BONSAI

"BONSAI MAKING":

WHAT IS BONSAI?

Bonsai (bone-sigh) is Japanese for tree in a pot. However, simply placing a tree in a tiny pot does not make it bonsai. The grower must possess vision and skill to train the tree's foliage and guide its shape. This is done through pruning the roots to keep the tree small, wiring the branches, and using other techniques to make the bonsai tree take on the look of a mature tree in nature.

Bonsai also require special care because of the small amount of soil in which they grow. The trees cannot have "wet feet" so special bonsai soil is used which dries out easier than standard houseplant soil. But because there is so little soil, bonsai require frequent small waterings. A moisture meter can be used to let you know when the bonsai tree requires water.

Bonsai must also be fed nutrients in spring and fall. The three most important nutrients are nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash, but chelated iron is also a good idea. It may be beneficial to rotate fertilizer brands since they each contain varying trace elements.

Trees that grow in nature enjoy humidity that is missing from an indoor environment. It is therefore recommended the bonsai pot sit in a shallow tray with water that can be allowed to evaporate in order to add humidity to the air surrounding the tree. A flat rock or pebbles should be placed in the tray under the pot so that the bonsai is not sitting in the water. Again, the roots of the bonsai tree should not be kept wet.

Sunlight is required for bonsai except under special circumstances, such as when they have just undergone extensive pruning or repotting. A southern, western or eastern exposure will be necessary inside the house so that the tree receives bright sun. If it cannot get direct sun you should select a bonsai tree that can grow in reduced sunlight, or plan to put your bonsai outside for several hours each day.

The goal with bonsai is to achieve the desired shape while balancing the growth above ground with the root growth. The process of shaping begins right away while the tree is very young, and continues while it matures. Small growth can be trimmed away with sharp scissors, but larger branches need a concave cutter which will not leave visible scars.

Some people use copper wire to train their bonsai tree. The wire is carefully coiled around the branches in the direction you wish them to grow. Once a branch is wrapped it is bent once into the final position. The wire should be snug without biting into the tree. Six to twelve months later, before the wire starts biting the bark, it is snipped away at each turn or coil so that it drops away. Uncoiling the wire without cutting it will damage the branch.

Some popular styles of bonsai include: formal and informal upright, cascade, windswept, slanting and forest, but there are countless variations and many more styles. In fact the only thing limiting the bonsai tree is the vision of the grower.

Bonsai originated in China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and was known then as penjingwhich means tray scenery. Early bonsai were known for their gnarled trunks that resembled dragons, birds and other animals. Bonsai was truly an art of the imagination passed into the tree. This form of bonsai is much different that the form we practice today. During the period known as Kamakura (1185-1333), bonsai was introduced to Japan where it continues to represent a bridge between humankind, the soul, and nature.patience and appreciation of nature can enjoy.

"Bonsai" is a Japanese pronunciation of the earlier Chinese term penzai. A "bon" is a tray-like pot typically used in bonsai culture.^[2] The word bonsai is often used in English as an umbrella term for all miniature trees in containers or pots. This article focuses on bonsai as defined in the Japanese tradition.

The purposes of bonsai are primarily contemplation (for the viewer) and the pleasant exercise of effort and ingenuity (for the grower).^[3] By contrast with other plant cultivation practices, bonsai is not intended for production of food, for medicine, or for creating yard-size or park-size gardens or landscapes. Instead, bonsai practice focuses on long-term cultivation and shaping of one or more small trees growing in a container.

Proper equipment is very important for the training and care of bonsai trees. You must be able to execute accurate cuts on the trees, with a special profile and clean, even edges. For beginners it is advisable to acquire a few basic tools at first, like a quality concave cutter and a standard shear. The more intensive you work with bonsai, the more special tools you will need later on.

Japanese bonsai tools are wellknown for their high quality (and for their high prices), while Chinese tools provide increasingly better quality for their prices. The black steel of which most tools are made, needs a bit more maintenance because it can rust. High quality stainless steel tools are even more expensive. Use your bonsai tools only for the purpose they were made for and treat them well. Then you won't ruin them ahead of time and they will work well for many years.

 What is Bonsai?

The Bonsai tree is a miniature piece of breathtaking natural scenery grown in
a small pot.  But it is completely different from the average potted plant. Pine
bonsai and maple bonsai are something much more than potted pine and
maple.  While the enjoyment of potted plants comes from taking pleasure in
the beauty of the flowers, leaves, and fruits of plants, the marvel of the
bonsai tree lies in the delight gained from recreating in miniature form of the
shape of bonsai plants as seen in the natural world.

Origin of Bonsai 

The process of making the dwarf specimen of a big tree can be considered as bonsai. A bonsai always represents a mature and old tree which bears all the qualities of a plant in the woods. This is the popular advantage of making Bonsai trees. It is believed that the Bonsai first gained popularity around 1000 years back in China. It was then known as pun-sai. From there, the process went to Japan and there it developed more. Poetic dream, craft of an artist and success of a horticulturist are clearly reflected in a bonsai tree. There are five bonsai categories available: Formal Upright, Informal Upright, Slanting Style, Cascade Style and Semi-Cascade Style.

Making Bonsai

Making of bonsai is an art which can be tried in almost any plants. However, most commonly used plants are Ficus, Figs, Cedar, Elm, Mango tree, Cedar and Jade plant. Sources for the plant procurement can be done from any place where you find a dwarfed tree does not get the support of Mother Nature. Other than this, seeds, cuttings, grafted and potted plants are also used to make a bonsai. Buy a clay pot of 4 inches height and 6 inches radius with at least three holes for drainage. Fit your bonsai inside after pruning the roots of the plant in that pot. Cut the roots little angularly for easy growth. 

Soil condition

Making bonsai requires an apt method of feeding the plant. Giving less food will not help at all for the process. The restriction of natural growth is the only solution for making bonsai trees. The soil used for making bonsai should not be so soggy. Prepare the soil by mixing 3 parts of a half burnt clay, 3 parts of leaf mould with two parts of coarse sand. Mixing one handful of vermin composter or organic compost will be more effective. A spoonful of fertiliser twice a month would be sufficient for easy growth. Mixture of cow manure can also be used. Bonsai should not be planted in over sized pot. 

Training techniques

Training techniques includes the pruning of branches, roots, cutting of leaf or either bending the branches. At first, you may decide which should be the front side of the Bonsai. Avoid allowing any branch to grow in that direction. After pruning process, bend it to your choice by twisting a copper wire over it. Removing of leaves should not be done more than three in a year. Ensure sufficient sunlight while making Bonsai. But, avoid heavy fall of direct sunlight and rain. Remember, making Bonsai needs constant attention and care. Let it grow as an icon of your creativity.

" MATERIALS IN MAKING BONSAI POTTERY:"

Bonsai Shears and Pliers

Shears are available in many sizes and shapes. They are meant for cutting twigs, smaller branches, leaves or roots. 
If most of the trees in your collection are small bonsai, don't buy very large shears and pliers! There are shears with a wide standard shape, which are strong enough for thicker twigs, and shears with narrower and longer shapes, which make it easier to work in the middle of a dense canopy, and small shears for shohin bonsai or for trimming azaleas and removing their wilted flowers.

Concave cutters are needed for removing branches from the trunk where we want to achieve deepened cuts which will heal without leaving a swollen scar.  There are concave cutters with straight blades, those with semi-round blades and knob cutters which leave a particularly deepened cut. All these plier types are available in different sizes, of course.

