Bonsai

101 Essential Tips

by Harry Tomlinson

Breaks down key information on cultivating bonsai into 101 easy-to-grasp tips and gives quick answers to all your questions.

Harry Tomlinson is one of Europe's leading bonsai artists and instructors. He has exhibited and judged bonsai all over the world. He is also the author of several books including DK's The Complete Book of Bonsai.

Genres: Nonfiction, Gardening, Reference, Plants, How To, Guides

72 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Gauri]

Yesterday, I got a medium sized pot, three small cuttings, and a moss patch at my local greenery while browsing on a whim, and only thought to pick up this book once I was near the register. Bad idea. Turns out I've picked the wrong type of pot and should have gotten several tools.

This book covers all of the design principles valued by the art of bonsai, the styles of bonsai planting that mimic different phenomenons in nature, the tools that you need to do all of the care explained in the book, different types of bonsai species, techniques of pruning and cutting depending on tree type, and how to grow a bonsai from the beginning whether in seed, cutting, or ready-made form. It was surprisingly very thorough despite the size of the book.

I really appreciated the explanations of the design principles the most. To cultivate bonsai is to shape a small piece of nature in the most natural way possible, that is, to mimic the natural growth of an actual sized version of the bonsai tree. Because bonsai is often kept indoors by most beginner cultivators, the tree easily grows upright and symmetrical - however, this is not the goal for bonsai, because it is meant to be a portrait of nature, of it's inherent imperfections as a result of changing weather and terrain. The cutting and pruning is not meant to be a restriction of growth or to have it fit into a small space and look aesthetically pleasing, but to continuously mold it into an artistic depiction of the species' or forest area's true form.

Upon realizing this small fact, the art of bonsai became a very beautiful thing for me.

In addition, the bonsai tree you will cultivate will certainly outlive you, given proper care. I was incredibly surprised when I found the phrase: "Leave for a year" in several paragraphs throughout the book. The patience and dedication one must have for the art also heightened my appreciation for it.

I'm sure I'll struggle with my new patch, though I hope this little whim will turn into a discipline as I spend more time with it.

[Mason McMillan]

I don’t think bonsai-ing is for me.

[Jane Doe]

Short, simple and a fast read. Great pictures. Now I'm going to trim my Bonsai, wish me luck.

[Michael Shaw]

Good overview very informative but very surface level without much depth or reasoning for the techniques presented

[Jaynie]

Yes. One star. That is not a mistake! This book is NOT 101 tips!!! The editors and publisher should NEVER have allows that title. It's a random list of 101 statements. Many of them are just describing different types of trees that can be bonsai. I just bought my first bonsai, and needed serious help; I did NOT find it here. Very little information, very few tips. Poorly written and organized. It could have been a fairly decent book if it was edited better and had a more appropriate title. I've also decided to go down THAT route and only read Bonsai books by Asian authors. Prejudice on my part? Seems so, but I've only got so much reading/studying time and I'd prefer undiluted (real) help from the people who created the art in the first place. There's a lot to be said for people who learn from their parents and other ancestors, and I am going to go with that. Harry, you seem to be a "Bob Newhart" kind of writer, not someone who tends to these amazing plants. If I wrong you, I apologize.

[Ben Nash]

Good 1st bonsai book read. The book was written in the 90's so the pictures could use help. Illustrations are helpful, and the book covers the basics. You can get most of this information on the Internet or YouTube, but it's nice having something in hand and something to reference if need be.

It's fascinating to see the potential one could do with a tree or shrub.

I could see Tolkien's elves crafting bonsai trees. Especially since they are immortal.

[Thomas Bradley]

I received it free with a purchase of a bonsai. It's a nice intro to bonsai but the information it contains is a little too general. There is a lot out there on YouTube which gives more useful information about trimming and care of your bonsai, nuances of the tree you're working on, things like that. I'd actually recommend those over this book. But it served its purpose - a nice throw in with the purchase.

[George]

This book is ideally for the beginner. All subjects are pictorially diagrammed and well illustrated. A comprehensive descriptions of several types of Bonsai and their characteristics. Descriptions on how to prune and train the Bonsai along with planting instructions. I recommend this book for any beginner that desires to get started.

[Alanna Frick]

Good little book on how to raise Bonsai. I'm always of fan of DK Publishing because of the concise way they present information. I love the use of informative diagrams, and they always make sure to clearly illustrate the topics they cover. This book could have used a little more information, but overall it was very helpful on the basics.

[Hannah]

Seems fine as a quick reference for basic info or accessible starting point for beginners, although some of the info seems questionable (like suggested soil composition). It’s far from comprehensive (and to be fair I don’t think “101 Tips” claims to be) and anyone starting here should explore other sources, too.

[Hugh Gillis]

As someone who was gifted a bonsai and then bought four more, I needed some guidance. I was surprised by the number of species that need to be watered daily. Maybe that’s why one already seems to have died. The book provided general guidance on a number of topics, but I think I’ll need additional help to keep my new purchases alive. Wish me luck!

[Katharine Wibell]

Beautifully photographed book of 101 tips to grow and maintain a bonsai tree. Great to pick up and read if you are either interested in the art of mini trees or need a quick reference when caring for your plant.

[Justin Sanders]

Its a quick read and gives straightforward insight into cultivating bonzai. I took a lot of the directions in here and applied it to mine. I like the photos too. It has some Japanese red maples in it. I just pulled the trigger on some to grow.

[Stuart]

DK Books are the OG wikipedia and if you need to learn a lot about bonsai in a hurry (i.e. you bought some bonsai plants in the morning and they might end up sitting on a table at a beer festival that nite) this book will get you there.

[Kimberly]

As a beginner at bonsai cultivation, this book was exactly what I needed. It was short, concise, and contained tons of photos to illustrate the information. Great overview of bonsai. I highly recommend this book

[Lucy Roth]

Got a bunch of new bonsais in the nursery a few weeks ago - my coworker loaned me this book so I could learn how to care for the bonsai trees! Beautiful photos, lots of creative interesting ways of growing and displaying them… ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Todd]

Nice first step into the art of Bonsai.

[Curtis]

Great reference book and great tips for beginners!

[Dave]

This short book provides a great detail of information on all aspects of the care of bonsai. Easy to read and with simple instructions this is very helpful for any beginner.

[Kathe]

A helpful book.

[Sasifras]

Decent overview.

[J.]

Very short and concise, read it to see if I would be interested in getting into Bonsai. Not sure maybe some other indoor plant care I might do, or if I buy a Bonsai wait until I live on my own.

[Christina]

A simple guide for Bonsai growing, good for a beginner to learn about what bonsai entails.

[Anne Boardman]

Very basic guidance

[Jeff Harbrow]

Good book for beginners. Good information on understanding the fundamentals of bonsai. This book helped me better grasp some of the key concepts like root pruning, positioning etc.

[Radityadenny Putra Mahardika]

7

[-Curious-]

Forgot to add when I got this...new hobby (for sanity)...treating as a reference book, not a start-to-finish book for me...5 stars for value of content

[Fer Prz]

Find a happy place

[Sam]

Good overview for someone who is a beginner and too lazy to watch videos or read a thorough Bonsai book. Lol!

[Ben Mac]

Quick easy read and reference for ppl starting bonsai’s. The images are very helpful as well. But I wish there was a bit more detail on healthy pruning