Cover Gopiao next to his Phemphis acidula (Bantigue), his entry at the 2006 World Bonsai Friendship Competition which won him the title of Grand Champion. Gopiao was also the national president of the Philippine Bonsai Society and held the position of Chairman of both the Asia-Pacific Bonsai & Suiseki Convention and Exhibition and the Asian Bonsai Friendship Federation
Gopiao next to his Phemphis acidula (Bantigue), his entry at the 2006 World Bonsai Friendship Competition which won him the title of Grand Champion. Gopiao was also the national president of the Philippine Bonsai Society and held the position of Chairman of both the Asia-Pacific Bonsai & Suiseki Convention and Exhibition and the Asian Bonsai Friendship Federation
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Patience is a virtue that reaps fruitful rewards, an adage that goes hand in hand with Bobby Gopiao’s own philosophy when it comes to harnessing his green thumb. In this interview, we talk to the award-winning landscape artist and plant enthusiast as he walks us through his expertise in bonsai
The art of cultivating bonsai first piqued Bobby Gopiao’s interest as a teenager when he signed up for his high school botany club. By then, he had already inherited his green thumb from his mother, who was also a lover and collector of native and imported orchids. Years later, he achieved the prestigious title of Grand Champion at the 2006 World Bonsai Competition, becoming the first and only Filipino to have ever won the award.
In Gopiao’s own words, bonsai is the art of miniaturising trees. “Not shrubs or plants,” he emphasises. “These are actual trees.” The art involves the trimming and pruning of branches and roots to prevent growth into a full-fledged tree. “These [trees] are essentially babies,” he explains. “You need to feed and pamper them with all kinds of fertilisers and take care of them closely so they can develop properly.” In the interview below, Gopiao discusses the importance for a beginner to harness patience when starting out with bonsai trees.
“What was interesting to me was the ability to manipulate a young tree to somehow reflect your vision for it when fully grown.” Growing a bonsai may seem like an intimidating concept, but according to Gopiao, it can easily be taken in stride. All it needs, he reveals, are patience, maintenance and hard work.
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Above A snapshot of Vitex Parviflora (Tugas)
A snapshot of Vitex Parviflora (Tugas)
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Can anyone learn how to master bonsai?
Yes, it just takes time to master. You have to dedicate a lot of patience to these trees. Bonsai is not only an art, it’s a horticultural practice. You have to make the tree beautiful, but you also have to make it very healthy. A healthy tree will show all its full potential and glory. The most difficult part is looking at the trunk and then trying to map out the major branches and decipher how they can grow. Styling the tree from twigs to foliage follows. As you learn these basics, you’ll know how to grow and maintain them.
Can you discuss the importance of long-term commitment when it comes to bonsai?
Bonsai is synonymous to patience. I’ve actually learnt how to become more patient thanks to this craft. It’s a process that cannot be rushed. One can be tempted to add more fertiliser to spur faster growth but pushing it will do more harm than good. Patience enables one to nurture a long term commitment to bonsai creation. It is important to miniaturise an already mature tree, so that the proportions grow naturally. Specifically for beginners, I suggest that they grow several trees at different stages of development.
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Above A snapshot of Dyiosporos ferrea (Bantolinao)
A snapshot of Dyiosporos ferrea (Bantolinao)
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Does your own experience and expertise in bonsai deviate from traditional methods?
I consider myself a little bit traditional but I’m still open to contemporary growing practices. The traditional ways can be the basic foundation of developing your skills. Living in a tropical climate, we have to adapt to the natural characteristics of tropical trees in the context of design.
How can one increase a bonsai tree’s longevity?
One cannot deprive a bonsai tree of the complete nutritional requirements, which would be pruning, trimming and regular fertilisation. You have to maintain the roots and branches’ health by trimming them regularly. The challenge is definitely increasing its longevity. For example, a 25-year-old tree in the Japanese context is still considered to be young. Bonsai trees that are considered old have already lived 300 to 400 years. You can imagine how bonsai trees can be transferred from generation to generation.
Additionally, you also have to know what kind of tree you’re dealing with, since each one has its own particular set of requirements. The Bantigue tree is endemic to Southeast Asia and grows along rugged coastlines. Because of this, they require saltwater to grow. That’s the peculiarity of trees. Some trees are intolerant to water, but some can’t live without it. Essentially, you really have to familiarise yourself with each tree’s requirements.
Above A shot of Gopiao’s bonsai nursery at his office warehouse in Marikina
A shot of Gopiao’s bonsai nursery at his office warehouse in Marikina
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How do you approach the process of growing and designing a new bonsai tree?
The form of a bonsai tree is dictated by its trunk. You’ll see different forms of trees in nature, from trees that grow upright to trees that grow in a slanted position. There are also windswept trees that grow by the seaside and up in the mountains. The elements of wind, rain and sun are the primordial forces that shape the trees. A bonsai tree is never completely done. It will have its certain peaks, as nature will dictate. Even if you are a hundred per cent dedicated to a tree, there will always be a factor of nature that may play a part.
What are some challenges some beginners may face with bonsai?
The frustration of being a beginner goes hand in hand with learning how to practise patience. For example, ornamentals can be easy to grow. I would suggest that they join clubs and learn along with other enthusiasts. Growing bonsai cannot just be learnt by simply reading books. There are also valuable lessons from the people who have been in bonsai for years.
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Credits
Images: Courtesy of Bobby Gopiao
About
Julianna has been interested in leading a literary life since she first read Frances Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess at eight. Before working with Tatler, she was an archive intern at The Center for Fiction in Brooklyn, New York. She is a textbook Pisces who devotes most of her spare time to her crochet projects, watching classic films, and going through her never-ending pile of unread books. She studied creative writing, global literature and art history at Sarah Lawrence College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2022. Toni Morrison, Nora Ephron, Clarice Lispector and Jia Tolentino are among her all-time favourite writers.
Work
Julianna writes about fashion, beauty, sustainability, and the arts. She is always keen on conducting interviews with talented women who are changing the game in their respective fields.
For event invites and story leads, hit her up at julianna.cabili@tatlerasia.com