The Bonsai tools, from the top middle clockwise:

1. pruning shear
2. standard shear
3. long slim twig shear
4. leaf cutter
5. shohin and azalea shear
6. large concave cutter with straight blades
7. small concave cutter with straight blades
8. knob cutter
9. tweezer spatula
10. large foldable saw
11. medium sized foldable saw
12. thin pruning saw
13. grafting knife with wooden sheath
14. root hook
15. small root rake
16. larger root rake
17. sickle saw
18. sickle knife
19. root plier
20. strong standard shear for root pruning
21. jin / wire beding plier
22. large wire cutter
23. small wire cutter
24. small angled jin / wire bending plier
25. (middle) set of soil scoops

Saws and Knifes

When you have to cut branches, trunks or roots which are too thick or too hard for using a plier, you should use an appropriate saw.
Keep in mind that Japanese pruning saws cut when you pull them back towards yourself. Don't push them strongly because then the saw blade will bend or break. For smoothing the cuts and wounds left by pliers and saws, grafting knifes are most suitable, like those used by professional gardeners.

Tools for Working on Roots and Repotting

For removing the rootball from the pot there are special sickle knifes and sickle saws which are used to cut along the inside of the pot. Solid angular plastic bowls in which you can work on the roots or mix new soil make work more comfortable and cleaner. Root hooks and root rakes, which are available in different sizes and variants, with one, two or three teeth, are used for opening the rootball, carefully combing the roots and removing old soil between the roots.

Root-pruning is done with a strong standard shear with big strong blades and solid handles. If you find strong, hard roots, use a root plier or a saw.

If you use granular soil components like Akadama, Kanuma, pumice etc. you should sieve them before use, to separate different grain sizes and remove the smallest, dusty particles. There are sieve sets made of stainless steel with various mesh sizes for this purpose. For filling the soil into the bonsai pot there are scoops in different sizes which are specially shaped for pouring soil under overhanging low branches. To push the soil into cavities between the roots of the bonsai, chopsticks or bamboo sticks are helpful. But you should take care not to damage the roots by poking too hard. For applying moss or removing weeds etc. you will use a tweezer spatula, which is also useful for pressing wet moss to the soil or for excavating persistent weeds.

Tools for Wiring and Bonsai Wire

For wiring a bonsai tree you obviously need wire in various diameters, a wire cutter and a plier for bending the wire which is also used for deadwood (jin). Those tools are available in different shapes and sizes. Buy small ones if you have many shohin bonsai. Wire for bonsai purposes is either made from annealed aluminum or copper. Beginners should use aluminum as it is easier to apply.

Tools for Bending and protective Material

If you want to bend branches or trunks very heavily, protective measures are advisable to prevent the wood from breaking and the bark from tearing and to help minor cracks and fissures heal without risking the branch or trunk to die. The traditional method is to wrap wet raffia tightly around the part to be bent before the wire is applied. Fusing rubber tape (wrapped on top of a layer of gauze) or bicycle tube is also suited for this purpose.

Thin, transparent rubber tubes (fish tank or infusion hoses) are helpful for protecting trunks, branches and roots where fixation or guy wires are attached. For heavy bendings there are tools like ergonomically designed massive steel levers padded with rubber. Special screw clamps, available in various shapes and sizes, can be useful for some purposes. Turnbuckles can help to tighten strong guy wires more and more in intervalls. Iron rebars can be used as a lever for bending strong trunks if you use wooden wedges as a counterpart and guy wires for fixation.

Tools and Carving Knifes for Deadwood

The main objective of working on deadwood is that it should look naturally and that no traces of human work should be perceptible. It seems paradoxical that this is why a huge variety of tools are available for this purpose.

The branch splitter is a sharp plier for multiple splitting of dead branches and stumps. For pulling fibres (on conifers with fibrous wood) or breaking of little wood particles (on deciduous trees with less fibrous wood) the jin plier is used.

A slim chisel which should not be too sharp is well suited for lifting wood fibres. Various loop knifes and carving hooks are used for peeling off bark and for carving slight furrows, which should follow the course of the fibres.

There are lots of differently shaped carving tools, often sold in sets, in different qualities and sizes, which work well for shaping, smoothing, contouring, narrowing or hollowing out deadwood.

In order to erase the last traces of your work and remove wood fibres sticking out it is best to use a gas torch which is fueled with lighter gas for example. After scorching, the charred wood layer is brushed off with steel, brass or nylon brushes.

For preserving decayed deadwood you can use wood hardener, which consists of liquid plastics soluted in acetone. The wellknown Japanese jin liquid consists of lime sulphur which is mostly used for whitening the deadwood but also has some preserving effect.

Tools for repotting, wiring, bending and carving Bonsai. From the top middle clockwise:

1. raffia
2. fusing rubber tape and gauze
3. infusion hose
4. branch / trunk bending lever
5. screw clamp
6. rust eraser (dark grey) and grindstone
7. disinfectant
8. gun oil
9. camelia oil
10. nylon brush
11. brass brush
12. steel brush
13. tooth brush
14. coco brush
15. bicycle tube

Electric Tools

When you use powertools extreme caution is necessary because bad injuries can happen very easily. Always wear protective glasses to avoid wood splinters or metal bristles getting hurled into your eyes! An overall, gloves, dust mask and even a helmet can be a good idea for extensive deadwood work with powerful electric tools. Work with full concentration and very thoughtful, hold the machine firmly in your hands and be careful with the speed control dial and the power button.

The „Dremel“ is a small machine for which a large assortment of bits with a 3 mm shank is available. There are similar machines by other manufacturers for which the same bits can be used: rotating brushes made of nylon, brass or steel for removing bark and smoothing deadwood, various cutters, grinders, abrasive wheels and much more.

The „Makita“ is one of the most popular large machines among bonsai enthusiasts, for bits with a 6 mm shank. Other manufacturers offer similar die grinders. It is important that you choose a machine with a speed control dial because the various bits must be used with different speed. For these large powertools there is also a wide variety of powerful bits like rotating brushes made of different materials, cutting wheels, circular saws, grinding bits and abrasive wheels in many different shapes. Due to the enormous power and heaviness of the large die grinder machines, which often make their use difficult and dangerous, they are not recommended for beginners and inexpert handymen.

Some bonsai professionals use sandblasting machines for deadwood work. Those are big, expensive devices for which a special work environment, protective gear  and special knowhow is required. The results of this deadwood work method are often very convincing.

Electric Bonsai tools, carving and deadwood work accessories. From top right clockwise:

1. "Dremel 300" machine
2. wood hardener
3. a selection of useful Dremel bits (grinders, circular brushes, abrasive wheels, drillbits, screw wrench)
4. a set of 5 different carving tools
5. a set of 4 flex cut carving tools
6. round carving hook with thin, sharp tip
7. angled carving hook
8. small, angled jin plier
9. large jin plier
10. branch splitter
11. spear plough
12. small loop knife
13. strong, straight scalpel
14. curved scalpel
15. set of 10 small carving tools
16. a selection of grinders, circular brushes and screw wrenches for large die grinders
17. jin liquid
18. "Makita GD 800C" die grinder
19. gas torch
20. (middle) protective glasses

Tools and Materials for Maintenance

For removing rust and dirt on the tools' blades there are rust erasers (like „Clean Mate“) and for sharpening the blades various types of grindstones are available. Sharpening needs a bit excercise and it is a good idea to practise on old, worthless shears first. Bonsai tools should be disinfected now and then, in order to prevent taking fungi, bacteria or virus infections from one tree to the next. For the maintenance of hinges and blades gun oil or camelia oil are suitable. Coco brushes are used for sweeping trunks, nebaris, soil surfaces, shelves, tables, tools etc.

