How to make a Japanese asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus) bonsai? Detailed explanation of later care methods
Japanese asparagus fern is evergreen through all four seasons, has a unique shape, and holds high ornamental value; it is a plant well suited to pot culture. Many people love bonsai, but different plants require different bonsai-making methods, so below the editor brings you the bonsai-making method and later care for Japanese asparagus fern.
Bonsai-making method
1. Tree form
Japanese asparagus fern has many tree forms, including the straight-trunk style, slanting-trunk style, curved-trunk style and cascade style, each with its own characteristics. The straight-trunk style is vigorous, upright and antique; the slanting-trunk style is sturdy and powerful; the curved-trunk style twists and coils like a crouching dragon; the cascade style resembles a steep high mountain with a dragon peering out its head.
2. Choosing a pot
The specific shape of the pot is not fixed; it can be square or round, and is generally decided by the plant's tree form, with a rectangular medium-sized pot as the usual default. If the plant's tree form is the cascade style, choose a deeper cylindrical pot; if the tree form is the curved-trunk style, choose a drum-shaped shallow round pot. Pot materials include purple clay pottery and glazed pottery.
3. Choosing soil
It has no strict requirements for soil and adapts to many kinds of soil; a fertile, deep, well-drained, slightly acidic soil is suitable, but do not choose saline-alkaline soil for planting.
4. Processing and shaping
When planting Japanese asparagus fern into a pot, pay attention to reinforcing its branches and trunk; you can bind the roots with metal wire and then pass it through the round hole at the bottom of the pot, but be sure not to damage its roots. Shaping is mainly based on wiring and binding: select a young sapling, twist its trunk, prune the side branches, and bind it with metal wire; after the plant has grown for one or two years, the metal wire can be removed, and the wiring readjusted, so that after several years it can be fixed in shape.
Later care of Japanese asparagus fern
1. Temperature: the suitable growth temperature is 20-30 degrees; it is not cold-tolerant, and the winter temperature must not be too low, otherwise growth will stagnate.
2. Light: it likes a semi-shaded environment and fears direct strong light, so in summer it needs shading, otherwise the leaves will lose water and turn scorched yellow.
3. Water: it likes a moist environment, and during the growing season sufficient water must be maintained, but waterlogging must be avoided; too much standing water in the pot will cause the roots to be unable to breathe and die. In winter, water less, keeping the soil moist is enough.
4. Fertilizer: fertilizing is mainly with nitrogen fertilizer, supplemented by potassium fertilizer; generally, fertilizing once a month is fine.
The above is the introduction to the bonsai-making method and later care of Japanese asparagus fern. The bonsai-making method for Japanese asparagus fern is simple and very easy to pick up, so people who want to make a Japanese asparagus fern bonsai need not worry about doing it badly, nor about caring for it badly. If you like Japanese asparagus fern, then get started right away!
Bonsai making and care of Japanese asparagus fern
Bonsai-making method for Japanese asparagus fern
Choosing the pot shape
The specific shape of the pot can be decided according to the tree form of the Japanese asparagus fern; it can be square or round, and generally we choose a rectangular medium-shallow pot as suitable. If the tree form is the cascade style, generally choose a deeper cylindrical pot; for the curved-trunk style, generally choose a drum-shaped shallow round pot. Usually the pot materials chosen for cultivating Japanese asparagus fern include purple clay pottery, and glazed pottery can also be used.
Choosing the tree form
The tree forms of Japanese asparagus fern can be said to be varied, including the straight-trunk style, slanting-trunk style, curved-trunk style and cascade style, all with their own characteristics. For the straight-trunk style Japanese asparagus fern, it is upright and vigorous, with an antique flavor; the slanting-trunk style grows coiling like a crouching dragon; the cascade style is like a steep high mountain with a dragon peering out its head, truly spectacular.
Choosing soil
Japanese asparagus fern suits relatively many soils; choose a deep, loose, well-drained soil containing slight acidity, but do not choose soil with high salinity and alkalinity. Sand can also be added and mixed in for use.
