Author: Futaba Ling

"Bonsai" means "tray planting" in Japanese. This popular art was created centuries ago and people from all over the world practice it today. Bonsai has changed dramatically from the first tray planting that was developed in Asia. It is the art of planting a miniature tree in a pot and keeping it shaped, while representing its color and texture.

The tree is shaped in very intricate styles over a period of time until the desired shape is achieved. Once the initial shape has been obtained the tree is continually trimmed and shaped to keep the designed shape.  Bonsai is an interesting hobby that takes some time to perfect but once you get the general idea you can make some wonderful bonsai creations.

It is important that when you are first starting out with bonsai that you have a general idea of what it is that you want to achieve. Even expert and experienced bonsai creators have some personal concept of what it is that bonsai means to them. You need to make your own decision about what you want to see when you are finished dwarfing and shaping your bonsai tree.

If you decide to try bonsai, prepare yourself first. Read all the information you can find and look for pictures to help you decide which designs appeal to you. You might even find bonsai shows or nurseries to visit. Purchase your supplies for as little as possible when you get ready to start your first project. Since you may have to make several attempts before you learn it correctly, you won't be throwing away a lot of money.

There are two primary bonsai styles: "koten", or classical bonsai; and "bunjin", or informal bonsai. The Koten style is a tree with the traditional wider bottom and tapering top. The bunjin style is the opposite - the bottom is narrow and the top grows wider.

With a basic understanding of the bonsai styles, you can move onto to creating variations developed by other bonsai hobbyists. Eventually, you'll be able to add your own unique style to your bonsai creations.