History

Bonsai is actually two words, "Bon", and "Sai". The word "Bon" means "tray" and "Sai", "growing" or "planting". Therefore, the two words put together give you the translation of "tray growing" or "tray planting". When you say the word, "Bonsai" to people, they usually think of a type of tree.
It is the art of dwarfing trees or plants and developing them into an aesthetically appealing shape by growing, pruning and training them in containers according to prescribed techniques.
Bonsai plants offers good peace of mind, eliminates depression and keeps us energetic and develops extreme patience, caring mentality, positive outlook towards life to each of its practitioners.



The world of gardening overflows with obsessions, such as giant vegetables, lawns, compost, cacti and many others.
One of the most extreme gardening obsessions is the art of bonsai. I was always a bit dismissive of this particular obsession until I interviewed an expert about seven or eight years ago. Up until that moment my only experience had been gathered from the 1989 film The Karate Kid, where Mr Miyagi, as well as being a karate expert and gardener, had a collection of bonsai trees that he tended to using an array of specialist tools. (He also wore a rising sun headband to add to the stereotype).
The basic premise of bonsai is to reduce the size of the tree while still maintaining the shape of the mature specimen. I always thought this was achieved by training a young tree for many, many years. Actually it is simpler to dig up a larger tree and slowly reduce its size, sculpting its branches until it's roots fit into a shallow dish. The most remarkable story I heard (though I'm sure there are many others) was of a Chinese juniper 1.5m tall and 3.5m wide growing in a small, overcrowded garden. Over a period of years it was dug up, pruned and replanted until it fitted into a pot. The whole process took about a quarter of a century and is far from over.
The art began about four thousand years ago in China, where it was known as Penjing. Originally it was much more exotic: tree shapes were based on coiled serpents and raging dragons. The Japanese took it further, using the art as something spiritual. Originally it was confined to temples but by the Eighteenth Century it had become more widespread. Today there are thousands of bonsai enthusiasts all over the world.
Any tree can become a bonsai - except palm trees because they have no branches. It's not a complicated hobby, mysticism, strange tools and exotic outfits are purely optional. Just remember you're dealing with miniature trees not house plants; like trees they need cold winters, air, water and sunshine to thrive.
For more information you could try the Federation of British Bonsai Societies.