Later processing
If Japanese asparagus fern is planted into a relatively shallow pot, pay attention to reinforcing the branches and trunk; iron wire can be used to bind at the roots, taking care not to damage the roots, and then passed through the round hole at the bottom of the pot. The later processing of Japanese asparagus fern is mainly based on wiring and binding, using metal wire. Select some young saplings, about 2-3 year old young saplings, bend the trunk and branches of the sapling, prune the side branches, and bind them onto the Japanese asparagus fern, in a horizontal or downward state. After one year of growth, remove the metal wire for adjustment, and carry out wiring and binding again; after a few years it can be fixed in shape.
Care of Japanese asparagus fern
Temperature
The temperature at which Japanese asparagus fern can grow is above 15°C, so be careful that the winter temperature is not too low, otherwise Japanese asparagus fern will stop growing; the suitable growth temperature is between 20°C and 30°C.
Light
Japanese asparagus fern should be cultivated in a semi-shaded place, especially in summer, avoiding direct sunlight, otherwise the leaves will lose water and be scorched. At the same time, pay attention to ventilation.
Water
During the vigorous growth period of Japanese asparagus fern, sufficient water must be given, but it must not cause standing water in the pot, otherwise it will cause oxygen deprivation of the roots and death. In seasons of slow growth such as winter, there is no need to water frequently; just ensure the potting soil is moist.
Fertilizer
Fertilizing should form the habit of fertilizing once a month; nitrogen and potassium fertilizers are especially suitable, and can promote the growth of Japanese asparagus fern.
Origin of bonsai and its development history
Origin of bonsai and its development history
I. The origin of bonsai
The origin of Chinese bonsai can be traced back to the Neolithic period. On pottery shards from the Neolithic period unearthed at Hemudu Village, Yuyao, Zhejiang, between 1977 and 1978, there are patterns of potted plants. This is the earliest "potted plant" ornamental plant discovered so far in our country, and it is the primary form of Chinese bonsai. "Imitate nature, build gardens and create parks." As far back as the 11th century BC, the Zhou Dynasty built enclosures for the royal family and nobles to hunt and amuse themselves. After Qin unified the whole country, the Shanglin Garden was built. Qin Shi Huang also "made a long pond at Xianyang, drew in the Wei River, ... and piled earth to make Penglai Mountain." Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, expanded the scope of the Qin-era Shanglin Garden by more than two hundred li, and built dozens of detached palaces, observatories and lodges. At this time, private gardens were also very prevalent. The wealthy Maolin Yuan Guanghan built a garden at the foot of the northern mountain, four li from east to west and five li from north to south, channeling water into ponds, constructing stones into mountains, ... with rare trees and exotic grasses, and pavilions and chambers linked in winding succession, showing that gardens were already quite prevalent at that time. The formation and development of bonsai cannot be separated from the art of garden-making. Judging from the excavated Han Dynasty pottery inkstones, the surface of the inkstone is modeled with twelve peaks, with overlapping ridges and continuous mountains; if water is held in it, mountain shadows and water light reveal a scene of beautiful lake and mountain scenery. Furthermore, on the Eastern Han (AD 25-220) tomb murals unearthed in Wangdu County, Hebei Province, there is a round pot painted with six branches of red flowers planted inside, and below the pot is a square stand, forming an integrated whole of plant, pot and stand. This kind of potted plant can be seen as the early form of our country's tree bonsai. At the same time, it can also be seen that the art of bonsai in our country had already reached a fairly high level in both theory and practice at that time.
During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Southern Song recluse and famous painter Zong Bing (AD 375-443) said in his "Preface to Painting Landscapes": "The forms of Kunlun and Langfeng can be enclosed within a square inch; a vertical stroke of three inches can represent the height of a thousand ren, and horizontal ink of several chi can embody a hundred li of expanse." He also hung the landscapes he had painted in his life indoors, and painted the landscapes he had seen in his life on the indoor walls, for leisurely contemplation. During the Wei, Jin, Northern and Southern Dynasties, landscape painting gradually separated from figure painting. The rise of landscape painting played a huge role in the formation of Chinese bonsai and had historic significance. Furthermore, during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Liang Dynasty historian Xiao Zixian (AD 489-537) once said in "Book of Southern Qi", "Mount Keshi in Shan County, Kuaiji, is said to have received its name by tradition." It also records: "In the sixth year of Yongming (AD 488), the clouds and mist on Chicheng Mountain cleared, revealing a stone bridge and waterfall, which had rarely been seen before. The mountain Daoist Zhu Sengbiao reported it, and the emperor sent the chief secretary Dong Zhongmin to investigate, considering it a divine auspicious sign. The grand music director Zheng Yitai, based on Sun Xinggong's rhapsody, created the Tiantai Mountain performance, making mossy stone bridges and the appearance of Daoists touching green screens, and soon after it was discontinued." From the "Book of Southern Qi" it is not hard to see that garden art imitating natural scenery and piling up rockeries had already appeared at that time. From this it can be known that our country's bonsai actually originated in the Neolithic period before the Han Dynasty, and has a history of more than 7,000 years to date.
