Shakan (Slanting)
Japanese bonsai artists have developed many intricate and detailed forms of bonsai, in which each element is positioned just so. This is evident in the shakan, or slanting, style.
As the name suggests, the trunk is slanted, usually at a moderately steep angle, mid-way between an upright and a cascade style. The slant will be [...]

The Japanese have a word, ‘wa’, that roughly translates to ‘harmony’. It refers to relations between individuals, and man and nature. But it can also refer to the elements comprising a work of art. The art of bonsai uses this concept when coordinating the choice of species and style with the container in which the [...]

There are many factors that affect the growth of your bonsai plants. One of these factors is the kind of soil that you use for planting. If your bonsai plants look anemic despite giving it enough sunlight and water, you should check the composition of your soil. The best bonsai soil can help your plants [...]

Beyond the need for good water retention and good drainage, soils have to supply all the nutrients trees can’t get from the air or produce internally using sunlight for energy. Also, how much water retention is needed and specifically what kind and amount of nutrients will vary somewhat from species to species.
Pines and Junipers require, [...]

Since bonsai are grown from ordinary, not dwarf, species, their small size is primarily the result of pruning, both branches and roots.
Though much learning and experience is required for proper soil preparation, watering and other needed skills, no other aspect is so critical for making the bonsai more than just a small tree. It’s the [...]

Junipers are, along with pine, another of the common species sought by beginning bonsai enthusiasts. And for good reason: it’s a beautiful species that tolerates a wide variety of conditions well.
Junipers make an especially good species for the kengai (cascade) style in which the trunk and branches grow out over the pot and below the [...]

To begin raising bonsai one need only some bonsai tools. Nevertheless, with the correct tools one can do numerous functions and tasks easier, best and quicker. There are tools for few dollars; nevertheless, some cost some hundred dollars also. As with all other substance good quality also has here its cost. The option is big. [...]

First, a little ultra-simple plant biology. Plants maintain themselves and grow by taking in and processing nutrients, just as animals do. But the obvious difference is that (with few exceptions) plants can’t go get them, it has to come to them. One major portion of their needs is met when they absorb sunlight and take [...]

Beyond the basic styles of bonsai tree art, there are many wonderful variations. The individual aesthetic that each artist brings to the work allows for an infinite variety of forms.
Group or Forest (Yose)
The group display, often called the forest, is just what the name suggests – multiple bonsai trees residing in a single container. Any [...]

Over the centuries the artists of bonsai have developed hundreds of unique styles. But within this complexity there are a few that form the basis of most of the variations.
Chokkan (Formal Upright)
The simplest, but still exquisitely beautiful, is the chokkan or formal upright. Though still a miniature, this style most resembles the full grown tree. [...]