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Bonsai for Beginners
"A thoroughly illustrated reference that will captivate and educate newcomers to the art...a wealth of personal insights accompanied by illustrations that are refreshing in their clarity and in the depth of the accompanying explanations."--Bonsai Online.
If beautiful bonsai have caught your eye, but you've felt too intimidated to start cultivating your own, then welcome to this wonderful pastime. Start enjoying this fascinating hobby with a complete guide to every aspect of the art, from selecting suitable plants for your climate, through healthcare, styling, potting, and troubleshooting, to long-term development. Illustrated with the author's own photographs of varieties popular throughout the world, and accompanied by charts and drawings, it includes case studies that take you through important techniques, one by one. A special chapter, "The Bonsai School," examines pruning and development methods in detail, and provides species information on the major bonsai types. You'll uncover basic information on rock planting, elms, white pines, maples, informal and informal uprights, using nursery trees for bonsai, correcting design and growth, styling with a mature tree, and so much more.
If beautiful bonsai have caught your eye, but you've felt too intimidated to start cultivating your own, then welcome to this wonderful pastime. Start enjoying this fascinating hobby with a complete guide to every aspect of the art, from selecting suitable plants for your climate, through healthcare, styling, potting, and troubleshooting, to long-term development. Illustrated with the author's own photographs of varieties popular throughout the world, and accompanied by charts and drawings, it includes case studies that take you through important techniques, one by one. A special chapter, "The Bonsai School," examines pruning and development methods in detail, and provides species information on the major bonsai types. You'll uncover basic information on rock planting, elms, white pines, maples, informal and informal uprights, using nursery trees for bonsai, correcting design and growth, styling with a mature tree, and so much more.
- GenresHorticulture
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
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About the author
Craig Coussins
8 books1 followerCraig Coussins has been growing Bonsai for 40 years. He has headed up Bonsai Conventions and taught Bonsai all over the world, Craig Coussins has written a number of well received books on this subject listed on Good Reads. His non commercial website is http://www.bonsaiinformation.com where you can see his Bonsai garden and photographs.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 15, 2020
Good overview book for beginners. Overview of bonsai basics and background on the practices and history.
He is obviously a very experienced and expert practitioner, and many of the case studies are excellent, but some of the info is a bit outdated and he advocates for some practices are typically considered a waste of time these days, such as "humidity trays" (they don't really do anything) and misting in lieu of watering (it doesn't do much for most trees). Lots of good pictures too.
He is obviously a very experienced and expert practitioner, and many of the case studies are excellent, but some of the info is a bit outdated and he advocates for some practices are typically considered a waste of time these days, such as "humidity trays" (they don't really do anything) and misting in lieu of watering (it doesn't do much for most trees). Lots of good pictures too.
March 30, 2013
Does what it says on the tin.
July 15, 2015
I wouldn't say this is for beginners.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews