Welcome to bonsai
Bonsai Article
This is a selection made from among articles on Bonsai. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for future reading, click here.
The Basic Concept Behind Bonsai
from:Bonsai is the word used to describe miniaturized versions of some trees. This art form covers a lot of methods and designs which are not only applied to the way that the trees are formed and designed but also in the way they are presented. This concept of miniature trees started in China and spread from there to other parts of Asia, especially Japan. Originally, the term used for these kinds of trees in China is penzai but was later adapted to the Japanese pronunciation of bonsai. It shows that the miniature trees concept was very well received in Japan and was in fact popularized there, hence the use of the Japanese term, bonsai, instead of the original Chinese one, penzai.
The Hobby
Many people believe that the art of bonsai is simply horticulture in a miniature form. The reality of bonsai is that it is a relaxing technique which benefits not only the garden but also the person tending the bonsai trees. There is actually no rigid rules regarding how to form bonsai trees if they are just for the home and not for display or show purposes. The soothing and relaxing motions of pruning, cutting and trimming the plant are what many Zen ideals are after.
Almost all kinds of trees are acceptable as specimens for this art form but there are some which are preferred by enthusiasts. Several types and species of pine trees are favorites of many enthusiasts while other prefer trees of a more tropical nature.
The Art
The art form of bonsai includes the many different designs and forms that are acceptable in many shows and practices. The basic forms of bonsai trees are formal upright, informal upright, slanting style, cascade and semi-cascade. These are just the basic forms and there are more deviations to these forms which may be a bit more complicated.
Both upright designs show bonsai trees which grow upwards but while the formal upright has a distinctive upward taper, like a triangle, the informal upright may have some deviations to the branches, such as a cascade or a twist. The slanting style usually has the tree showing a decided slant to one side. One side of this design has branches which lean more than the other side. Both cascade designs of the bonsai plant show the plant with the growth going downwards instead of upwards. The semi cascade shows the tree initially growing upwards and then is trained to grow downwards.
Bonsai News
Bonsai Bliss: Aficionados of the miniature plants never stop sharing ... - Monterey County Herald
Bonsai Bliss: Aficionados of the miniature plants never stop sharing ... Monterey County Herald By JESSICA M. PASKO For Vietnam veteran Pete Logan, practicing the art of bonsai has been therapeutic, helping him deal with some of the problems of his post-traumatic stress disorder. Logan, who lives in the Felton, Calif., area, has been working with ... |
Celebrate Bonsai Month at Heathcote Botanical Gardens - TCPalm
Celebrate Bonsai Month at Heathcote Botanical Gardens TCPalm LUCIE WEST — In honor of Bonsai month, Heathcote Botanical Gardens will hold a Bonsai Festival and Plant Sale on March 3 from 9 am to 4 pm and on March 4 from 10 am to 4 pm This two-day, Asian-themed event will encompass plant vendors, ... |
Bonsai at the Chicago Botanic Garden - ABC7Chicago.com
Bonsai at the Chicago Botanic Garden ABC7Chicago.com The silhouette bonsai show features a bonsai display, an interpreted display of the "Three Friends of Winter," family activities, and lectures. In Japanese tradition, the "Three Friends of Winter" are pine, bamboo and plum. Ivan Waters, curator of the ... ONE-TANK TRIP |
Retired Bayonne podiatrist comes out with photo book of rare Bonsai trees - The Jersey Journal - NJ.com
 The Jersey Journal - NJ.com | Retired Bayonne podiatrist comes out with photo book of rare Bonsai trees The Jersey Journal - NJ.com A retired Bayonne foot doctor whose large format photographs of rare and exotic plants have stunned both the art and science world has overcome ill health to publish a new book of Japan's most prized Bonsai trees and shrubs. Although sick with a heart ... |
Seminar Teaches Basics of Growing Bonsai Trees - OzarksFirst.com
Seminar Teaches Basics of Growing Bonsai Trees OzarksFirst.com People taking part in the event learned how to start a bonsai and how to recognize the different growing styles of bonsai trees. Instructor Scott Lawson has been working with bonsai trees for over 22 years. He says bonsai can be one of the most ... |