Watering Tools, Watering Systems, Collecting Rain Water

For watering a small collection of bonsai trees a ball-shower or a watering can is fine. There are  different shapes and sizes of watering cans, but it should have a fine nozzle and a long neck to produce enough pressure to get the water out of the tiny holes of the nozzle. If you have a large bonsai collection, a garden hose with a sprinkler stick is convenient. Click here for an image.

For misting the bonsai trees with water or spraying plant protection products or leaf fertilizer solution you need spray cans, either those you pump up before use or those you must pump with your fingers for each spray puff.

If you have nobody who can water your trees properly at any time of the day when you are at work or travelling, a watering system can be a good idea. The most simple thing to help out for a few days would be to place a lawn sprinkler in front of your trees with a timer. 
Of course there are more complex, reliable and comfortable watering systems (like Gardena MDS, Tropf-Blumat, misting systems and flooding systems) you should retrieve detailed information about if you are interested. Those systems can be quite expensive for a larger collection but they are worth the expense. For images, click here, here and here.

In many areas the tap water contains a lot of limescale and sometimes even chlorine which makes the water inapplicable for bonsai trees. Especially maples and azaleas need soft water. Well water is also often calciferous and additionally ferreous. It is therefore useful to collect rainwater. A rain barrel which is filled by a downpipe or a larger water tank will do a good job. Ideal is a large underground water tank or cistern from which you can tap the water with a hand operated or electrical pump. For an image, click here.

Turntables

When you work on a bonsai, you turn it around many times and you will scratch the table the bonsai is standing on. It is hard work to lift and turn heavy trees all the time. Therefore there are a number of excellent work tables, like simple flat rotary discs, massive turntables which can be tilted in different directions or vertically adjustable turntables on three legs.

Bonsai turntables, from the left clockwise:

1. tall, three-legged turntable with adjustable height and break
2. wooden turntable which can be tilted in two directions
3. simple flat wooden rotary disc

Essential Bonsai Tools and Supplies

Creating a bonsai is basically making art from a living tree, and as with any form of art, there are special tools and supplies you’ll need to succeed.  Beginners can start out with just the basics and add specific tools as your experience grows, and you begin to experiment with different bonsai shapes and styles.

The most basic tools necessary to grow any bonsai are: a pair of bonsai shears, long-handled scissors, a concave pruner or cutter, pliers, and wire cutters.  You will also need aluminum or anodized copper wire in order to shape your bonsai.  There are bonsai tool kits available at nurseries or online, but it is probably best to buy each tool individually as you need it.

Shears and Scissors

Bonsai shears are necessary for trimming the branches and leaves of your bonsai tree, keeping it neat and well shaped. Most professional-grade Japanese bonsai shears are made of forged high-carbon steel, with large oval-shaped handles and small, sharp blades that can tackle tough roots and branches. Long-handled bonsai scissors, or satsuki shears, have smaller finger rings making them better suited to smaller hands, and a long, narrow body, perfect for reaching in to nip buds, thinner branches, and leaves.

Concave Cutters

Most consider the concave cutter or pruner to be the most important bonsai tool.  This branch cutter is used to remove only branches and is designed to leave a small, clean, concave cut in the trunk that will heal smoothly without scarring.  Concave pruners are available in several sizes, but an 8-inch cutter will work for most.

Wire Cutters and Pliers

Wire is always used to bend the trunk and branches of the bonsai to achieve the desired shape.  Bonsai wire cutters have a rounded head that helps prevent damage and scarring when twisting and manipulating wire and for removing the wires when the bonsai is complete.  A pair of small pliers is also good for bending and twisting wire as well as branches.

Additional Supplies

Other tools and supplies that are useful in creating a beautiful bonsai include a plastic turntable, a root rake, a spherical knob cutter, saws, bonsai pots, bonsai soil, and grow lights.

Many bonsai artists like to place the bonsai pot on a plastic turntable so they can work on every part of the plant without having to lift or move it during the shaping or pruning process.  The turntables come in a variety of sizes.

Spherical cutters have round-shaped heads and are used to dig out trunk knobs or roots.  They make circular cuts in the bark that do little damage to the tree.  If you are re-potting your bonsai, you’ll need a root rake or hook to help untangle the roots when the bonsai is lifted from the soil.  You may also want to use a Japanese saw to cut stronger branches; these are longer and thinner than regular handsaws.

When transferring your bonsai to a new container, look for a bonsai pot that is in proportion to your tree.  Bonsai pots come in many colors, sizes, glazes, and materials.  Check to make sure the pot you buy does not contain any harmful chemicals or dyes.  It is also critical that your bonsai pot have holes in the bottom so water can drain out; a bonsai left in standing water will develop root rot.  Many gardeners set their bonsai pots on drip trays to encourage rapid drainage.

Since most trees need direct sunlight, bonsai enthusiasts who grow their trees inside often use grow light bulbs to mimic the effects of the sun, especially in colder climates.  Serious bonsai growers also like special bonsai soil rather than regular potting soil because plain soil contains too much moisture.  Nurseries that specialize in bonsai will have a variety of bonsai soil mixes available.

How to grow bonsai trees step by step guide This article deals with the step-by-step instructions to grow bonsai trees in your garden. Many people like to grow bonsai trees. The article explains all steps required to grow bonsai trees in a simple and lucid style. Starting from making preparations to grow bonsai trees, the article gives detailed steps for planting, watering, pruning, fertilizing, repotting, root trimming, cleaning; shaping and saving the bonsai trees from diseases and pests. The article will make a useful reading to plant lovers.

