Miniature Bonsai. Terutoshi Iwai
the Four Seasons, Super-mini Style
Buds forming, flowers blooming, leaves changing color and then falling… the seasons change like this even in the world inside a little plant pot. Super-mini bonsai are nature in miniature, letting you experience the four seasons at close range.
Flowering crab apple (Malus halliana)
Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia)
Have Fun Decorating Your Home with Supermini Bonsai
Place them on little plates or coasters, line them up next to miniature figures—there are no rules when it comes to super-mini bonsai. They lend themselves to whatever decorating ideas come to mind. Thinking of ways to display them is part of the fun.
Chinese fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus)
Flowering crab apple (Malus halliana)
Designing Super-mini Bonsai to Your Own Taste
Once you get the hang of things, you’ll be able to shape super-mini bonsai or display them however you like. Super-mini bonsai are little works of art, so enjoy choosing the materials to use and the pleasure of creating expression through form.
Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora)
Chapter 1
The Basics of Super-mini Bonsai and How to Prepare Them
In this chapter we’ve listed in detail the requirements and preparation needed for creating super-mini bonsai, which will allow you to get a better idea of what can be achieved. Make sure to check these pages when you start creating your own super-mini bonsai.
Chinese cork oak (Quercus variabilis)
Japanese maple (Acer palmatum aka shidare)
Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis)
What are Super-mini Bonsai?
Many people may know the word “bonsai” but aren’t really sure what it means. Before you start, it’s helpful to become familiar with the basics of bonsai.
Easy to manage, small and charming
Bonsai can be divided into several categories depending on their size. Broadly speaking, they are usually divided as shown on the right, into large, medium and small sizes. Of these, the small bonsai are easier to manage than the large ones, and “bonsai that fit in the palm of the hand” have become popular recently.
Among the small bonsai, the particularly tiny ones are called mini bonsai, mame [bean-size] bonsai and so on. Super-mini bonsai are even smaller than these. In this book, super-mini bonsai are about an inch (3cm), give or take, in height and width, but rather than adhering to a strict measurement, we’ll define these as bonsai that are small enough to fit onto the tip of a finger or be held in between the fingertips.
TYPES OF BONSAI
TIDBIT
The History of Bonsai
Bonsai are said to have been brought to Japan from missions in the Sui and Tang dynasties (between the 6th and 10th centuries CE). During the Heian period (794–1185 CE), the aristocracy cultivated an appreciation of potted plants, and in the Kamakura period (1185–1333) various tree species and types of pots came into use. In the Edo period (1603–1868), this appreciation spread from the daimyo (feudal lords) to the common townsfolk and it is thought that the term “bonsai” began to be used during this time.
Building on this, further developments in the Meiji period (1868–1912) led to the establishment of an intrinsically Japanese view of art that defines bonsai as we know it today: that is, “the expression of nature’s grandeur and beauty in a small vessel, and the appreciation of this.”
In recent years, particularly in the US, bonsai fans have rapidly increased in number. Even in Japan, where until recently bonsai was commonly seen as a hobby for older people, it has become popular people of all ages. As they are easier to access than traditional bonsai, the creation of super-mini bonsai can be considered a natural development within the overall trend.
Japanese winterberry (Ilex serrata)
Cherry (Prunus)
Snowrose (Serissa japonica)
Princess pussy willow
Weeping forsythia (Forsythia suspensa)
Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora)
Spindle tree (Euonymus fortunei)
What’s So Appealing about Super-mini Bonsai?
Why do I recommend super-mini bonsai? How do they differ from larger bonsai, or from flowers, ornamental plants and other regular potted plants? Let’s dig further into their appeal.
Tiny little bonsai just an inch or so (3cm) tall
A bonsai is essentially a potted plant whose trunk and branches are artfully adjusted for the purpose of fostering a deep appreciation of nature. It differs from a regular potted plant in that its form is trained so as to represent a natural landscape within a confined space.
It takes years of work to achieve the desired shape and effect. Growing a bonsai to maturity requires not only time, but also space and financial investment, and so bonsai gardening has tended to be the province of people for whom such factors are not much of an issue.
Super-mini bonsai came about because they are easier to create, require less time and can be worked on even in small spaces. Once the plant has been propagated, a super-mini bonsai can be potted, displayed and admired immediately. Like other plants, super-mini bonsai require regular care and, if properly maintained, will give years of enjoyment. Super-mini bonsai combine the magic of growing things with the magic of small things. They are fun to display and, whether placed singly or arranged in multiples, are sure to captivate.
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