Introduction to Bonsai

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A Brief Introduction to Bonsai
Dr. Ross Clark, Eastern Kentucky University
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Two common questions . . .

• What are bonsai?
• and
• How do you do bonsai?

Many people have a vague idea of what bonsai are,
but little else.
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Nature in miniature
Miniaturized trees and landscapes
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Nature in miniature

• Real plants and landscapes planned and developed
  to simulate nature
• Appearance of age and persistence
• Harmony of nature and with nature
• Requires little space

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Patient pursuit of perfection

• Bonsai are horticultural fine art
• Unity and consistency of design are
  important
• Pot and plant(s) are both part of the
  design
• Symmetry through asymmetry
• Bonsai are never finished, but with care they
  grow more beautiful year by year
• Carefully thinking ahead is vital
• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
• There are no universal standards for
  how bonsai should look

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Symmetry through asymmetry
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Fulfilling and enjoyable

• It brings peace and satisfaction
• like any other aspect of serious
  gardening,
• it makes the outside world recede
  and brings calm perspective
• Its goal is harmony
• involving the bonsai, its creator or
  curator, and the natural world
• Its creative
• Its optimistic
• gardeners and bonsai practitioners
  always
• look ahead and try new things
• Its therapeutic

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Harmony and persistence
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Almost anyone can do it

• Four main requirements . . .
• Be able to keep a tree healthy in a pot
• Learn and practice a few special
  techniques
• Have at least a little artistic
  sensibility
• Practice being patient

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The dwarfing of bonsai occurs because of
restricted root space, and careful pruning.If
you took a bonsai out of its pot and transplanted
it into your yard, it would grow into a
full-sized tree.
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Almost anyone can do it
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Before and after
This . . . plus about four hours . .
. equals this.
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Before and after
from this . . .
to this . . .
in two months.
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Are these trees tortured?
Properly cared for trees often live longer as
bonsai than they would live in nature.
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Is it expensive?

• As cheap or expensive as you want to make it
• Collected plants are free
• Some aged bonsai are priceless

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Cheapskate bonsai
collected native red cedar
collected native hornbeams
Original cost of these plants 0
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How does one begin?The same way you begin
anything!

• Read
• Talk with people who do bonsai
• Use the Internet
• Attend demonstrations
• Take a workshop
• Take a class
• Study with someone
• Join a bonsai society
• Practice

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(There will be a bonsai vendor at the Berea
International Festivalnext weekend.)
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Most images in this presentation are from the
bonsai pavilion of the North Carolina Arboretum,
Asheville, NC
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(No Transcript)
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In bonsai, as in all other things,
every season is a new beginning.
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Who needs tranquilizers . . .
. . . when you have bonsai?