Introduction When a visit a garden where we find some bonsai trees are grown, and we happen to be lovers of plants, a desire to grow bonsai trees in our own garden takes birth in us. Then we will try to know from gardeners how to grow bonsai plants. We also try to try read books on gardening. The people, who have access to internet, will search for the methods and ways to grow bonsai trees. For the benefit of such people, I give hereunder an easy step-by-step instruction to grow bonsai trees. The subject is covered comprehensively in an easy to understand manner. A very beautiful image of bonsai trees grown in my terrace garden are given to keep the interest of the readers alive. The language used is very simple and lucid so that even a nonprofessional can understand the procedure quite easily. Step 1 – Making preparations to grow bonsai trees : Your bonsai tree will need an open place with a sufficient light. Find a suitable place in your garden to grow bonsai tree keeping this fact in view. A warm and humid climate is good for bonsai growth. Buy open square or round earthen pots with low edges from the market. Make arrangements to get red soil for the pots. Also, get some cow dung manure. The waste of the hens or horses will also suffice. However, it should not be fresh and should be seasoned enough. Mix well both the sand and the manure in equal quantity. Fill the earthen pot these ingredients and keep it for some time. These ingredients should not be very dry and should have a little moisture in them. Get some round flat stones from the market. These should he kept handy to cover the roots of the bonsai tree once the baby plant is sown in the pot. Step 2 – Planting the bonsai trees: Visit the nearby plants nursery. Select the plant of your choice. Take the help of the nursery owners or workers to make your selection easy. There are many plants, which are suitable to be grown into bonsai trees. These can be mere decorative plants or fruit bearing plants. In some places, some plants like the banyan or peepal trees will be found naturally grown on the roadsides. The banyan trees and peepal trees you see in the form of bonsai trees in the image above were collected by from the roadside where they were growing in nature. You may find varieties of plants in your local nursery that can be grown into bonsai trees. Select the plants dependent on their suitability of growth in a particular climate. The nursery people will guide you in this respect. If you are fond of fruit trees then lemon, tangerine, apple, fig, peach, lime, sapota, guava, cherry etc. will be your natural choices. The citrus trees grow well in cold climates. Apples and cherries need long periods of cold temperature. Therefore, they grow well in places with winter climate. Once you get the plants, place them in the mixture of red sand and manure which you have kept ready in the pot prepared for the purpose. Cover well with stones, placing them at a distance from each other to let the air reach the soil. Water the plants moderately and regularly for the first few days in order so that the roots firmly catch up the soil. Step 3 – Watering the bonsai trees: Proper watering of your bonsai tree is very important. The bonsai trees have to be regularly watered at suitable intervals before they end up dead. Watering technique and quantity of water to be supplied to your bonsai tree will depend on the nature and needs of each individual tree. However, the general should be not to allow your bonsai tree get dried out. You should ensure that the soil near the roots should never be left dry. You can test this by thrusting a sharp stick or rod to see that the stick carries the wet soil with it. Water should not be allowed to get stagnated in the pot. For this purpose, make some drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. If the water is allowed to stand in the pot for a longer period of time, the roots will become rotten and the plant will die. The leaves of the bonsai trees should be sprayed with water quite often. Take care not to allow the puddles to be formed up in the pots. Proper watering is sure to give you a very nice healthy bonsai tree. Step 4 – Pruning the bonsai trees: Pruning of the bonsai trees is of the utmost importance to allow them to grow healthily. When we think of pruning, the general idea formed in our mind is of cutting the branches of the bonsai tree. However, it must be remembered that cutting is not ideal for several types of bonsai trees. Some evergreen plants need proper pinching rather than cutting. They can be pinched all around to give them beautiful and pleasing shapes. Pinching should be done by taking the taking the fresh growth or shoot between your thumb and forefinger and cut off. Pruning should be done in the growing season, especially in the spring season when the plant growth is more. Do not do pruning in the winter season and in the early stage of growth of the bonsai tree. Pruning helps to make your bonsai tree look attractive and beautiful. Prune all the dry and unnecessary growth of the twigs. You can take the help of a bonsai expert in the beginning. Later you can become the master in growing and taking care of bonsai trees and give tips to the others. Training to grow bonsai trees is also provided in some cities. If needed, you can attend these training classes, which will be of very short duration. Like pruning, weeding is also very important for proper growth of plants. Take care to do the weeding very carefully and gently. Use tweezers to pluck the unnecessary growth near the roots of the bonsai trees. Grass and other wild growth in your plants will eat away the nutrients needed for your bonsai trees. Therefore, these must be weeded out when seen growing among the bonsai trees. Step 5 – Fertilizing the bonsai trees: Another important aspect in taking care of your bonsai tree is fertilizing them properly. Remember that the plants need more nutrients in the growth season, which is usually the spring season. It is during this season that you need to add manure or chemical fertilizers to the soil in which you have grown your bonsai trees. Do not fertilize your plants when they are blooming. Different types of plants will need different types of fertilization. Biological natural manure is good for growth of any plants. The chemical fertilizers should be properly diluted when applied to the soil. Very strong chemical fertilizers can burn the roots and damage your bonsai plants. Step 6 – Repotting the bonsai trees: Change is the law of life. Every thing in this world needs a change for the better. So are the plants. They will grow well if they are changed their place after a period of time. Once the bonsai plants have grown in a particular plant for a number of years, it is advisable to repot them in new pots. An utmost care should be taken while repotting the plants. The trees should be gently lifted out of their previous locations to put them in the new pots. The soil sticking to the roots should be very carefully and gently separated from the roots. After replanting, the plants ought to be regularly watered as if they have been planted freshly for the first time. Remember the drainage holes in the new pots must be properly done. Step 7 – Root trimming, cleanliness and shaping of bonsai trees: Root trimming should be done when you are repotting the bonsai trees. When you take the plant out of the previous pot, you should separate the soil clinging to the roots very carefully. If the roots are very long, it is advisable to cut at least one-third of the roots before the trees are replaced to a new pot. It is the tendency of the plant to grow more and more in height as its roots grow. Therefore, to maintain your bonsai trees not to grow very tall and unshapely, the best method is to trim the roots of the bonsai trees after a gap of few years. The utmost care has to be taken in this operation since the route is the secret source of the strength of a tree. Too much cutting off the roots involves a danger of killing the trees. Roots draw water and nutrients from the soil to keep the plant healthy. You may think that the little bits of leaves and twigs that fall down near the roots of the trees will decompose and will give you natural manure. Your thinking is right. However, these may allow the fungi and moss to grow around the roots of the trees that are dangerous to the plant growth. Fungi may kill your plants and the moss will eat away the nutrients meant for your bonsai trees. Moss is easy to clean up. You can use a brush with hard bristles to remove it. Take care not to use very sharp-edged instruments around the trunk of your bonsai trees. After your bonsai tree has grown for a number of years, you can shape it according to your desire. Some people even wrap aluminum foils round the trunks of their bonsai tree. Some others wrap copper wires to keep their bonsai trees in shape. It is an individual liking. However, I do not prefer to keep my bonsai trees in bondage. Step 8 – Controlling of diseases and pests around bonsai trees : You should be always very watchful and look out if your bonsai trees have any symptoms of disease. The damage control has to be done immediately otherwise your bonsai trees will die. The worst enemy of bonsai trees is the type of fungus known at the 'powdery mildew'. You can easily find its presence as it will leave whitish powdery dusting on the leaves and trunks of your bonsai trees. Another type of the common disease of the bonsai trees is a kind of