Bonsai—the Japanese art of training plants to form elegant sculptures—is an age-old craft that appeals to gardeners and non-gardeners alike. Traditional bonsai requires expensive plants and years of tedious work. This book presents a radical new approach that applies bonsai techniques to everyday houseplants, instantly turning them into beautiful bonsai sculptures!
Bonsai expert Richard Bender not only expects his plants to look good but to yield pleasant fragrances, fresh herbs and fruits for his table. He shows readers how to create "instant bonsai" by shaping a range of common house plants, including:
- Fragrant hibiscus and jasmine
- Kitchen herbs such as rosemary and thyme
- Luscious fruits like cherries and oranges
- Medicinals such as tea tree and camphor laurel
This beautifully illustrated volume provides all the information you need to get started,from plant choice advice to care requirements and bonsai "carving" tips. Suitable for indoor bonsai, or shaping exquisite bonsai fruit trees for outside gardens, Bender turns a finicky art into a hobby accessible to all. Bonsai have graced Japanese homes for centuries, now they can yield useful crops that will simultaneously satisfy your artistic sensibility and also provide some wonderful meals!
