| When you think of art, does your mind conjure | | | | and practice go into learning the pruning |
| up a Van Gogh or Monet impressionist painting? | | | | techniques, potting and re-potting skills. |
| Or do you think of a Roman sculpture or other | | | | A science in its own right is the watering |
| traditional piece of art? | | | | procedures. One must strike a delicate balance |
| Art can also be living, as in the art of the bonsai | | | | between too much water, which can leave the |
| gardening plant, which is a living tree. The art of | | | | bonsai with root rot or fungi from water-logging, |
| bonsai is originally from Japan and the word | | | | and under-watering, which can quickly result in dry |
| actually means "tree in a tray." When one | | | | soil and withering leaves, causing the tiny tree to |
| practices the art of bonsai, one shapes and | | | | die. |
| prunes the tree carefully to produce a beautiful, | | | | Potting methods and choice of soil mix with the |
| meticulous miniature tree. | | | | watering requirements to address the vital issue |
| You may be surprised to learn that these trees | | | | of drainage. Coming full circle with these critical |
| are not genetically developed to grow small, but | | | | features are the shaping and pruning techniques. It |
| are the product of master artists who use years | | | | is all quite complex to get just right. |
| of patience and skill to shape otherwise ordinary | | | | Bonsai is perhaps more difficult than traditional art |
| trees into these unique forms. | | | | to create as one is working with a live organism |
| It requires delicate care to keep the bonsai plants | | | | and the many elements each have to be perfect |
| healthy because of the manner in which they are | | | | for the living tree to survive. One can see why it |
| grown and shaped in small pots. After all, these | | | | is an art form. |
| are naturally large trees such as maple, pine and | | | | On the one hand is the science of horticulture and |
| similar species. | | | | the need to learn and master multiple |
| The gardener, or artist, must keep the soil and | | | | sub-sciences. While on the other hand is a need to |
| temperature precisely controlled and measured to | | | | master precise skills and artistic vision to be able |
| ensure it always remains within a healthy range. | | | | to produce the intricate styles and shapes of the |
| As you can imagine, it requires a certain | | | | bonsai. |
| personality to master this art. Years of training | | | | |