rust. This disease leaves brown and orange colour patches and blots on the leaves of the bonsai trees. This happens when too much of potassium is supplied to the bonsai trees. The measure to do away with this disease is to change the fertilizer you are using for your bonsai tree. Repotting and change of soil will also cure your bonsai plant of rust. Bonsai trees also get affected by disease known as chlorosis. The attack of this disease happens due to deficiency of iron. This usually happens to soil problem. So it is advised to change the soil for your bonsai tree to offset the effect of chlorosis. You can watch the yellowish colour of the leaves of your bonsai trees if affected by chlorosis. Then there are other types of the enemies of your bonsai trees in the form of ants, caterpillars, spider mites, aphids and some other insects and pests. You can treat these with proper insecticides and pesticides available locally from the shops, which deal with garden seeds, manure, fertilizers etc. How to Start Bonsai ExperienceThere are many ways to start one's personal bonsai  experience. We mention a few and offer the pros  and cons of each way. Please note that each  individual bonsai takes different amount of time and  cost to raise. You should pick your beginning  experience accordingly. Or, you may combine  several different ways and thus enjoy more from the bonsai experience. "ANOTHER STEPS IN BONSAI MAKING" Select the species of tree. When selecting a tree species its important to consider your geographic location. Some trees lose their leaves in the winter and require the temperature to drop below freezing so that they can enter a dormant state and prepare for the spring. Other trees will not survive long in the freezing weather. Some trees will require a lot of water during a hot summer while others are heat hardy. Research the kind of trees that do well in your area. The three varieties of tree most commonly used for bonsai are: 1) Ficus; 2) Juniper; and 3) Chinese Elm. 2 Select the size of your bonsai. Bonsai trees can be as anywhere from miniature (6 inches tall) to large bonsai (up to 3 ft tall). Decide what size bonsai you would like before actually going out to select the plant. 3 Select the plant. Once you have decided which kind and what size bonsai you would like, you can go to a nursery or a bonsai shop and select the plant that you will use to make your bonsai tree. When choosing a plant, look for leaf color to make sure that the plant is healthy. Then look around at the selection of plants and imagine what each plant would look like after it is pruned. It's important to visualize the bonsai before you buy the plant and bring it home. You do not want to bring a plant home only to decide that it isn't immediately suitable to be a bonsai. 4 Select a pot. Selecting the right pot has a lot to do with the desired size and style of the plant. Select a shape and color that you personally find aesthetically pleasing. The pot must be large enough to allow enough soil to cover the roots of the plant. You do not want to have such a small amount of soil in the pot that the tree roots can not retain moisture. You will kill the plant if you do not have a large enough pot. At the same time, you want to maintain the illusion of nature and select a pot just large enough to support the tree. The idea of a bonsai is to balance the pot with the plant and make the plant look like a miniature tree. Some bonsai pots do not come with pre-drilled drainage holes. If you do not have a drill that will cut through ceramic, then make sure you purchase a pot with pre-drilled drainage holes. 5 Prepare the tree. Prune the tree to the desired shape. Wire any branches that need to be wired. Remove the plant from its existing pot and water the roots. Most of the roots will be cut before the plant is repotted into the bonsai pot. Cut away enough roots so that the root system can fit securely in the new pot with the proper amount of soil. 6 Pot the tree. Install mesh screens over the drainage holes to prevent soil erosion. Add some well draining soil to the pot and then place the tree into the pot. Do not use regular potting soil for your bonsai, it holds too much water and may drown the tree. Before covering the top of the roots with soil, position the tree in the desired orientation. Run a heavy gauge wire from the bottom of the pot through the drainage holes on the bottom of the pot. Tie the wire around the root system in order to hold the plant in place. Finish adding well draining soil to the pot. If it is warm out, make sure to keep the newly planted tree watered well until the roots get established in the new pot. Trees from temperate climates should only be potted in the spring. Trees from tropical climates can be potted whenever the weather is warm. 7 Experiment. You can experiment with many kinds of trees, plants and shrubs. Try making bonsai with plants native to your area. 8 Join a club. If you can't find a local one, there is one online called the Internet Bonsai Club. Western Hemlock Bonsai Western Hemlock is a member of the Pinaceae family which includes cedars, firs, hemlocks, larches, pines and spruces among other evergreen trees. For bonsai, it is an excellent choice as it lives for hundreds of years, grows in a variety of climates, and is easy to care for. 1 Get a Western Hemlock. Find one, that is shorter than 1 foot, at a garden store or find one in the wild. 2 All Year: Assess the tree's condition. Is the tree damaged? (Many wounds, missing needles, exposed roots, few branches.) Is it healthy? (Lots of needles, lots of new growth, intact bark.) It's always good to know how your tree is doing. 3 All Year: Tree Location. Western Hemlocks do well in shade or full sun and in many climates (such as those similar their native climate,) can be left outside year round. 4 Late Winter: Pruning. Major pruning should be done in the late Winter, make sure to cover wounds with sealant. 5 Early Spring: Repotting. Once every two years, before major growth for the year starts, hemlocks should be repotted. 6 Mid to Late Spring: Pruning. When growth is too prolific prune back some of the new growth. New growth is easy to spot as it is bright green. 7 Early to Mid Summer: Wiring. Once most growth has ceased, small gage wire 1/3 of the width of each branch to be wired, should be carefully wrapped around each branch that you want to move into a different position. Don't worry about knocking off a few needles in the process. 8 Late Fall: Preparing for Winter. Depending on the climate where you keep the bonsai you may need to put it in a green house to prevent hard freezing, but make sure that the tree stays cold enough that it reaches dormancy for the Winter. 9 Early Winter: Wiring. Remove all of the wires from summer and rewire the tree. 10 Follow a calender of care. Write a calender with all the important dates to remember from this page. Japanese Maple Bonsai 1 Select a branch with a pleasing shape and structure. It can be up to the diameter of your little finger. 2 Assemble the items needed. These are listed in the "Things You'll Need" section below. 3 Cut around the branch where you want roots to sprout. Make a circular cut through the bark and into the hardwood underneath. 4 Make a duplicate cut. Make this about two branch widths below the first cut. 5 Make a straight cut. This cut should connect the first two cuts. 6 Peel off the bark between the first two cuts. The bark should peel off fairly easily. Make sure none of the cambium layer (the green layer under the bark) is left. 7 Dust the top cut with rooting hormone. Wrap the area with the wet sphagnum moss, then wrap it with plastic and tie in place. 8 Keep the moss wet. After several weeks, you should see roots through the plastic. 9 Separate the tree. When the roots start to thicken and turn brown, separate your new tree by cutting it off below the new roots. 10 Place small pebbles for drainage in the bottom of a pot. Partially fill the container with top soil. Unwrap the plastic and without disturbing the roots, plant your new tree, adding additional soil as needed. 11 Insert a stake. This will keep the tree from moving and damaging its delicate roots. 