Why did you start, and continue Bonsai?

[Cjones]

Started with just wanting a fake bonsai to spruce up the computer room. Every where I looked they was absolutely rubbish and ended up buying a chinese elm. Learned every thing about it. Didn't stay in the computer room for long was outside the next day. And turned out I was half allright at caring for bonsai and I was hooked. so Here I am 4 years later with over 50 trees and my 1st chinese elm is living strong. I didnt kill my 1st tree but I have had a few casualties learning the hard way as it was only this year when I discovered bonsai forums such as this one as I was learning every thing from trial and error. Picked up a few books and now I'm hooked collecting them to as well as pots..
There is no going back now

 

[It's Kev]

My parents were both into bonsai when I was a kid, in later years my mom wasn’t so much, but still a garden fanatic, so throughout my whole life I was surrounded by plants.
Now I’m in China, in a city, in an apartment, and I didn’t want houseplants because they’re just not as exciting, so I keep trees in pots to have some nature around me hoping that I inherited my parents’ green thumbs.
Also, helps me whenever I get homesick

 

[Vance Wood]

In the end I have found it to be contemplative, transendental and godly.

 

[fredtruck]

My wife's family has a long relationship with the Japanese people. In particular, they offered housing right after the war to Mr. Ofuku, a Drake University student. Mr. Ofuku gave Lorna's parents a number of things, in particular, a book on bonsai. I read the book, several times, just amazed at the lyricism of the flowering trees. It wasn't long after that that I began trying my hand at this practice.

 

[badatusernames]

it makes me feel like a big man

 

[just.wing.it]

I began due to the intrigue and interest....like anything, I suppose.
I continue because its fun and I love it.
Yay for real Art!

Google Image search Japanese Azalea Bonsai, see the glory of some of those plants....that was the original hook for me.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

when it comes to a design for your tree...NO NOT take drastic actions. Chew over it if you will...for a few days. Make sure that their vision is your own.

I think most of the time people hesitate, it is due to inexperience. The solution - get experience - sounds trite but it is true. You need to style lots and lots of trees. You get better at seeing the bones of the tree, at recognizing the true potential, and just as important - ignoring the superfluous. Every tree has numerous ways to be styled. Challenge yourself to come up with two different designs for each tree you are about to style, and evaluate one design versus the other. Ask yourself - "how would I style this tree as a slant? What would I do if I wanted to make this a semi-cascade? What would I do if the top half of the tree died? There is no single best way to style a tree... and you could take the five top bonsai masters in the world, give them the same material, and they would come up with five different looking trees. If you give away a tree because you don't like the design is it a problem with the tree? Or with you?

But back to the subject of this thread... I love trees. I like plants, but I love trees. Not sure what it is about them. I couldn't care less about growing a tomato or a tulip, but trees melt my heart. And there is something about the art of bonsai - in trying to capture how trees in nature make me feel - that I find both soothing and fulfilling.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I think most of the time people hesitate, it is due to inexperience. The solution - get experience - sounds trite but it is true. You need to style lots and lots of trees. You get better at seeing the bones of the tree, at recognizing the true potential, and just as important - ignoring the superfluous. Every tree has numerous ways to be styled. Challenge yourself to come up with two different designs for each tree you are about to style, and evaluate one design versus the other. Ask yourself - "how would I style this tree as a slant? What would I do if I wanted to make this a semi-cascade? What would I do if the top half of the tree died? There is no single best way to style a tree... and you could take the five top bonsai masters in the world, give them the same material, and they would come up with five different looking trees. If you give away a tree because you don't like the design is it a problem with the tree? Or with you?

But back to the subject of this thread... I love trees. I like plants, but I love trees. Not sure what it is about them. I couldn't care less about growing a tomato or a tulip, but trees melt my heart. And there is something about the art of bonsai - in trying to capture how trees in nature make me feel - that I find both soothing and fulfilling.