II. The formation of bonsai
The Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) was an era when Chinese feudal society reached a high degree of development. All kinds of culture and art achieved brilliant accomplishments, and painting art flourished in an all-round way. The development of landscape painting promoted the formation of Chinese bonsai. In 1972, the tomb of Crown Prince Zhanghuai (built in AD 706), excavated at Qianling in Qian County, Shaanxi, was a burial accompanying the tomb. Inside the tomb there is a mural of a palace maid holding a bonsai, "Palace Maids with Bonsai," located on the east wall of the front passage of the tomb. In the picture, from north to south, three palace maids are arranged, each holding an object. The latter two palace maids hold a bonsai with both hands. The first palace maid holds a potted tree-and-stone bonsai; the second palace maid holds a potted flowering bonsai. This painting powerfully proves the historical fact that in the Tang Dynasty in the 8th century AD, our country already had bonsai. The Tang person Feng Zhi once recorded in the book "Records of Memorable Things": "Wang Wei used a yellow porcelain vessel to hold orchid and fragrant thoroughwort, cultivating them with beautiful stones, and over many years they became ever more flourishing." This was a kind of landscape bonsai. The bonsai on the wall of Crown Prince Zhanghuai's tomb also uses a yellow color for the pot, which may indicate that this kind of yellow pot was commonly used in the Tang Dynasty. Wang Wei was both a painter and poet; people of his time all said he had "poetry in his paintings and paintings in his poetry," so the bonsai he made were also full of poetic and pictorial charm. The poet Bai Juyi also wrote many poems related to bonsai, such as the poem "Rockery": "Smoke gathers the colors of three autumns, waves bear the traces of ten thousand ages. Cut into pieces of blue jade, severed from the roots of green clouds. Wind and air pass through the rock caves, moss patterns protect the cave door. The three peaks are small in concrete form, and should be descendants of Mount Hua." "Cloud roots" refers to stone materials, which shows that at that time the method of cutting stone materials was already used to process landscape bonsai. Also, in the poem "Two Stones" he wrote: "Two pieces of stone, dark and somber, their forms strange and ugly"; "Precipitous and towering several chi high, hollows holding a dou." From the poem it can be seen that he advocated that stone materials should possess the two characteristics of "strange" and "ugly," with different shapes and countless postures, in order to display their natural, simple beauty. At the same time, it can also be seen that there were already large bonsai several chi high at that time. The poet Li He also wrote a poem "Song of the Five-Grain Little Pine," in which he wrote: "Green waves soak the leaves full of thick luster, finely bound dragon beard cut with scissors." These two lines describe the pruning method for tree bonsai. Han Yu, in his five "Basin Pool Poems," recorded that at that time there was already a kind of aquatic flower in which pots were buried in the soil, water was placed in the pot, and lotus roots and fish were planted and raised. From the literature and unearthed artifacts described above, it is not hard to see that Tang Dynasty bonsai had already formed and reached a relatively high level, and was widely popular among the people and in the court.
