Bonsai: a reflection of nature, captured in miniature, as seen through the eyes and soul of the practitioner

Bonsai is an art than can be enjoyed by anyone at varying levels of involvement and skill. Someone could grow a single tree and be content with their accomplishments. Then you find people with numerous trees in various sizes and levels of development. There are the bonsai traditionalists who feel that trees must conform to strict criteria to be considered bonsai, then there are those who routinely violate these same rules. There are people who are content to buy their bonsai at the mall, and there are those who aren't content without monster 4 inch trunks grown from seed and trained every step of the way. Who is to say which person is practicing bonsai and which person is not? It is my opinion that whatever makes a person content is perfectly fine. Each person is entitled to their own opinions and it is not my place, or yours, to tell them otherwise. Bonsai is an individual art, in that the practitioner decides what constitutes a bonsai. Therefore if a person is content with a $29.95 mall bought bonsai, so be it! If that is not enough for you, then it is your decision to further your knowledge and level of skill. The important thing is not to criticize anyone for their choice or level of knowledge. We all started out as beginners and maybe would never have progressed if someone had harshly criticized our first efforts.

I started off growing bonsai with little knowledge of what constituted a bonsai. I saw the Karate Kid and said if that is all it takes I am gonna try it. Soon I was putting every plant I could get my hands on into a bonsai pot. At one time I had over 60 trees in pots and didn't know the first thing about proper pruning, styling, soil, and root pruning. Eventually I became dissatisfied with their progress, or lack of, and began to read. I bought Sunsets Bonsai Book and devoured it. Then I bought Cultivating Bonsai by Sterling Publishing and Bonsai Basics by Christian Pessey and Remy Samson. Then I bought the Complete Book of Bonsai by Harry Tomlinson. Finally I went on the web and researched bonsai. I visited page after page on bonsai. Some of them only offered brief tutorials while others offered some real in depth information. After all that I bought the bibles of bonsai, John Nakas books Bonsai Techniques I and II. I have read them cover to cover at least 5 times now. The information is starting to sink in and I feel that I have a basic idea of what bonsai is all about. I have also come to realize that the more I learn, the less I know.

After all that reading I made some decisions. I culled many of my trees, much to my wifes dismay. Many of them died due to my lack of knowledge. Some of them had no potential. A few of them did and I kept them in bonsai pots or I took out of bonsai pots and put into the ground to increase their size. I realize that nothing comes overnight. Bonsai is an art that if anything, teaches ultimate patience. I feel that with my newfound knowledge and some semblance of patience I am on the way to actually learning the art of bonsai. Maybe someday I will have one of those black pines or Japanese Maples with a 4 inch trunk.

With that said and done I would like to take the time to thank some people. They have helped me directly, or without their knowledge, and I feel it is only right to thank them. Without them I would still be growing pencil thin junipers.

First off let me thank John Naka for putting together what I consider the most comprehensive material on bonsai I have found to date. It would take me two lifetimes to gather that much knowledge on my own.

I also would like to thank Harry Tomlinson for rekindling belief in myself. He claims that anyone can grow a bonsai, and I was doubting that for awhile. His book shows bonsai in easy to follow steps and with outstanding examples.

Brent Walston of Evergreen Garden Works also gets a big thanks for helping me when I had some questions concerning soil mixes. His articles are a must read for any novice bonsai enthusiast.

Michael Persiano, who I have been in awe of since I first started searching the web for bonsai information, also deserves a hearty thanks. He has taken the time to help me with some questions I had regarding the training of a birds nest spruce.

Galen Camp, Virginia Beach VA also deserves a big thanks. I can just picture him after reading some of my questions. He must have sat there shaking his head wondering how dumb I was.

Finally I would like to thank my wife. She is my harshest critic and has inspired me to learn more. She doesn't complain too much about the endless flow of money I have poured into trees that seem to die as soon as I touch them, soil mixes, tools, books, etc etc. Thanks honey, one of these days I will grow you a real bonsai.