Page 55 - Ebook cây cảnh Art of Bonsai

Choosing suitable trees 55

Practical considerations
One of the biggest factors to consider is whether
a tree will grow naturally in your yard. Native trees
are most likely to suit local conditions, but many
imported Japanese species grow well in temperate
climates too. Consider not only temperature but also
rainfall, sunlight levels, water, soil pH, and air
quality. If you provide ideal conditions for tropical
trees in subarctic countries, then some level of
success will follow. After a few years of bonsai
cultivation you will soon learn which trees do well
in your garden and which do not. Try to work out
why, then if those factors are beyond your control,
focus on species that thrive.

Bonsai is a subjective art form: there is no such as
thing as right or wrong. Conventional ideas exist, but
there is also great scope for variation and personal
preference. When looking at bonsai, some will interest
you more than others. Stop, look hard, and question
why and what it is about a certain tree that draws
you to it. This will help you to develop your personal
Trees growing in harsh conditions such as rugged
taste and identify styles and species that fit with it, mountainsides can be a great source of inspiration
even if they are unconventional. when designing your bonsai.

Species with small
foliage are more
pleasing as bonsai

Buy collected material
from a specialty nursery
to ensure it was
collected legally
and given a good
start in a pot.

This collected olive has been styled as a literati bonsai.
Despite the highly stylized form, the tree retains a sense
of how olive trees grow naturally on Mediterranean hillsides.