III. The development of bonsai
In the Song Dynasty (AD 960-1279), the artistic level of Chinese landscape painting reached an unprecedented height. The principles of landscape painting were also applied to bonsai, and there was great development. Whether in the court or among the people, using rare trees and strange stones for ornament became a common trend. Further research was also conducted on the forms of bonsai, dividing bonsai into two major categories: tree bonsai and landscape bonsai. This was a major event in the history of Chinese bonsai development. Among the four paintings in the Song painting "Picture of Eighteen Scholars" held in the Palace Museum, two depict pine bonsai. Indeed, "the branches spread and coil, the needles like bent iron, the exposed roots emerge from the soil, the old trunk grows scales, already dignified like something several hundred years old." Lü Shengyi praised "plum in a pot" and also wrote a "Jiangchengzi" lyric: "Every year after the twelfth month I see the ice maiden. Jade skin and flesh, dotted with creamy flakes. Her flower countenance does not age, and through the years she grows ever more plump. Front and back, sparse and dense, as if in a painting, under the bright moon, her shadow is sparse. A traveler in Jiangnan asks about his journey. Sending a letter, will he surely come or not. Just beside the basin pool, a clever stone leans by the pagoda. Quietly facing the recluse of the northern mountain, adorned and finished, a little West Lake." In this lyric, she is praised as the "plum in a pot," with ice skin and jade flesh, an ageless flower countenance, sparse shadows slanting under the bright moon, beside the basin pool, leaning on a clever stone, just like the charmingly scenic little West Lake. The Song person Wang Shipeng said in "Record of Rock Pines": "A friend brought rock pines to Meixi, of different substance and growing in clusters, roots gripping fist-sized stones, flourishing rather than withered, dense rather than tall, with cypress leaves and pine body, imposing in appearance, hiding the meaning of towering to the sky and covering the earth within a handful, and also among the outstanding and strange of plants and trees. I rather loved them, planted them in earthen jars, and placed them in a small room." The bonsai Wang Shipeng mentions here is a pine bonsai with exposed roots, attached to stone, and standing upright. The calligrapher Huang Tingjian, after obtaining a precious "Yunxi Stone," once composed a poem: "The Creator's formed shape excels the wonderful painter's craft; the terrain within a foot spans distant emptiness. Dragons emerge and vanish across thirty thousand qing; clouds and rain run crisscross over twelve peaks. A clear seat makes one free of vulgar air; in leisure it brings cool wind in the heat. As trees shed leaves on the mountains in the rustling night, drunken dreams of rivers and lakes lie within a single leaf." From the poem it can be seen that by then the artistic technique of "a foot spans a thousand li, the small reveals the great" had already been applied, and had reached a fairly high level.
In the Song Dynasty, because of the emergence and development of landscape bonsai, the collection and study of mountain stone materials were promoted, and many monographs were produced. For example, Du Wan's "Yunlin Stone Register" records as many as 116 kinds of stone, and gives detailed records and discussions of their places of origin, shapes, colors, grades, collection methods, and so on. The register also records the two stones Su Dongpo obtained in Yangzhou, one green and one white, which are Yingde stones. From this it can be seen that Yingde stone was already used at that time to make landscape bonsai. Zhao Xihu wrote "Records of Cave-Heaven Purity," and in the book's "Discussion of Strange Stones," he described in detail the method of making landscape bonsai. The book states: "Strange stones are small but rise into peaks, often with elegant towering rock caves and inlaid forms. They can be placed on desks for viewing and enjoyment, and are also rare objects." "Those with moist color are certainly very lovely to play with; those that are dry and dull are not worth prizing. Daozhou stones also rise into lovely peaks, and Sichuan stones are strangely towering, tall and delightful. However, after being carved by human effort, they are placed in rapid water to be pounded and struck, then put into flower railings, or smoked with smoke, or dyed in color; they can also become slightly black and glossy, and are suitable for making rockeries." At that time, smoking and dyeing were used to make stones slightly black and glossy for making rockeries, and the method was roughly the same as today.
The relic of the Song Dynasty Flower and Stone Convoy now displayed in Yangzhou Slender West Lake Park is a stalactite. In this landscape bonsai, the mountain ridges rise and fall, with perilous peaks and secluded caves, towering screen-like walls and high cliffs, and winding streams and broken cliffs. It is an extremely precious Song Dynasty relic rarely seen in the country, and can serve as witness to the appearance of "landscape bonsai" in the Song Dynasty.
