World of Bonsai and Gardening

The art of planting trees in containers is called Bonsai and it comes from Japan. But it is more than an art; it demands your patience. Bonsai as an art form emerged solely to charm the viewers and to show the skill and expertise of the grower. When we are talking about this art form, let us take a look at the world’s most beautiful bonsai trees. The ranking of the world's most beautiful Bonsai trees has not changed for at least one decade. This valuable ranking tells us that their Bonsai carekeepers were truly unbeatable masters. Some of these Bonsai can be admired in various museums around the world. One of the most interesting museums is the Omiya bonsai art museum which offers hundreds of different master pieces on display.

The Bonsai universe is vast and almost endless, however countless and beautiful Bonsai masterpieces exist that are still unknown to us. Unknown does not mean that they would not fit into this ranking. Some of these beautiful Bonsai are easily over 100 years old and passed on from generation to generation by numerous Bonsai artists around the world. In fact, Bonsai passion has no borders, and a lot of Bonsai artists are exchanging knowledge through social media like Facebook and YouTube which is a good thing for Bonsai in general. Some of the beautiful Bonsais like the Shunka-en Bonsai are displayed at Museums in Japan. One of the most famous museums for Bonsai is the Omiya Museum (see my other blog post Omiya Bonsai village). Bonsai museums are not only in Japan, if you travel to Germany, Korea, Eastern Europe, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, and China, you will be impressed too. These marvelous Bonsai masterpieces are certainly not the only famous ones, there are countless Bonsai trees in other parts of the world that have not been mentioned in this blog.

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1. Shunka-en Bonsai, 800 years old and still steady!

Beautiful master piece of Shunkaen bonsai is displayed at Shunkaen Museum in Tokyo

2. The Yamaki Family 389 years old White Pine

The tree survived the Hiroshima Atomic bomb. Donated to Bonsai & Penjing Museum in Washington

3. Goshin ''Protector of the spirits'', by John Naka

A forest planting of eleven Foemina Junipers, the earliest of which Mr. Naka began training into Bonsai in 1948.

4. The famous Juniper Bonsai by Luis Vila

A unique Crescent Bowl which enhances the dramatic effect of the cascade composition.

5. Juniperus Chinensis by Mauro Stemberger

Mauro Stemberger was born in 1978 in Feltre, Italy and works as an architect and Bonsai artist.

6. Atlas Cedar by John Naka

Atlas Cedar with Shadows at the National Bonsai Museum in Washington DC.

7. Toichi Domoto Trident Bonsai

The large trident maple since 1979 is part of Domoto Collection in California.

8. Saburo Kato - The Forest Bonsai at Mansei-en

Professional Bonsai Set, Click here for Details

Latest Book on Penjing Bonsai

Todaiji Temple Poster Nara

The Japanese Garden Poster

Interesting Books on Bonsai can be found here:

The Complete Book of Bonsai --> I've been into bonsai for 25 years and this is the basic Bible for beginner and intermediate bonsai enthusiasts. It has an excellent section on techniques, including pruning, wiring and whatnot, and it has a large species-specific tree guide. If you're into bonsai and want only one book, this is it.

Indoor Bonsai The Great Selection --> Creating beautiful, healthy bonsai is a wonderful skill that anyone can learn, with a little time, patience, and this all-inclusive manual. With color photos and drawings to illustrate the points, it introduces all the cultivation techniques; offers expert advice on location, soil types, watering, and pest control; and provides intricate instruction on training the bonsai--including pruning, wiring and stretching it.

The Secret Techniques of Bonsai --> In The Secret Techniques of Bonsai, the author of the groundbreaking Bonsai With American Trees teams up with his son to offer not only the basics for creating perfect bonsai, but also secret techniques they’ve developed over years of careful work and observation.

Bonsai Survival Manual --> Problem solving when your Bonsai get sick. Expand your gardening repertoire as you create a captivating and exquisite miniature world. In this introductory guide, Colin Lewis covers everything you need to know to design, grow, and successfully maintain attractive bonsai.

Bonsai and the art of Penjing --> Bonsai & Penjing, Ambassadors of Beauty and Peace describes how Chinese penjing and North American bonsai were later added to the Museum, making its collection the most comprehensive in the world. Stories of individual trees and forest plantings are featured, as are the roles played by the skilled and talented creators of these living art forms people such as John Naka, Saburo Kato, Yuji Yoshimura, Harry Hirao, and Dr. Yee-Sun Wu.

Bonsai with Japanese Maples --> With their delicate foliage, seasonal color changes, and intricate pattern of branching, Japanese maples are among the most popular and suitable plants for bonsai design. In this long-awaited book, internationally renowned expert Peter Adams discusses both the specific horticultural needs of Japanese maples as bonsai subjects and illustrates proven techniques for creating and maintaining beautiful specimens.

The Modern Bonsai Practice --> The most current, useful information on growing Bonsai. Fresh, practical, definitive, comprehensive reference guide to the finest art of horticulture: growing miniature trees. Common sense bonsai answers separating myth from fact with depth and detail. Appropriate for both bonsai hobbyists and experienced practitioners.

The little bonsai

Growing and Caring for Bonsai Trees

The World's most famous Bonsai