The Discipline of Japanese Bonsai

by Mike Andrews Growing miniature trees is only a small part of what the art and discipline of bonsai is all about. The literal transliteration of the Japanese word “bonsai”, meaning “to grow in a small tray”, cannot fully describe the depth of the art of bonsai. The practice of Japanese bonsai has many elements. You cannot make a bonsai tree unless you have brought together a talent for horticulture,...

Learn the Art of Japanese Bonsai

by Mike Andrews All over the globe people who have practiced bonsai recognize that it is not just a avocation that involves growing small trees. The literal transliteration of the Japanese word bonsai, meaning “to grow in a small tray”, cannot fully describe the depth of the art of bonsai. The practice of Japanese bonsai has many elements. For some there is a spiritual aspect, in addition to the gardening and the...

Classic Bonsai of Japan

“It is not only the length of its lifespan that distinguishes the immobile tree from birds that fly, fish that swim, and men and beasts that walk over the earth; it is also the only living thing that creates, within itself, annual rings spelling out the history of its life.” Bonsai, dwarf trees, contain “a record of our ancestors’ trials and tribulations” in “less space than a man can...

The Japanese Art of Bonsai Trees

by Michael Saville Bonsai is Japanese for ‘tray gardening’ . Bonsai trees are miniature trees; they keep their small shape and size because of being grown in a small pot or tray and through very careful pruning. The art of pruning a bonsai tree can take a very short time to learn but many people can go an entire lifetime without actually mastering the art. History of Bonsai Bonsai trees have been documented to...