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The art of aesthetic miniaturisation of trees or their dwarfing technique is called bonsai making. These living sculptures are prepared by utilising three basic principles of gardening - pruning, shaping and container growing.
Styles:
The situations in which trees grow in nature vary greatly. Some trees find themselves in more favourable conditions, receiving maximum sunlight, adequate water and enough space for spreading branches. While others grow on mountain slopes or in limited spaces, have a considerably different growth patterns. Their leaves spread in one direction to get sunlight and lean towards the source of water and throw branches away from wind.
A bonsai grower keeps in mind these shapes and tries to imitate them. It is also essential to have a knowledge base of the growth pattern of the selected plant material and its habitat before proceeding to give styles to a bonsai.
Size classification of Bonsai-
Mame or miniature bonsai - up to 15cm
Small bonsai - up to 30 cm
Medium bonsai - up to 60 cm
Large bonsai - over 60 cm
Formal Upright Style - The tree is grown in an upright manner where the tips and the roots are in one vertical line. Other branches are trained into a pyramid shape. The style resembles trees growing in very favorable conditions and is the most common and easiest style to develop a good bonsai.
Informal Upright Style - The tree grows upwards as in the formal upright style, but there are many well balanced curves in the trunk, more along the base and less towards the tip of the tree. The apex should be slightly tilting towards the front.
Slant Style - This style is very easy for beginners, as most trees grow in a slanting manner in nature. The tree trunk grows at a slant of 45 degrees left or right of the roots. The roots spread more on the other side of the lean giving it a more balanced look.
Wind Swept Style - The tree looks as though it has been affected by the wind. A constant fight against the wind results in this style. The tree trunk is bent on one side right from the base, keeping the upper trunk straight and bending the branches on same side in a strong angular manner.
Twin Trunk and Multi Trunk Style - The tree has trunks growing from a single root ball. Sometimes two trunks are grown together to create an illusion of twin trunk style. The trunks are arranged in the pot in such a manner that one trunk is slightly in front of the other and never in the same line.
Broom Style - This style is suitable for trees producing a lot of branches from the same point. For this style, wire all the branches in almost a fan shape with a few branches coming forwards and a few going backwards.
Bunjin Style - This style can be seen in very old trees growing in extreme weather conditions. The style is not governed by any rules of Bonsai styles. The focal point of this style is the ruggedness of its trunk line.
The best way for creating styles in bonsai is to examine the finest examples of each type of tree growing in nature and to makes notes of all its outstanding features. This would become your guide to selecting and growing a good bonsai.
