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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.
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