Introduction to Bonsai Gardening

A Beginner's Introduction to the Living Art

Say 'art' and most will think of painting or sculpture. There is a kind of sculpture that takes as its raw material neither stone nor wood, but rather a living tree. Welcome to the art of bonsai.

From the Japanese word for 'tree in a tray', bonsai is the art and resulting achievement of shaping trees by careful pruning and trimming to produce a miniature tree or bush. Not produced from genetic dwarfs, bonsai are the result of years of patient shaping of ordinary species by master artists.

Because they are grown and shaped in a small container, but are produced from ordinary species - pine, maple and many others - extreme care is required to keep the delicate plants healthy.

When first starting out as a bonsai gardener, it is wise to take the time to learn the various steps in growing and caring for these miniature trees.  You will need to explore the methods used for planting, pruning and trimming, wiring, watering and fertilizing these amazing plants.

There are five basic styles of bonsai; formal upright, informal upright, slanting, cascade and semi-cascade.  In addition, there are other more advanced types branching out from these basic styles.

As you can imagine, an art of this kind is not mastered in a month.  Craftsmen labor for years to produce a single tree, which may last a hundred years or longer. The trees are then often passed down from generation to generation, each successive artist adding his or her own distinctive style.

Despite the time involved in growing the trees and learning the skills, the results are widely regarded as well worth the effort.  Bonsai are admired the world over for their uniqueness, their longevity, variety and beauty as well as for the skill that goes to produce them.

In an age where lightening-speed technology is commonplace, these individually designed and hand crafted, miniature works of art continue to inspire awe and admiration.

Your decision to become a bonsai gardener and artist will reward you and inspire others for years to come!