The tree bonsai and landscape bonsai of the Song Dynasty were both relatively large in volume. By the Yuan Dynasty, in making bonsai, small size was advocated. At that time there was a eminent monk named Master Yun, who loved nature and often traveled among famous mountains and great rivers. His bonsai took nature as their model, were full of poetic and pictorial charm, and he was especially good at making "xiezi jing"; "xiezi" here means small, that is, miniaturized bonsai, though still slightly different from what is now called "miniature bonsai." At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, a Hui poet, Ding Henian, once wrote the poem "Composing Xiezi Jing for Master Yun of Pingjiang": "Within a foot of basin pool before the winding railing, the old Chan monk's pure delight imitates woods and springs. His spirit swallows the Bohai Sea, waves filling a handful; his force presses Kongtong Mountain, a single fist of stone. As if mist and sunset clouds arise in a patch of ground, clearly sun and moon lie in a potted heaven. Let no bystander wonder that his breast is narrow; from a hair's breadth he has always established the great thousand worlds." The poem points out that the bonsai made by Master Yun "reveal the great in the small," take nature as their model, and are rich in the secluded charm of the great outdoors. He was an artist skilled in creating miniaturized bonsai. The evolution of bonsai from large to small not only added a form of bonsai modeling, but was also another relatively great leap in art and horticultural technique.
During the period of Yuan Dynasty rule, because the rulers of that time esteemed martial power and did not attach enough importance to culture and art, and even slighted them, bonsai art was unable to develop better. However, the "xiezi jing" advocated by Master Yun played an important role that cannot be ignored in the trend of Chinese bonsai toward miniaturization and diversification.
In the Ming Dynasty, monographs on bonsai appeared one after another. At this time bonsai further developed, modeling forms were enriched, appreciation levels were raised, and the characteristic of cattail grass "collecting lamp smoke at night" was known; the two words "bonsai" also appeared in books. At this time the modeling forms of bonsai included the multi-trunk style, combined planting style, forest style, stone-attached style, flowering and fruiting bonsai, and so on, as well as water-and-land style and the technique of dotting with stones.
Now in Yangzhou Slender West Lake Park, there still remains a Ming Dynasty ancient cypress from Yangzhou Tianning Temple, with a trunk more than two chi high; the bark has peeled off leaving only one third, and the crown is in cloud-flake form, naturally lovely. Also, Taizhou Park preserves an ancient cypress of the Ming Dynasty Prince Consort Ji, whose bearing is ancient and hoary, and can be called a rare national treasure.
Qing Dynasty culture and art developed further. In the Qing Dynasty, Li Dou wrote "Record of Yangzhou Painted Boats," in which he narrates that gardens and bonsai were prevalent in Yangzhou, just as the book records: "Every household has a garden, every home cultivates bonsai." During the Jiaqing period, Su Ling of Wuxi wrote the book "Random Records of Potted Plants," in which bonsai plants were divided into four major categories: the Four Great Masters, the Seven Worthies, the Eighteen Scholars, and the Four Elegants of Flowers and Plants. At the same time, Zhang Tong of Kunshan also wrote the book "Small Works on Potted Trees," divided into twelve sections, whose content is roughly similar to "Random Records of Potted Plants."
Four Great Masters: Chinese peashrub, Chinese boxwood, winter jasmine, cypress.
Seven Worthies: Huangshan pine, juniper, elm, maple, holly, ginkgo, Chinese plum yew.
Eighteen Scholars: plum, peach, tiger thorn, kumquat, goji, azalea, emerald cypress, Chinese quince, wintersweet, nandina, camellia, Buddhist pine, Malus spectabilis, bamboo, crape myrtle, pomegranate, serissa, gardenia.
Four Elegants of Flowers and Plants: orchid, chrysanthemum, narcissus, acorus.
This was a classification of bonsai plants by the ancients, and it also shows the depth of the ancients' study of bonsai plants. From the literature, poetry and lyrics listed above, it is not hard to see that Qing Dynasty bonsai had diverse forms, including tree bonsai, exposed-root style bonsai, curved-trunk style bonsai, water-basin style landscape bonsai, water-and-land bonsai, dry-basin bonsai, stone curios, and also foliage, flowering and fruiting bonsai. Bonsai plants were also comparatively classified, and processing techniques and horticultural cultivation techniques were further improved.
IV. The revival of bonsai
In the late Qing Dynasty, because of imperialist aggression, the national economy declined day by day, and bonsai also began to decline visibly. After the Revolution of 1911, warlords fought in continuous chaos, and with the aggression of Japanese imperialism, the country had no peace and the people had no means of livelihood; bonsai art fell even more drastically.
