Jabalpur man creates bonsai ‘mini-forest’ on his terrace

Jabalpur: A former government employee from Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur has grown a ‘mini-forest’ on pots with about 2,500 bonsai, including species like peepal and banyan, on the terrace of his home.

“I have been doing bonsai gardening for the last 40 years,” Sohanlal Dwivedi (74), who retired from MP State Electricity Board 16 years back, told PTI on Tuesday.

The septuagenarian said he has grown 40 varieties of plants and trees, including 25 from sub-group of ficus species like peepal and ‘bargad’ (banyan) using the popular Japanese art form.

He said he offers free information to students in educational institutions on how to develop bonsai.

“I have provided training to individuals and officials of the forest department too on how to grow bonsai of various species,” he said.

The former government official attributed his wide collection of pot-grown trees to his love for travelling. Wherever he came across a new variety of a plant or tree, he brought it home and worked to grow bonsai from it.

Despite the current heatwave, Dwivedi said he works hard to keep his bonsai mini-forest green.