Save Arrested Development

I’ve always been a big fan of killing two birds with one stone. It’s probably not the nicest way to talk about gifts, but that’s really a matter of perspective. Maybe it would be better if I talked more about the concept of a gift that keeps on giving. This has become something of a rather hackneyed phrase over the last few years. I’m not sure which advertiser first grabbed onto it and started the slow process of beating the phrase to death, but I’m pretty sure it will continue. Never the less, there really are gifts that keep on giving and one great example is a Japanese Flowering Cherry Bonsai Tree (prunus serrulata).

A flowering cherry bonsai- is a unique Christmas gift idea and truly a gift of promise. In December this outdoor deciduous tree will arrive in a dormant state. To many people it really won’t look too impressive, but to a gardener or a bonsai enthusiast they won’t see a dormant stick, they’ll see the underlying structure or the “bones” of a living tree. They’ll see the balance between the tree and its container and how the color and shape of the container and the placement of tree within it all complement each other. They’ll need to maintain the tree in its dormant state and provide a minimum of care for the rest of the winter. Come spring the tree will change. The buds will swell in anticipation of the spring and the blossoms will open in a stunning display of color and sometimes fragrance all just in time for Mother’s Day. Now that’s a gift that keeps on giving.