12 Enjoy your new tree! EditVideo How to Transform a Bush into a Bonsai: EditTips Air layering Japanese maples is best done in mid to late spring, after the leaves have sprouted. Allow your tree to continue to grow until the next season before trying to style or prune it. You can also make bonsai trees out of other kinds of trees too. Plant your tree in a large container and let it grow for one or two years to increase trunk thickness. Don't let it die and take care of it. Trimming roots often helps it cope with its small environment. EditWarnings The new roots are very delicate and can be easily damaged. Use care when unwrapping the plastic and potting the tree. Do not remove or disturb the sphagnum moss during the process. EditThings You'll Need any plant indigenous to your area sharp knife or scissors sphagnum moss that has been soaked in water at least 15 minutes a small sheet of heavy plastic string rooting hormone, available at any garden center can add grass or anything for decoration EditWarnings Wild plants may be on private or government property, be sure to ask for permission first. Don't let the tree get dehydrated, if the soil doesn't feel moist, it needs to be watered. Don't over-water, needles will yellow if you over-water the tree. Trees in poor health should not have any major pruning done on them. When pruning off many major branches at the same time be sure to allow for a year of healthy growth in a deep pot before and after the pruning. Don't leave wires on for more than a few months as Hemlocks will scar. Branches are a little brittle so take some care when bending them. 5 Top Indoor Bonsai Tree Care Tips: Bonsai tree care can be nerve-wracking and more so indoor Bonsai tree care. With proper care, you will find your Bonsai tree dying and a hobby that was suppose to be relaxing and peaceful turns into a nightmare. Different people have different take on the proper way to care for Bonsai trees, and this document is an endeavor to list the 5 top indoor Bonsai tree care tips that are extremely essential. By following the tips, you will be able to grow great looking Bonsai trees and will no longer have to confront a dying Bonsai tree. Although the tips here may sound very basic, without following them, you will not be able to encourage the growth of Bonsai trees. These are the basic needs of every Bonsai tree in order for it to develop. You can like Bonsai care to building a house -- a house needs a firm and solid foundation before you can erect a wall and a roof. These 5 top indoor Bonsai tree care tips should be the foundation of growing great looking Bonsai trees. So, without much ado, here are the 5 top Bonsai Tree Care Tips.   Tip 1 -- How to water a Bonsai tree When it comes to indoor Bonsai tree care, watering is one of the most important aspects of care. If you give your tree too little water, it will dehydrate and die. If you water too much, it will drown the tree. After of talking to other Bonsai enthusiasts, I have found out that watering the Bonsai tree is the number one problem most people face, especially beginners. To ensure you are watering your Bonsai tree correctly, wait until you see the soil drying up. Of course, do not wait until the soil has dried up completely. Then water the plant until the excess water seeps out of the bottom of the Bonsai pot and then do not water again until the soil starts drying up. This is the best method to water a Bonsai plant and if you follow it, it will be impossible (well nearly impossible!) to over water or under water the tree. Tip 2 -- Picking the Right Soil Picking the right soil is important for indoor Bonsai tree care given the fact that fact of the tree is covered by soil! If you want to pick the right soil for your Bonsai tree, visit the nearest garden center and inform them about the exact type of Bonsai tree you have. The garden center will help you select the right soil and the only thing you should request is for the best quality soil available for your type of Bonsai tree. Spending a few dollars extra for higher quality soil will make all the difference in your Bonsai tree. Tip 3 -- How to Apply Fertilizer Correctly Anyone who is new to indoor Bonsai tree care invariably has an issue with fertilizer application. In fact, many beginners end up using insoluble fertilizer and then are kept scratching their head wondering why the tree died a few weeks. Bonsai trees have to be given water soluble fertilizer once or twice a week and that too only during the growing season. In addition, fertilizer application should take place when the soil is wet or you will not see the results. Drive down to the local gardening center and inquire about the different types of water soluble fertilizers they have. Pick a high quality fertilizer and if it does not work, wait until the next growing season before trying a different fertilizer. As far as possible avoid mixing and matching fertilizers. Tip 4 -- How to Prune a Bonsai Tree Pruning is an important part of indoor Bonsai tree care. The pruning is done in two different ways -- branch pruning and root pruning. Branch pruning should be done when spring starts and you should carefully remove the branches that you do not want. Keep only the branches you wish to. Similarly root pruning should be done but take care because root pruning should only be done after the roots of the tree have bound themselves firmly into the pot. You have to learn the basics of Bonsai tree pruning before trying to sculpt the tree into different shapes. Tip 5 -- Choosing the Perfect Growing Environment for Your Bonsai Tree The last tip is another important factor in indoor Bonsai Tree care. Make sure your Bonsai tree is placed in an area that receives a lot of sunlight. One of the best places in the house is the window sill but make sure it is wide enough to hold the Bonsai pot or else it will fall off! The room should not be too hot or cold, and this varies from one species of tree to another. In addition, take care that the room is humid enough so that the soil does not dry out too soon. 15 BEST BONSAI TREES: 1. World’s Smallest Bonsai Tree What’s smaller than a miniature tree? A miniature miniature tree. This masterpiece measures 22mm and it was obtained from a Malaysian local species called “water jasmine” – the only species that can apparently be made so small. Creator Kuah Tee Teong claims that it may be the world’s smallest bonsai, since the standard measure of a miniature bonsai is 10cm.  Kuah doesn’t strive for popularity and didn’t register his creation in the Worlds Book of records, neither is he planning to sell his tiny trees. His philosophy: ‘’If I sell, then I’ll have nothing to show.” He also prunes animal shaped trees that look like dogs, snails or octopuses. 2. Music from a Bonsai Diego Stocco is not a bonsai grower, hasn’t won any bonsai competition award, but he is, in his own unique way, a bonsai lover and tamer. He bought a bonsai tree and made it sing, proving that you actually can teach an old bonsai new tricks. Using a Røde NT6 microphone, some tiny transducers and a customized stethoscope, Stocco recorded an experimental piece played exclusively by the bonsai’s small leaves and branches. He also used a piano hammer, a paint brush and different bows to obtain different sounds from the tree. Don’t be scandalised if it seams from this video that he is somehow torturing the poor little tree. No bonsai was damaged during the experiment and, as you know, art demands sacrifices. 3. Rare Ganoderma Bonsai This is an extremely rare ganoderma lucidum cultivated bonsai, with an impressive diameter of 90cm. The successive layers and crown shaped cap make it unique in the world. Known as “”fairy herb”, Gandorema lucidum has been used for medicinal purposes in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2000 years. It is one of the oldest mushrooms to have been used in disease treatments and , due to it’s presumed health benefits and apparent absence of side effects, it is known as one of the most powerful herbal substance in East Asia. In Chinese culture, it is also considered a good luck, beauty and longevity charm. The plants health benefits and spectacular shapes and colours saved it an important place on the bonsai market as well. 4. Awarded Penjing Landscape “Penjing” is the Chinese extension of bonsai art and it can be literally translated “landscape in a pot”’. The chines art focuses more on creating a convincing miniature landscape than shaping the perfect miniature tree as Japanese bonsai growers strive to obtain. Nonetheless, the value of an awarded penjing is given by the way it looks with naked branches, when not attired in fabled leaves and flowers. The assembly in the image is called 大風驚濤, which literally means “harsh wind severe waves” and it was awarded at the Guangzhou Penjing Exhibition in China, the biggest lingnan (southern style) penjing exhibition since the founding of the country. 5. The Oldest Bonsai Trees The oldest known bonsai trees still living can be found in a private restaurant garden in Tokyo, Japan. The 400 to 800 years old trees in Happo-en Garden ar an attraction for any bonsai lover visiting Tokyo. Every tree is grown in era-specific pots that are often as valuable as the trees themselves. The practice of potted trees gose way back to the Egyptian Era, 4000 B.C. Inhareted images depict miniature trees cultivated in rock containers. Pharaoh Ramesses III is known to have donated several olive trees and other miniature plants to various temples. In the Indian Pre-Common Era several plant species were grown in a “”bonsai manner” for medicine and nutrition purposes. 6. World’s Biggest Bonsai Tree This 600 year old Japanese bonsai is presumably the biggest bonsai tree in the world, according to the staff of Akao Herb & Rose Garden in Atami, Japan.  Sure, the title is somehow paradoxical since the main quality of bonsai trees is being small. But, after all, if bonsai means “tree in a pot” it doesn’t metter how big the pot is, especially if it contains an impressing 5 meter tall and 10 meter wide ancient red pine bonsai like this one. 7. Walter Pall’s Rocky Mountain Juniper Walter Pall is a kind of bonsai rock-star among the culture’s enthusiasts. He has received several dozens national and international awards for his beautiful, dramatic bonsai. He has won the most prestigious Crespi Cup Award of Italy for his well known Rocky Mountain Juniper, and has come in among the top six, every time he has entered. He has also won second and third and other places places in the Gingko Cup Awards of the Belgium bonsai competition held every two years. The most controversial information about Walter pall is that, although world renown, he considers himself an amateur working professionally. That’s because he styles trees for his own amusement and not for commercial purposes.  