After the founding of New China, the government adopted the policy of protecting, developing and improving the heritage of the motherland, and from then on bonsai art was able to shine brilliantly. In 1959, Chinese bonsai held an exhibition at the South Suburb Park in Chengdu. The late Vice Premier Chen Yi visited and inscribed a fine words of praise: "High art, beautifying nature." On July 1, 1964, Jiangsu Province held the first Jiangsu Province Flower and Bonsai Exhibition at Xuanwu Lake in Nanjing, as a celebration. In 1961, the fragrant flower and bonsai working group organized by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences held a relatively large-scale bonsai exhibition of Jiangsu and Shanghai at the Humble Administrator's Garden in Suzhou, which had a great impact domestically. Yangzhou Slender West Lake Park also exhibited Yangzhou-style bonsai works many times, including water-basin, dry-basin and water-and-land basin styles of bonsai. There were also new works with water-basin dry meaning and dry-basin water meaning, and innovations were made in the content of the exhibition; besides reflecting the beautiful rivers and mountains of the motherland, it also displayed many new things in real life. This fully demonstrated the strong strength of Yangzhou-style bonsai.
During the ten years of turmoil, bonsai art, like other culture and art, was slandered as a product of feudalism, capitalism and revisionism, and was also listed as an object of dictatorship. At that time Chinese bonsai art suffered severe devastation. After the "Gang of Four" was overthrown, bonsai art gained new life and developed even more than before.
In 1979, on the 30th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the National Chinese Bonsai Art Exhibition was held at Beihai Park in Beijing. Participating in the exhibition were 54 units from 13 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, displaying more than 1,100 bonsai of various types. The exhibition was divided into ten halls, including Comprehensive, Fujian, Guangdong, Northern Jiangsu, Southern Jiangsu, Sichuan, Zhejiang, Guangxi, Northern and Shanghai, and the number of visitors reached as many as several hundred thousand. In the same year, Chinese bonsai participated in the 15th Horticultural Exposition held in West Germany, where it won 13 medals of various kinds, including one grand prize, seven gold medals, three silver medals and two bronze medals. In the 1980s, Chinese bonsai participated in the World Bonsai and Suiseki Exposition held in Japan; Chinese bonsai works were placed in the chief position in the exhibition hall, and it also participated in the international flower exhibition held in Canada. In the Chinese bonsai hall, visitors surged, and the occasion was unprecedented. The exhibitions of Chinese bonsai abroad expanded the international influence of Chinese bonsai, and were the first step in going out of the country and facing the world.
In recent years, bonsai from Jiangsu, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other places has been exported to the United States, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, France, Australia and other countries and regions. Chinese bonsai going out of the country and charging toward the world is a gratifying major event in China's bonsai cause.
Japanese bonsai. Bonsai art originated in China and has a long tradition. Only later was it transmitted to Japan by Chinese, Korean or Japanese scholars, and it formed a distinctly Japanese style. When bonsai was introduced to Japan has not been determined, and there is much debate. However, according to the book "General History of Japanese Bonsai" by Professor Ryoji Iwasa of Chiba University in Japan, as early as the 4th century AD, the Yamato court of Japan had already sent envoys to China, interacting with the Eastern Jin of China at that time. By the Tang Dynasty, interactions between the two countries were frequent, and the custom of planting flowers and trees and potted plants prevalent among Chinese literati was transmitted to Japan along with it, and began to spread gradually in Japan. By the late Heian period (AD 794-1192), some among the Japanese nobility imitated the pure amusements of Chinese literati, and simple potted plants became popular; this was the early form of modern Japanese bonsai. From this it can be known that bonsai originated in China and was transmitted to Japan before the Tang Dynasty in China. According to the historical works "Saigyo Monogatari Emaki" and "Kasuga Gongen Kenki Emaki (Kasuga Grand Shrine Miracles)" (1309), completed in 1195 or about 1259, it can be inferred that in the late 13th century or early 14th century, bonsai underwent a substantial stage of development during a long period of peace and prosperity. In the books and pictures of this period there are many records about bonsai, and some bonsai even survive to this day. It is reported that the first modern bonsai monograph was "Bonsai Trebiki Sho" (Bonsai Guidebook) written by Y. Sannon, published in 1883. In 1892, the first historical work on bonsai, "Bonsai Ko" (On Bonsai), was published by Tokifuyu Yokoi, and it is currently regarded as the standard historical source for Japanese bonsai.
