Often an interest in bonsai is sparked when one sees or receives a tree that leaves an impression. Some research may lead to a book or two and possibly to a local club or nursery. Once in a club, one may see demos or take workshops. Books may be checked out from the club library. Along the way more trees are acquired.
When there is no club or nursery nearby, one is left with books and magazines, friends, and online resources. Some travel may be required to find material for bonsai or to further one’s knowledge.
Bonsai books
My story is similar. I saw a tree that left an impression. I found a few bonsai clubs. I visited local nurseries and picked up material where I could.
I didn’t learn how to work on trees, however, until I found a good teacher and got hands-on practice.
I was fortunate to have good teachers available close to home. I know that’s not the case for everyone.
Evaluating bonsai at an exhibit
Many of you run the clubs to which newcomers turn when their curiosity leads them to learn more about bonsai. I’ve always thought of the task as difficult – to design a program that inspires and educates novices while facilitating the goals and interests of the experienced.
I’ve been thinking about the dynamic a lot as as I’ve had the opportunity to visit a number of clubs this year. I’ll have more to say about learning bonsai in upcoming posts, but for now I’m mostly curious about the following:
How did you learn bonsai?
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rick daddario says
about 30 years ago i realized i could probably look into bonsai when i arrived here in Hawai’i. i found one tiny book by the cash register in a Japanese store. the photos alone excited me. later at a school craft fair i found a man selling bonsai trees. i bought one, an olive tree. later i was able to take a short basic class from this man and his wife who were both masters. it was hard at that time for me to find tools or books. it was difficult to maintain contact with these teachers when i moved to the other side of the island during the class.. yet the seed had already been planted and i learned by finding more and more books and collecting tools and pots and tree seeds and soil, little by little. yes i grow mostly from seed and collect only from the islands here. there are a few exceptions. i found clubs that are excellent but they were difficult for me to get to for one reason or another. I’m a visual artist. i just happen to also like growing things. i’ve kept some of my trees for a long time. which was not easy because at one time i traveled a lot at the wrong time of year and i’d loose trees every time i was gone. altho none of my trees are what i’d consider exhibition worthy without quite a bit more work and time, i like what I’m doing and the ways i explore bonsai. watching your blog fascinates me all the more. and yet, yes i still have that first olive tree.
James Hughes says
My first class was a community education class with the classic juniper workshop. MN only had one club for the whole state but was fortunate to have some talented teachers and a nationally known potter. My first teacher eventually moved to CA and was asked to join John Naka’s study group. I ended up moving to Washington DC and immediately started volunteering at our national collection. That is when my knowledge exploded.
Michael Mitchell says
In 2002 I saw bonsai trees at a garden shop and soon found my way to a local bonsai nursery. I then visited a bonsai show at the National Arboretum where I purchased a Satsuki Azalea. Since few people in my area of Virginia have azaleas I soon began taking classes at El Dorado Bonsai in California. I made the trip four times a year until El Dorado Bonsai was forces out of business because of import restrictions. The sensei, at El Dorado Bonsai, Nakayama san invited the students to his nursery in Japan. A few of us began making the trip two times a year. I just returned from my 23rd trip.
Zack Clayton says
In 1969 my Godfather gave me a Brooklyn Botanical Gardens book on “Growing Miniature Trees” – their first bonsai book I believe. That was 9th grade. In my Sr year in High school I was weeding the volunteer maples out of my mothers flower bed. I pulled one out and looked at it and thought – that looks like one of the trees in that book Uncle John gave me . . .. It was all downhill from there. There was no accessible club near me and I learned by killing trees. I lost everything when I went to Florida for graduate school but there was a nursery and club near me there. I lost everything again when I moved back to Michigan in a sudden frost the first year back. I then moved to Ohio and have been successful in growing and being active in a club in Columbus.
Grant Hamby says
I did a random Google search almost two years ago that led me to understand that bonsai is an art, not a species of tree. I was immediately fascinated and researched without ceasing. I started snatching up every seedling I could get my hands on. Most, if not all, died quickly. Later that year I saw a post on Instagram advertising the Artisan’s Cup and I entered a contest to win free admission. I won the contest and flew out to Portland. Seeing those trees changed everything. I saw what bonsai could be. I’m curious about this subject as well because there is little interest in bonsai where I live. I’m trying to get my friends hooked so we can pool our knowledge and get better faster, but they’ve never seen great trees in person, so I feel like my attempts are futile until they do (I’m currently trying to arrange that). I want to help them skip all of the newbie mistakes I made and let them get straight to the good stuff, but sometimes I wonder if that’s an important part of the journey…
Kev K says
As a kid, I was always interesting in gardening and wanted to pick something specific . I had a few of the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens books and practiced bonsai on my own. From looking at the 2D pages, naturally all my trees were flat. Then a local bonsai club (I never knew about) had an open house. I went, was amazed and joined the group that night. Myself and a few of the hard core guys used to meet weekly, besides the regular monthly meetings. But I had to take a big step back when my son was born. Over the years the club faded away. Now I’m back to just some of the bonsai magazines and You Tube videos.
John Rigg says
How did you learn bonsai is a moot point. Observation, reading, some classes, then by trial and error. Few go on to intensive study under a mentor. To consider the question of why? instead of how, should produce a more esoteric and informative platform for those contemplating the hobby. Trees are by far our most precious resource, our sustenance and our future. Reverence needs to be paid to some of our longest living inhabitants and hence,- the bonsai culture.
