Bonsai Tree

Bonsai is a word used to describe miniature trees that are created using techniques such as pruning, wiring the branches and trunk and grafting. A Bonsai tree is a lot smaller at mature age than the cutting or seedling that it comes from. This means that all the elements of tree such as the leaves, flowers, roots and trunk must represent the larger version of the Bonsai. The art of Bonsai is considered to have origins in Japan, China and Vietnam. The Chinese tradition of bonsai is called penjing and this is where the art originated. In Vietnam, it is the art of creating a miniature living landscape which is called hòn non bộ. The Japanese tradition dates back over a thousand years, and has its own aesthetics and terminology. The technique I chose to focus on is the ancient Japanese technique. This technique consists of finding a source plant, such as cedar elm or juniper, taking the cutting and using techniques to grow the tree into the desired style. Some common styles are the chokkan style or the formal and upright style. This style is characterized by a straight, upright trunk with the branches progressing regularly from the thickest and broadest at the bottom to the finest and shortest at the top. Another common style is the cascade style or the kengai style. This style is modelled after trees that grow over water or down the side of mountains.
The aesthetic of the Bonsai pays much attention to the harmony of heaven and earth in one container. As such, plants are selected so that they are mainly consisting of flowery bushes and similarly colourful shrubs. According to the Japanese, the bonsai is a perfect attempt in evoking a plant's essential spirits.
Bonsais are also very delicate to environmental factors. You don't just plant them, leave them under the sun and water them once in a while and hope that they live. A bonsai gardener needs to patiently check every part of the plant's surrounding environment if they want to ensure that the bonsai tree doesn't