(1) Bonsai cultivation techniques: there are many ways of cultivating Japanese bonsai, and the multiple techniques of different cultivators have led to the development of diverse bonsai schools. In bonsai care, watering is the most important factor. Using pruning, wiring and other techniques for shaping to make different styles of well-proportioned bonsai is quite different from the process of cultivating ordinary potted plants. Some basic techniques include fertilizing, repotting, soil preparation, and disease and pest control. Bonsai collections must be effectively displayed to viewers. The surrounding environment has a great influence on bonsai display and appreciation, just as you see in the Omiya Bonsai Garden. In addition, making and caring for artistic bonsai requires long-term attentiveness. Finding a suitable pot for a bonsai plant, and maintaining a suitable balanced relationship between the plant and the pot, are very important in artistic aesthetics. When you visit a bonsai garden, you will appreciate the specialization and individualization in artistry of different bonsai masters.
(2) Bonsai styles: Japanese bonsai modeling has several basic styles, including the straight-trunk style, curved-trunk style, double-trunk style, three-trunk style, five-trunk style, forest style, lying-trunk style, literati style, wind-swept style, exposed-root style, cascade style, broom style, connected-root style, raft style, and many other styles. Trees are planted either singly, in groups, or attached to stone.
(3) Common tree species for Japanese bonsai: common tree species for Japanese bonsai include Japanese maple, trident maple, Japanese white pine, hawthorn, Chinese quince, Japanese beech, ginkgo, Chinese juniper, juniper, Ezo spruce, Japanese black pine, Japanese black pine 'Nishiki', plum, yew, Satsuki azalea, Japanese zelkova and many other species. Trees like the Japanese black pine 'Nishiki', whose trunk has peculiar corky bark, express Japan's attitude toward the selection of bonsai tree species.
(4) Famous bonsai production areas: Japan has many enthusiasts and nurseries displaying artistic bonsai, such as the Kawaguchi Bonsai Cooperative in the Angyo district of Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, whose 18 members cultivate cypress, azalea, deciduous and evergreen tree bonsai; another cooperative here is the Nihon Kogara Bonsai Center, with about 70 cultivators specializing in producing miniature bonsai. The Kinashi Tree and Bonsai Center in Kagawa Prefecture has about 122 cultivators specializing in producing Japanese pine bonsai such as Japanese black pine, Japanese black pine 'Nishiki' and Japanese white pine. The most famous is Omiya Bonsai Village. Bonsai Village is located north of Omiya Park, covering about 31 hectares, and currently cultivates more than 100,000 pots of tree bonsai. The most famous bonsai gardens include Mansei-en, Ryufu-en, Fujiki-en, Kanen-en, Seiko-en, Fukushima-en, Kyuka-en, Taisho-en, Fuyo-en, Seifu-en, Yagumo Mansei-en, Ichisei-en, Ikko-en, Shosetsu-en and Bonsai Ono. Among them, Mansei-en is owned by Saburo Kato, chairman of the Japan Bonsai Association, and is divided into a sales area, a fine works area, a production area and a bonsai garden; indoors as well there are bonsai or supplies everywhere, truly a typical bonsai family. Mansei-en is not only the largest in scale, but also displays Japan's oldest pine and cypress bonsai, and the ancient Ezo spruce planted together in the bonsai garden is said to have been collected from Kunashir Island in the Kuril Islands, arranged according to the habitat of its place of origin, and is extremely rich in island scenery and natural atmosphere. Omiya Bonsai Village is a place where people gain skill and spiritual vitality through bonsai, and many people who have studied here have now become active bonsai leaders around the world.
Today, bonsai is regarded as "living art" not only in Japan but also in many other countries; it not only has beautiful form, but also possesses inner spirit. More and more people around the world are discovering its beauty and seeking peaceful thoughts in this fascinating hobby. Whenever Japanese people do anything, they pay attention to spirit, and they hope that the "bonsai spirit" will become a symbol of peace.