Ken Wassum says
I bought the worst possible wedding present for a couple of friends — a mugo pine bonsai. I say worst because they had zero interest in bonsai and it died within months. Prior to the wedding it sat on my table for a couple days. I became infatuated with it and I decided to take a class at a local nursery. That was 1994, and the rest is history. I joined the local club (Puget Sound Bonsai Association), took workshops and read tons of books. For about 10 years I struggled with confusing and mixed information. It was not until I met Boon about 12 years ago that it began coming together. I have been a student of his since.
Candace says
Hi Jonas, Great topic!!! We saw the bonsai exhibit at the Marin County Fair. They offered an introductory class and the enthusiastic club members won us non-joiners over. That was 15 years ago. We went to workshops and classes, but I don’t think we found “our teachers” until 7-8 years in. Nice to see our trees finally really developing into bonsai through regular classes with Peter Tea. We have tried to increase the level of instruction at the club level too, as we are now senior members there, but efforts are sometimes met with a yawn. Many people come to the club with unrealistic expectations of creating and maintaining bonsai. Very hard to engage and please club members at so many different levels of interest and abilities.
Andy Brokenshire says
Hey.
I think I was 8 years old (1965) when I was first exposed to the idea of bonsai. The postman had just delivered the latest National Geographic. It was my favourite magazine and I spent hours pouring over it.
On that day, as I leafed through the pages, I suddenly stopped cold at the image of magnificent, wonderfully gnarled 300 year old pine… in a pot? Huh? It looked like a mature tree… but it was in a pot? Wait… its only 35″ high? Was this some kind of trick (today I’d suspect photoshop)? How could this be possible?
My young mind had officially just been blown.
So I ran outside and dug up the first maple sapling I could find and officially began exploring bonsai.
Christian says
An artist at heart, I found myself drawn to the cultivation of bonsai. Always fascinated by aging trees in their element; the isolation, the strength.
As a beginner to bonsai, I’ve learned to appreciate the art and tweak my eye to the beauty in the details. Learning the tireless effort, hard work and sacrifice for summer vacations that goes into crafting beautiful trees.
Initially, purchasing several tree from nursery stock with attractive trucks and small leaves, I set out to make mistakes.
I care a great deal for the trees in my collection but more importantly, I appreciate the solitude, contemplation and journey that goes on when I spend with them.
CJ says
In 1968, stationed in Philippines, purchased a book detailing Bonsai. It was to be a gift for a relative in Alameda, Ca.. They never received the gift but since that time I have grown to love the art form, and in the process have been fortunate enough to meet some really remarkable individuals, who have imparted their knowledge and time generously and with great grace, laughter and joy.
My greatest discovery personally was to realize, within the last year ( I kind of walked away), that I dont have to be a Master for my work to be beautiful. Every tree I have I love. Every tree I lost I loved. I really appreciate this art form and the joy it brings ME!
Lee Bates says
When the Atlanta Bonsai Society had their February convention (I still miss it), I discovered that beginners could take a workshop. Thanks to Jim Barrett, my wife and I learned what we did not know, and, that we could learn more. Workshops are the best way to learn. Thorough our current club in huntsville, AL to the annual Brussel;s Rendezvous, to semi annual sessions with Kathy Shaner and Rodney clemons. Awlays learning.
Marty Weiser says
My mother got me the Sunset Bonsai book and some sort of bonsai sometime in the early 70s when I was recovering from some significant illness. She had been redoing our central Ohio backyard as inspired by the Sunset Rock Garden and similar books for a couple of years. I was into the outdoors and saw it as a way to bring the image of mountains of the west back to the flat lands of Ohio. I now live in the west and spend a bit more time styling trees to look like those of Ohio than those around me.
Devaki says
Since very young I’ve been fascinated with miniature worlds, starting with the “hills” and “valleys” of my bed covers and my tiny finger’s “running” all over the place. Nature is my first place love in the world, so Bonsai held an inevitable appeal. My first attempt being a 20 inch Deodara Cedar sapling that I wired into an upward spiral nearly 30 years ago. (She’s still with me, gone through many changes but always looking better.) For me, Bonsai is not about a finished product or even a showing, but rather, the living, growing process; in essence, a relationship with each plant.
Gary Swiech says
I started in 1975 when I saw an exhibition at a shopping center in Chicagoland. I went out and bought an Old Gold juniper and started.
I went to the library and got “Bonsai, Miniature potted trees” by Kyuzo Murata, “Miniature Trees and Landscapes” by Yoshimura and Halford, and “Bonsai: Trees and Landscapes, a guide to the methods of Kyuzo Murata” by Lynn R. Perry.
Those books helped in the beginning and then I met people who tought me the finer points. It’s been 41 years and I’m still going.
Tony Fajarillo says
I started learning from books and magazines and watching others. The game changer was when I decided to take Boon’s intensive class (around 2001, I think I met you at his Alameda house then). I learned how to repot trees correctly. Still many more things to learn but I heard someone said before ( I think it was Dave DeGroot), “Bonsai is like playing piano, you can’t get good by reading about it, you have to DO it.” Also, the trees (especially the ones I killed) themselves teach me a lot.