of custom stainless steel and architectural metals, is also a bonsai artist. Bonsai, the ancient Japanese art of dwarfing trees or shrubs and developing them into aesthetically pleasing shapes, has been described as 90% art, 10% horticulture. Yet when you speak with Roger Hickman, you realize that his knowledge of horticulture is equal to his considerable artistic sensibilities.

Roger's sister interested him in bonsai (pronounced BONE-sigh) 20 years ago. He went on to study with Masa Fukahara, a Portland bonsai master. In1984, Hickman began his first bonsai, an elm tree which still thrives in a section of his back yard set aside for working with and displaying his plants. Growing in a shallow tray, this two-foot plant is a perfect miniature of an ancient, gnarled, moss-adorned elm.

It's not a simple matter of potting a plant and pruning to keep it small. "In bonsai, you try to create an illusion of a full size tree that looks as natural as possible," says Hickman. "You strive for a tapered trunk and balanced branch placement." His elm has the look and feel of antiquity, another desirable trait of bonsai.
Bonsai plantings may be formal or informal, windswept, and many variations on these themes. Style is achieved through root pruning, top pruning, and sculpting the branches with wire until they attain the desired shape. Hickman refers to this process as "making the branches dance."

None of these tasks are to be undertaken lightly. Haphazard root pruning will kill a plant. It has to be done precisely and in a manner that will improve the root system and allow the plant to thrive in a shallow pot or tray. To complicate matters, the bonsai practitioner must know the idiosyncrasies of each species; it's not a one-size-fits-all task.
Top pruning is equally precise. Not only does one prune for beauty, but for the health of the plant as well. Hickman uses specialized stainless steel tools, some of which he has crafted himself. They may be used to clip a branch flush with the trunk. or to carve a section of deadwood to enhance its aesthetic appeal.
Roger points out that bonsai have the same requirements and problems as other plants. They must be properly watered and fed and kept free of potential pests. A complimentary container must be selected, ranging from a vessel smaller than a teacup to a tray several feet in length.

Not just any woody plant is suitable for bonsai. A section of the Hickman family garden is set aside for the growing of plants with bonsai potential. Roger also has a permit from the Forest Service to collect six specimens a year from the North Cascades timberline. It isn't merely a matter of digging up a tree and repotting, however. He grooms each wild plant for up to six months in preparation for transplanting. If, for instance, the plant is growing on a deep taproot, it may not be safely removed from its natural environment. In that case, Roger may carefully slit the root beneath the soil, inject it with special plant hormones, wrap the incision with wet sphagnum moss and cover it with micropore fabric until the plant develops fibrous feeder roots close to the tree. He may also begin wire-sculpting the branches while the plant is still in the wild.

Bonsai is linked with the sister art of suiseki. Suiseki has been described as the art of attempting to represent natural phenomena, from landscapes to the universe, using only a small stone. Bonsai plants are often displayed with beautiful stones to suggest a forest, a desert, a seascape or another scene from nature. Whidbey Island is a bountiful source of such stones, and Roger has a large and intriguing collection. He carves simple wood pedestals for the most elegant and sculptural of his suiseki.
Hickman is a member of several Pacific Northwest bonsai organizations, but his profession keeps him from being as active as he'd like to be. His talent with custom stainless steel has involved him in the construction of Safeco Field and the Experience Music Project.

Shaping steel gives him great satisfaction, but shaping plants is equally rewarding for Roger Hickman, who describes his beloved bonsai as "slow sculpture."

MASTER GARDENER CLINICS (click on picture)
Master Gardener plant clinics are being held at various Island locations throughout the summer. On the North end, bring questions and plant samples to The Greenhouse Nursery each Saturday in July from 9 a.m. to noon, Cenex on Aug. 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or the Navy Exchange Garden Shop June 30th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In Central Whidbey, it's at the Coupeville Farmers Market each Saturday through the end of July from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. South end clinics include Freeland Ace Hardware from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 23, July 28, Aug. 25 and Sept. 22. You can also find Master Gardeners at South Whidbey Tilth on July 7, Aug. 4, and Sept. 1 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Clinics are held at Bayview Farm and Garden June 30th, July 7, 14, 21, 28; Aug. 4, 11, 18 and 25. Clinics may be scheduled at other locations when volunteers and resource materials are available. 'Can't make it to a plant clinic? Call the Master Gardener hotline (360) 679-7327 each Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through the end of September.