In time he managed to put together one of the most comprehensive bonsai collections around. 8. Walter Pall’s Acer Platanus Another famous piece from Walter pall’s collection is this Sycamore Maple  that won the Bonsai Today / Art of Bonsai Photo Contest. Pall was one of the first Europeans to work with indigenous species, which he collects in his beloved Alpine mountain.s He now owns a collection of about 1000 quality trees in varying stages of development and keeps a store reserve of about 1000 handmade pots to compliment the bonsai. Besides his famous conifers he is also well known for his beautiful deciduous trees. Walter’s bonsai usually are strong, powerful trees which he frequently forms in natural shapes. The longer he has been involved with tree development, the more he has moved away from traditional bonsai styling to his own concepts of design. 9. Walter Pall’s Crab Apple Tree This is my personal favourite from Pall’s collection:  an incredibly sweet 65 cm high apple tree. I have no idea how anyone that sees it live could resist not to taste those tiny apples, but I guess Mr. Pall keeps it in a safe place, away from leering guests. Fruit trees training is an ascending trend among bonsai growers. The fascinating part about it is that the fruits are indeed edible, especially those belonging to the citrus category. Common fruits that can be obtained in small size include: cherries, apples, lime, lemons, tangerine and figs. The bonsai fruit tree success strongly depends on meteorological and topographical factors, like humidity, temperature and soil. 10. Awarded Chinese Juniper “Itoi-gawa” The Chines Juniper is a very loved and popular tree among bonsai professionals and amateurs alike. Due to the woods malleability, it can be stylised into beautiful and interesting shapes. Like this one belonging to Enrico Savini from Italy, that has won several awards, including Ben Oki International Design Award in 2003 and Bonsai Clubs International People’s Choise Award 2008. Savini says he fell in love with bonsai art at age ten and his first tree, a Prunus mume that only survived a few months, was a gift from his grandma. “ I couldn’t forgive myself for that failure, so I took it as a personal challenge, my entire career has been a continuous personal challenge.” 11. Dan Robinson, The Picasso of Bonsai This perfect Mountain hemlock expresses Dan Robinson’s virtuosity as a bonsai artist and his respect for the nature’s own ways. Known as a pioneer in bonsai art, or as the Picasso of bonsai, he practices an preaches techniques inspired by the ancient Japanese ways.  This is one of the many amazing captures pictured in the book Gnarly Branches, Ancient Trees: The Life and Works of Dan Robinson – Bonsai Pioneer made ]n collaboration with photographer Will Hiltz. 12. Awarded Junipero San Jose This work of art belongs to Nacho Marin, a Venezuelan Fine Arts graduate who is fascinated by the infinite possibilities of taming and manipulating trees. In his quest to recreate a natural environment, he also takes great care so that the shape and mood of the final product reflects his artistic vision. No wonder that his Junipero San Jose won the flattering title of   ”Most artistically innovative entry of all entries from all categories”  at The Art of Bonsai Contest 2008. 13. Adenium Flower Bonsai Not as popular as junipers, but unanimously loved for their delicacy and frailness, flower bonsais can come up in extraordinary forms.  Mr. Jai Krishna Agarwal from india has about 100 specimens in his collections and he especially loves adenium flowers. Why? Because their trunks often remind the shapes of the human body . The effect is surrealistic to say the least, this beautiful example shown here brings to mind some elaborate fauvist sculpture. 14. Semi-cascade Juniper Bonsai A Juniper bonsai collected, designed and developed by Harry Hirao and displayed at the National Bonsai and Penjing Mueseum at The United States National Arboretum. This very old, semi-cascade style bonsai was probably collected in the White Mountains of California. The shari (deadwood on the trunk) is very prominent on this bonsai, leaving only one stripe where the tree is connected between its leaves and the roots. The esthetics  behind this type of contorted and twisted trunk is called literati and it was influenced by the political and academic conditions in the Tang Dynasty period, when penjing was once widely practiced by the elites. Literati is a contemplative, lyrical style displaying tension (in the trunk) and release (in the cascading branches) like the universal law of Yin and Yang. 15. Beautiful Azalea Tree An old Azalea, probably a Satsuki type, from the Collection of the National Bonsai and Penjing Mueseum at The United States National Arboretum. Azaleas bloom in spring, their flowers often lasting several weeks. In Chinese culture, the azalea is known as “thinking of home bush” (xiangsi shu) and is immortalized in old poetry and contemporary stories. Search Main menu Skip to primary content Skip to secondary content About Index 2012 Index 2013 Products Top 10 Animals Top 10 Food Top 10 Post navigation ← PreviousNext → The World’s Top 10 Most Unusual Bonsai Trees Posted on July 2, 2013 Amazing Bonsai Tree Over the years of my life I have tried to do as many different things as I could. From trying all sorts of foods from around the World, to trying most sorts of sport and hobbies, I even joined a knitting class once, just to say I had tried it. Something I did try once is the art of Chinese penjing (or Bonsai as it is currently known) and I loved it! But only for a while as I got bored rather quickly, because these trees are like a baby, they need constant attention and caring. But maybe I would enjoy one of these a lot more… The World’s Top 10 Most Unusual Bonsai Trees . Amazing Bonsai Tree 10 – Tree Flavoured Popsicle. This amazing example of ‘botanical art’ by Makoto Azuma really is quite impressive indeed. There was this one you see above and another bonsai tree that didn’t quite make it into my top 10 that has been suspended by wires! They are both amazing, and both worth clicking on that image if only for a quick peek. Amazing Bonsai Tree 9 – Crash Test Tree Now this is clever. What you are looking at is in fact a toy car! Called ‘CrashBonsai’ it is the work of an amazing John Rooney an artist that makes amazing images of car crashes with trees, but all done with toy cars and bonsai trees! Amazing Bonsai Tree 8 – The Scuba Diving Tree It seems Makoto Azuma (from image 10) is at it again, but this time with a rather amazing underwater bonsai tree! It was made to show people the natural flow of the tree and how the air it breathes is solely down to the vines that grow into the ground rather than the leaves at the ends of the plant. Weird yes, but also kind of cool. Amazing Bonsai Tree 7 – The Tree Charger What you are looking at above is in fact a solar-powered phone charger that is shaped like a bonsai tree! It was going to be mass-produced but sadly failed to get backing which is a real shame because I think it is a thing a pure beauty. Amazing Bonsai Tree 6 – Tiny, tiny, tiny trees! As if a bonsai tree wasn’t small enough, this Japanese maple tree has been described as the Worlds smallest Bonsai tree and I wouldn’t disagree with that, its microscopic! Amazing Bonsai Tree 5 – The Mountain View The incredible slanting Juniper bonsai tree is inspired by a Japanese mountain side and was made by Peter Ebensperger. For a bit of an added bonus if you click on the image link you will get to see The World’s 10 top best Bonsai trees! Although I won’t be clicking on it because personally I am not really into top 10 list. Amazing Bonsai Tree 4 – Is that tree wired?!? These tiny bonsai trees are in fact made with copper wire and the work of the incredibly talented artist Ken To. And best of all is if you have a few hundred pounds going spare you can in fact buy one! Please do check out the source link to this one, because this tree I choose is just one of many that are all worth seeing. Amazing Bonsai Tree 3 – The Worlds Smallest Tree House You are looking at the mind-blowing work of artist Takanori Aiba because he makes these amazing bonsai ‘dioramas’  that are all made to look like tree houses that are fit for an emperor. The detail is nothing short of jaw dropping and they are well worth checking out. Amazing Bonsai Tree 2 – Bonsai trees are not toys! ..but this one on the other hand is a whole different story! For this rather unusual bonsai tree we welcome back Makoto Azuma (as seen in post 10&8)  because once again we are seeing what is supposed to represent how the building block of a normal bonsai tree can’t really be seen until we as close as we can be to them. Amazing Bonsai Tree 1 – The Lord of the Trees. It just doesn’t get any better than this amazing bonsai tree inspired by the Lord of the Rings set design of Bilbo Baggins’ house! The little wooden picket fence just finishes it of beautifully and a real showcase of what a true Bonsai master can achieve. TOP 10: GREATEST BONSAI TREES     Though growing Bonsai trees is a hobby practiced by many people around the world, its Asian origin is still obvious. Not surprisingly, the most impressive trees are to be found in collections of famous Japanese masters. We have put together a list of ten stunning trees that are unique in their beauty, balance and realism. These trees will help you appreciate this ancient and fascinating art!   