If gardening is on your list of things to do, but you don't have the room for a full outdoor garden, you might want to explore bonsai. This artistic style of horticulture involves growing trees in decorative pots and using wire and pruning of branches, leaves, and roots to shape them into a variety of aesthetic designs. Pruning the main root of the tree stunts its growth and provides its signature miniature dimensions, while wrapping the branches and the trunk with wire allows the gardener to shape the tree as it grows.
The art of bonsai is complex, and requires specialized knowledge on how to grow and maintain these little trees. Several books on the market will guide you in developing your skill and aesthetic understanding.
Bonsai, by Susan Lang (Sunset Publishing, 2002) gives the novice gardener a solid understanding of the basics of cultivating bonsai trees; topics include soil composition, necessary tools, and the choice of pots - a great beginner's book. If you prefer learning a new skill by following detailed directions for a specific project, Creating Bonsai Landscapes: 18 Miniature Garden Projects, by Su Chin Ee and Lewis Collin (Storey Publishing, 2003) will take you through the steps to create beautiful landscapes incorporating bonsai trees and other natural elements like creatively arranged rocks.
Bonsai does require certain specialized tools; you may find them at your local garden supply store, but if not, the Internet has numerous websites of companies specializing in bonsai tools and information. One unusual site is bonsaimonk.com, an informative site and e-store run by a group of Cistercian monks in Conyers, Georgia. The monastery imports pottery, tools, and other supplies from Japan, Korea, and China for sale, and offers how-to books and video. A collection of online articles offers free advice on growing bonsai trees.
If you become serious about bonsai, you may want to consider joining an organization. Check the calendar of events in your local newspaper for meeting notices, or ask the staff at your local gardening supply store if they know of a bonsai group in your area. You may also want to join the American Bonsai Society, which provides a wealth of information on cultivating bonsai. The ABS publishes a quarterly journal, and offers books, DVDs, an online bonsai course, and numerous seminars and other events for fans of bonsai. The ABS also has a Bonsai Club Directory which will put you in touch with fellow bonsai enthusiasts in your area, in the U.S. or around the world.
Bonsai is an art form involving skill, patience, and a sense of aesthetics; it also involves a worldwide community of like-minded individuals. Developing an enjoyment of bonsai gardening may not only provide you with a relaxing, meditative activity, it may result in finding a lifelong circle of friends.
Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire and frequently contributes to Tips and Topics. She has published numerous articles in local and regional publications on a wide range of topics, including business, education, the arts, and local events. Her feature articles include an interview with independent documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and a feature on prisoners at the New Hampshire State Prison in Concord. She may be reached at amfredenburg@yahoo.com.