When creating bonsai, the important factors to remember are that it is about individual elements of the over-all design of the tree and not just one part in particular.

These elements can take years to achieve and some bonsai may never grow to reach this stage.

The 3 elements that a quality bonsai will have are;

• Symmetry

• Balance

• Proportion

When training and working on the styling of your tree it is important to consider these elements separately to be able to create one complete bonsai.

Symmetry

This is achieved by repeating the same shape within the look of the tree, with repeated shape of bonsai being a scalene triangle (a triangle with no sides are the same length) .

This triangular shape has significance in oriental philosophy, the 3 points of the triangle from highest to lowest represent Heaven, Man and Earth.

When looking at the bonsai, the shape of the scalene triangle should be able to be seen in its overall outline and branches, regardless of which side it is viewed from.

Balance

It is important to get the right balance between having enough branches and not too many, a pot that is deep enough, not too shallow, wide enough but not too wide. Enough room between branches but not too much. These all help create the illusion of mass and void.

Proportion

The individual parts of the bonsai, which also includes the pot in which it is planted, and its overall design, all need to be in the right proportion, or to scale of a tree much larger in nature.

The thickness of the trunk at the base, compared to the overall height of the tree and the position of the first branch all make a huge impact on how the tree looks in proportion to itself as a whole.

Philosophically Speaking

My philosophy is that bonsai is an evolving form of art, with or without the basic guidelines and rules regarding them, great enjoyment can still be found in all shapes and sizes of tree, in some cases from the moment it is planted in a bonsai pot.

As in all artwork, the vision of one artist and the tastes of the individual art critic will differ, but over time what was once considered poorly in the eyes of some, may one day still turn out to be a masterpiece!

The Goal of The Grower

The goal of any grower should be to learn from the individual tree over time, to fully discover its potential and grow their knowledge and skills with the tree as it develops.

Whether you grow trees from cuttings, seeds, nursery stock or something dug from your own garden, I believe if you can keep it alive long enough in a bonsai pot, eventually it will form it’s own character, to the point that with a small amount of training and care, it has the potential to be a masterpiece.

Growing bonsai is a wonderful rewarding hobby and one that can take years or even a lifetime to master.

The Complete Bonsai

Like most things in life, the sooner you get started on growing bonsai the more time you will have to learn, create and appreciate your own complete bonsai!