The ten trees are not ordered in any way. (#1) An 800 year-old Bonsai tree at Shunkaen, by Kunio Kobayashi A remarkable tree which is well known for its extremely high age; the tree is reported to be over 800 years old! Its owner, master Kobayashi, is one of the most well known Bonsai artists in the world and has won the prestigious Prime Minister award in Japan 4 times. His nursery, ShunkaEn, is located in Tokyo and is open to visitors. For more information, read the Shunka-en Bonsai page, or check the Bonsai artist profile of Kunio Kobayashi. (#2) Goshin "protector of the spirits", by John Naka Goshin ("protector of the spirit") is a bonsai created by John Y. Naka. It is a forest planting of eleven Foemina Junipers, the earliest of which Naka began training into bonsai in 1948. Naka donated it to the National Bonsai Foundation in 1984, to be displayed at the United States National Arboretum; it has been there ever since. The tree is posted in our Bonsai gallery, and you can also read more about John Naka in his Bonsai artist profile. (#3) Small Bonsai; a Shohin tree by Morten Albek A gorgeous Rockspray Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horisontalis). This is a picture taken in spring; the tree flowers in summer and has small red berries in wintertime. The tree is only 9,5 cm (4 inches) high and is planted on a miniature rock. The pot is made by John Pitt, a famous potter. The tree is about 20 years old on the picture and has been in training for about a decade. For more images of Shohin trees by Morten Albek, visit theShohin gallery! (#4) Pinus Silvestris, by Stefano Frisoni This tree is remarkably realistic, a character highly valued for Bonsai trees. As you can see, the foliage pads are very dense, as if it were clouds in the sky. Read the article on how this tree was cultivated and trained here! (#5) Chinese styled trees; a Penjing landscape by Yee-sun Wu This wonderful Chinese landscape belongs to the Man Lung collection in Hong Kong. The trees are Chinese Bird Plums (Sageretia Theezans) and together make up a very realistic scenery. The trees, rock and miniature figurines are placed on a shallow rectangular pot (made of marble), which in turn is displayed on an antique table. Check the Chinese Penjing top 10 for more images of Penjing trees! (#6) Flowering Bonsai, by Wolfgang Putz This tree is an Azalea species of only 14 cm (5 inches) high. The picture is taken in late spring / early summer, the moment when Azalea trees bloom (shortly, but very vividly!). The tree is planted in a Japanese pot. We also have a Flowering Bonsai Top 10 article. Also, you can learn more about Wolfgang Putz in his Bonsai artist profile. (#7) Brazilian rain tree, by Budi Sulistyo This tree is grown from a small cutting and the result above is a picture taken 12 years later. A native of Central- and South America the Brazilian Rain tree is considered one of the tropical world's most beautiful and also one of the most popular bonsai subjects. Read the article on how this tree was cultivated and trained here! (#8) Mame Bonsai display, by Morten Albek A Bonsai display (or in this case, a Mame display) normally consist of a central tree, a scroll and an accent plant. Together these objects create a powerful image, often a celebration of the current season. Check more Shohin bonsai tree images. (#9) Famous Bonsai; a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), by Walter Pall One of the most famous Bonsai trees that belongs to the collection of an European Bonsai artist (Walter Pall), this tree is incredibly fine and realistic. The maple is big (almost a meter high, which is the maximum to be called a Bonsai tree) and over a hundred years old. A masterpiece without doubt, styled by an inspiring artist! The tree is posted in our Bonsai gallery. (#10) Bonsai master Kimura Last but not least, Bonsai sensei Masahiko Kimura. His varied collection of Bonsai trees is world famous. Started at age 15, Kimura was an apprentice to master Hamano in Omiya Bonsai village. For more of his fascinating and sometimes unconventional work, click here! Or read hisBonsai artist profile; Masahiko Kimura. Benefits of Having A Bonsai Tree In Your Household or Office Space Posted on February 2, 2013 Growing and taking care of bonsai trees has become a favorite hobby, and it’s only becoming more and more popular as times goes by, as more and more people discover and realize the stunning beauty of various species and styles of bonsai trees and its artistic benefits in every environment they’re in. Bonsai is no ordinary tree and plant. As a miniature version of real trees, it takes time for this plant to germinate and develop into a wonderful tree in its container or bonsai pot. If you’re planning to get yourself your own bonsai tree or buy some in your nearest garden and plant nursery, then here are some reasons to convince you more on having a bonsai tree: A chance to create a living work of art Growing bonsai is more than just having a green thumb and knowing which soil goes with what species. It can actually be an artistic endeavor. Here’s why: if you don’t have a sense of aesthetics, you could get the best plant species to turn into bonsai but you’ll just be wasting them because you can’t maximize their potential for beauty. It takes a certain artistic bent to create bonsai. If people tell you it’s as simple as planting a shrub, think again because it’s so much more than that. It’s relaxing The whole process of growing bonsai requires a zen-like state of mind. Don’t believe me? Try trimming your shrubbery when you’re upset or annoyed and you’ll see what I mean. Pruning, trimming, re potting, watering – these are simple, regular processes used with most plants but with bonsai, they are taken to a higher level. Bonsai plants actually help calm down their grower because the simple act of trimming the plant requires a relaxed, happy soul and bonsai will not settle for anything less. Bonsai Care would Help Improve Your Health Do you know that when you indulge in an activity that you like, you actually receive substantial health benefits? Well, this is among the best advantages of bonsai care. Being able to take care of these little plants does not only provide benefits for the plant but it likewise benefit your body. So how does your body gain some advantage if you take care of bonsai? One thing that a bonsai grow loves about the prospect of growing a bonsai is that it gives them time to do physical activities. This means that you get to exercise in the process. Well, don’t think of this form of exercise as one that will substitute your time in the gym or for your time running around the football oval, rather, think about it as a method of getting your body to continue working even if you are at home and even after you have already stood up from your desk. Always remember that the body, no matter how small the task you do may be, keeps on burning energy. The more that you do something, the more that your body will burn fat. Hence, you will be able to lose weight much faster too. Isn’t that great? You get to do bonsai care and at the same time, you are also tending to your body physically. How Can Bonsai Care Impact Your Life? They say that laughter is the best medicine, and indeed bonsai care can definitely impact your life in more ways than one. First, it will make you feel good about yourself that you get to do something worthwhile at home. You get to feel happy whenever you see your bonsai growing to a much more beautiful tree. If you feel happy, this will in turn be translated to your other endeavors and it is very likely that you would also feel good about these things. As a result, you might just see success knocking at your door in practically everything you do. In short, caring for bonsais can certainly influence your disposition in life. It isn’t just something physical, but it is rather one that partakes of a holistic nature, which your body can benefit from. So you get to be more active physically especially if you would be the one to tend for your bonsai. Aside from the ones mentioned above, a lot of people who implement the proper bonsai care attest to the fact that they feel good about themselves, most especially that they feel proud at having accomplished a task which other people couldn’t do. This in turn will help increase your self-esteem. You may not know it initially but it will manifest in the way you talk, you smile, or move. You will find yourself talking more about your bonsai trees at home, and that would be like an authorized and real bonsai expert. Another thing is that many bonsai owners say that care for bonsai  keeps their mind active. This means that while they take care of their trees, their mind is likewise steadily working. You see, taking care of bonsai keeps your mind active. You get to learn new things, you get to determine whether or not you need to do repotting, trimming or pruning. And, you also acquire some new knowledge in the process. How? There are some processes, which would require that you learn them. They are not something that will be known to you without somebody teaching you to do it or without studying it in detail. Some of these bonsai care processes include the three mentioned in the preceding paragraph. So if ever you would opt growing Japanese bonsai trees, don’t forget the health benefits, and for sure, you’ll be inspired at growing them. - See more at: http://www.bonsaicareadvice.com/bonsai-care-amazed-personal-health-benefits/#sthash.kxAgnPHu.dpuf