I believe that what you quoted me was for advice given. To make sure it's your vision.

I do get the mass styling. But I've strived to keep my collection number down. Yet have reached 33 trees over an 8 year period.

With flowers.. you don't mold them into anything really. You plant them and they look pretty. I can see why trees are more intriguing to you. You get to work them ...choose their journey. I have much more sentimental feelings toward my trees than say...my landscape.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I believe that what you quoted me was for advice given. To make sure it's your vision.

I do get the mass styling. But I've strived to keep my collection number down. Yet have reached 33 trees over an 8 year period.

With flowers.. you don't mold them into anything really. You plant them and they look pretty. I can see why trees are more intriguing to you. You get to work them ...choose their journey. I have much more sentimental feelings toward my trees than say...my landscape.

It was more of a general statement instead of directed at you personally.

I think when first starting out, people get "locked into" seeing a tree one way. Then if someone comes up with a different design, they freak out. They can never see the tree before them, and instead only remember the tree as they envisioned it in the past. They have to give the tree away... because they cannot unsee what is stuck in their heads. The reality is that bonsai are constantly changing. What happens if you have a "perfect" design, and then the apex dies because a big tree branch fell on the bonsai during a storm? Are you going to have to give the tree away because you can never forget the old apex? And if you have the opportunity to have your tree styled by a master... are you going to skip the opportunity because the master might view your tree differently than you do? I couldn't care less if one of my trees was "my vision" or not - as long as it was a good tree.

Also note - everyone has their own style. After a while, their trees start to look the same. It is very easy to get into a rut, and very difficult to break out of it. One way is to have other people style a few of your trees. I have a few trees that were given to me as gifts from other people. Their style is different than mine. I like the trees because they are styled differently than how I would have styled them. I don't seek to give them away because they aren't my vision. That is the point I was trying to make.

Of course, if what your friend was really saying was "don't let someone else ruin one of your trees" I agree with him

 

[Cadillactaste]

It was more of a general statement instead of directed at you personally.

I think when first starting out, people get "locked into" seeing a tree one way. Then if someone comes up with a different design, they freak out. They can never see the tree before them, and instead only remember the tree as they envisioned it in the past. They have to give the tree away... because they cannot unsee what is stuck in their heads. The reality is that bonsai are constantly changing. What happens if you have a "perfect" design, and then the apex dies because a big tree branch fell on the bonsai during a storm? Are you going to have to give the tree away because you can never forget the old apex? And if you have the opportunity to have your tree styled by a master... are you going to skip the opportunity because the master might view your tree differently than you do? I couldn't care less if one of my trees was "my vision" or not - as long as it was a good tree.

Also note - everyone has their own style. After a while, their trees start to look the same. It is very easy to get into a rut, and very difficult to break out of it. One way is to have other people style a few of your trees. I have a few trees that were given to me as gifts from other people. Their style is different than mine. I like the trees because they are styled differently than how I would have styled them. I don't seek to give them away because they aren't my vision. That is the point I was trying to make.

I've a tree from a friend. Who was curious where I would take it. I love her vision she took with it. I intend to so my best at keeping a general look of her initial styling always there.

You have a point in...I see some trees and know point blank who styled it...never thought anything of it than they have a definitive style.

I just know early on a friend warned to always see the other person's vision. Because he left a tree he had pourer years of time into and a big name changed the direction. He hadn't seen that direction and was to afraid to hurt the ones feelings and sold the tree later. I never want to feel my tree changed because I was weak.

Sometimes lemons (incidents that alter our trees from it's original direction can be better.) my creeper for instance.

Or the major chop my tigerbark just got recently. I was advised to do it. My mind spun. I liked it...as it was. But knew that sometimes it pays to listen to one better understanding of a species/style. I see a better future for it. But I still hesitated...and pondered the new look...I think maybe less than ten minutes passed then I chopped it off.

I will be pondering if I have a style that can be eyeballs as my own. Food for thought. All good points.