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I am not going to go into the ins and outs of the technicalities of caring for Bonsai Plants. There are plenty of articles that cover all aspects pruning and styling, repotting and maintaining your Bonsai Tree. No…I am going to take you into the why of Bonsai and so explain why a lot of Bonsai gardeners are addicted!

It would be a very rare person who has not heard of Bonsai trees or Bonsai plants. Originating in China many centuries ago, Bonsai trees were taken up with a vengeance by the Japanese who perfected the techniques of miniaturizing some of their standard trees and turned the skill into an art form. Gradually the rest of the world has become captivated by the Bonsai tree and the techniques have spread to the home gardener and hobbyist.

To the newcomer there seems to be an overwhelming amount of information on the techniques of growing Bonsai. There are seemingly important things like styles and forms, pruning and potting, watering and feeding and a long list of things you should and should not do. Is it no wonder that the novice might throw their hands in the air and say its all too hard! However to do that would be a mistake.

Bonsai trees carry an air of indefinable uniqueness. You are taken to a different perspective by their miniature stature and undoubted beauty. To be in the presence of a fully mature tree that is only 12 inches or 30 centimetres tall is a feeling that has to be lived to be fully appreciated. You are transported to a different place, one far from the hustle and bustle of modern city life with its pressures and stresses, and into a place of inner calm. That feeling is enhanced when those Bonsai trees have been trained by you.

There is much to learn, as there is much to practice, but the benefits of having patience and just spending time with your Bonsai plant are enormous. The more you get to know your Bonsai the more you will find yourself entering into a kind of meditation where the world is shut out while you study the form and style of your Bonsai tree. A little pruning here , a little shaping there, some watering and feeding and you become so involved that you are in danger of becoming addicted. But so what! Its an addiction you are happy to live with.

You have to put in the time and care to achieve your end result. However the thing about Bonsai is that it is the time spent that is the addiction! That is what calms the spirit, the doing not the getting.

However there are some basic things you need to learn before you can loose yourself in this type of meditation. Start with some good quality supplies and the type of Bonsai tree suited to your area. There is plenty of “how to” information available for both new and experienced growers alike and you may want an interesting pot and display table to finish off the project.

You will be rewarded with endless pleasure and satisfaction for life if you get a few basics in place in the beginning.