A Selection of the Best Bonsai Books Available

Bonsai Basics

A Comprehensive Guide to Care and Cultivation

Written by Colin Lewis, this New Pyramid publication is tailored to meet the needs of the first time bonsai owner. Produced in the form of an extensive directory of every major bonsai type, it contains clear text and step-by-step illustrations – together with specially commissioned photographs and illustrations – that will ensure even the most nervous newcomer can approach their first bonsai project with confidence.

Published in 2009, this title is 128 pages in extent, and has been described by readers as “conclusive, detailed, simple, well-written and rich with cultural aspects and spiritual roots of the bonsai tree”.

Indoor Bonsai for Beginners

Selection – Care – Training

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. An A-to-Z guide of all the popular species showcases varieties that range from a flowering Camellia Japonica, with its beautiful smooth stem, to an easy-to-care for Olive tree. Each entry gives some background on the plant, and includes suggestions for acquiring the bonsai and directions on how to position it in the room for best results.

 The Sphagnum Moss Bonsai Method

An Illustrated Handbook

Most bonsai enthusiasts are familiar with the process of growing these miniature trees in soil, a method that dates back 2000 years. This instructional book explains a new method of growing bonsai trees in sphagnum moss, producing beautiful results with far less work than the traditional method. All topics pertinent to the growing of bonsai trees in sphagnum moss are covered, including watering, fertilizing, trimming and pruning, anti-fungicides and insecticides, bonsai styles and diagnosing problems. A huge improvement over traditional practices, the sphagnum moss method makes the growing of miniature trees much quicker and easier and opens the hobby to a wider range of enthusiasts. This handbook is appropriate for both horticulturalists and amateurs.

The Complete Book of Bonsai

CLASSIC STYLES EXPLAINED

The origins and development of bonsai are traced, and the underlying principles of this fascinating art clearly explained. The classic styles are listed and illustrated, together with full descriptions of how they were derived from models in the world. Outstanding examples of plantings in all of the various styles are shown. The types of containers are detailed, and the importance of their use for different trees or styles explained. Advice is given on placing and exhibiting your completed bonsai.
CLEAR STEP-BY-STEP SEQUENCES
There is comprehensive information on how to create a bonsai from a seedling, cutting, or garden center plant. Clear step-by-step sequences take you from the initial raw material through to the finished bonsai, showing the superb results that can be achieved. All the tools and techniques of bonsai are illustrated and explained, and their use described in detail. Maintenance and propagation sections tell you everything you need to know to keep your bonsai beautiful and healthy, or to create your own trees.
DETAILS OF MORE THAN 100 SPECIES
A photographic catalogue of bonsai trees and shrubs lies at the heart of the book, providing the cultivation and styling details of over 100 different species. Each entry is accompanied by an original full-color photograph of at least one outstanding specimen. This section is supplemented by a further compendium of trees and shrubs that can be grown as bonsai, giving a total of over 300 to choose from.
The Complete Book of Bonsai reveals every aspect of the art, with inspirational ideas and practical advice at every turn. Whether you are a beginner who would like to grow just one or two trees, or an experienced enthusiast who wishes to build up a whole collection, it is the essential reference work.

Bonsai Master Class

Join the contemporary artists around the world who are refining and developing the ancient art of bonsai. Find out about state-of-the-art tools invented by Ken Moore. See how Rob Clausen uses latex and fiberglass to create dramatic groupings of trees on a rock base.

Explore the breakthrough methods of Singapore’s bonsai masters, with inspiring examples of the results. Covering both basic and advanced techniques and illustrated with step-by-step photographs taken over months, Bonsai Master Class is designed to guide the reader on an artistic journey. It provides expert tips throughout on buying bonsai, seasonal care, horticultural requirements for different climates, and distinctive ways to display the results.