Book Description
Bonsai Life Histories is a detailed absorbing insight into the transformation of original plant material into exquisite bonsai trees. These 50 dramatic stories show how one bonsai expert has created "something out of nothing," recording the life histories of over 50 trees, both in photographs and descriptions that reveal the rewarding process of tending bonsai to maturity.
This instructive and useful book also includes information on:
origins of bonsai
getting started
what makes a good/bad bonsai
bonsai style
styling, pruning, refinement
tools, repotting, watering, feeding
training techniques
finding suitable plants
seasonal planner
guide to pruning and maintenance tasks through the year
bonsai in the garden
displaying bonsai
exhibiting bonsai
pests and diseases
glossary of terms
Bonsai expert Martin Treasure reveals a wealth of technical and horticultural knowledge and demonstrates his technique in bringing out the personalities of individual trees. Even non-enthusiasts will be intrigued by the stories.
Customer Reviews:
Really Great Book.......2003-02-28
This is possibly the best and most inspiring bonsai book that I've ever had the pleasure of reading - and I've seen plenty!
It is an instruction book which shows in great detail by example how superb bonsai specimens are acheivable, with just a little patience. My trees are already looking better as a result of reading this!
Loads of great chapters complete this book, together with some really super colour pictures.
Truly Exceptional Bonsai Book.......2002-10-16
I just read Bonsai Life Histories and it is the answer to every bonsai enthusiasts dreams. It is truly exceptional. I have been looking for a book to span most of the bonsai experience spectrum and this fits the bill - and so so much more.
I own and operate a small bonsai retail store/nursery/studio and I teach classes for novices and more experienced growers here at the studio and am often asked for book recommendations. This one is at the top of the list. Even with my 14 years experience in bonsai, I found it very refreshing, as it teaches by example, rather than just instructing.
The author is both a skilled bonsai practitioner and an astute writer. Most books are blessed with one or the other (and a few have neither!). I appreciate this book and thoroughly recommend it.
The pictures speak a thousand words.......2002-07-19
If you are a student of bonsai and looking for basing information, then this is not a book for beginners. However, if you want to see how bonsai trees are styled and develop over time, then this will provide you with a lot of information. The pictures of the trees in development over the years are worth the price of the book.
What an inspirational book!.......2002-05-02
The way in which the author has produced exceptional bonsai from material that is easily obtainable by us all, made for captivating reading. Very helpful too, is the way in which the author has made the book easy to read and understand.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in bonsai, whether their collection is large or small, and they are novices or experienced enthusiasts.
What a great book!.......2002-04-08
I needed something to give me inspiration and confidence to renew my interest and enthusiasm for my bonsai collection. This book has provided me with both - and much more besides - and made me realize that I can improve and enhance my trees by following what the author has achieved. I am sure I will read the book over and over again whenever my enthusiasm is waning.
I disagree with the review below - Douglas Ross - the large number of case histories are all unique and packed full of incredibly useful information, including techniques that I've never seen detailed anywhere! The origin of the bonsai histories is really varied, including seed, cuttings, air-layers, trees collected from the wild and gardens, nursery stock and old specimen trees - grown in a variety of styles. Only a handful of these have been grown in the ground - and I found this method of speeding up development fascinating. Afterall, this is what they do in Japan, except they don't record the histories in such vivid detail! I will certainly be doing this in the future, and hopefully save myself years.
Thank you Martin Treasure for persuading me that I can do it - and I will!!
Book Description
Creating beautiful, healthy bonsai is a wonderful skill that anyone can learn, with a little time, patience, and this all-inclusive manual. With color photos and drawings to illustrate the points, it introduces all the cultivation techniques; offers expert advice on location, soil types, watering, and pest control; and provides intricate instruction on training the bonsai--including pruning, wiring and stretching it. An A-to-Z guide of all the popular species showcases varieties that range from a flowering Camellia Japonica, with its beautiful smooth stem, to an easy-to-care for Olive tree. Each entry gives some background on the plant, and includes suggestions for acquiring the bonsai and directions on how to position it in the room for best results.
Customer Reviews:
You can judge this book by it's cover.......2004-04-14
This may be the worst Bonsai Book ever written. The tree on the front cover is a prime example of what a Bonsai tree is not supposed to look like. The tree is a young Ficus with no taper to the trunk. The branches grow straight up and the style is all wrong. Most importantly are the horrible scars on the branches from leaving the wires on too long. The book is very generic and really doesn't give enough information to create a heathly and well trained tree. If you have shown enough interest in Bonsai to pursue more information on the Art of Bonsai then you have already outgrown this book. Avoid this book, and buy a tree instead.
Good introductory indoor bonsai book.......2001-02-07
As stated in the title this book is about indoor bonsai, or more precisely how to grow and maintain tropical bonsai indoors. It doesn't contain much info on non tropical species, which are more appropriate to growing outdoors. There are many beautiful pictures that will inspire the beginning bonsai artist to create masterpieces of their own. Highly recommended beginners book.
Kind of Dull.......2000-08-30
While the book offers information on some indoor and partially indoor species, I was looking for a book with more species information. The pictures were not all that great and the book in general appeared boring. It was more concise that what I was looking for. The book lacked many species that I was interested in, such as: Camphor, Baobab, Banyan, Coffee, Bald Cypress, and Buttonwood. I have ordered Bonsai in your Home: An Indoor Grower's Guide, and hopefully that will have the information I need.
This book is my Bonsai trees' best friend........2000-06-25
I would recommend this book to every first time bonsai owner. I'm sure that if my current trees could speak, they would thank me for reading this book prior to making my bonsai selection. My first bonsai tree did not fair so well. It appears I did everything wrong the first time around. First I selected an out door tree for an indoor garden. I did not know when to trim the tree or how to fertilize. I thought all bonsai needed the same care guidelines. I was very wrong and the tree died.
I love the section on individual tree care. Now when I find a bonsai that I love, I just pull out my copy of Indoor Bonsai for Beginners: Selection, Care, Training, and find out if the tree will thrive in the location I have available. If not, I do the tree a favor and leave it for someone who has the proper location.
Thanks to this book I know which trees will fair well in an office window with only the morning sun. I know to have a drip tray, sprayer and other supplies waiting for the trees to arrive. I know to find out when the bonsai was last transplanted and fertilized. This book is definitely my Bonsai Trees' best friend and a MUST READ for anyone thinking about owning a bonsai. Just do your tree a favor and read it before you make your tree selection.
Indoor Bonsai for Beginners.......2000-06-20
This is an excelent book about indoor bonsai. I've been buying books looking for tips in selection,care and training of indoor bonsais but most of the authors insist that this is an outdoor activity. In Indoor Bonsai for Beginners I found helpful information and a lot of pictures and drawings
Customer Reviews:
Not a great source of information.......2007-02-20
I expected much more out of this book. I bought '101 Essential Tips: Bonsai' at Border's for $5 and got much more pertinent information for my Juniper.
Lifeless as a dead tree........2004-07-02
Photos are uninspiring, if not misleading. All the trees pictured resemble twigs thrown between undefined rocks with no thought to shape, movement, intent or design.
Content wise, misdirection and vagueness are the only quality offered. The reader will learn very little, and what they may learn isn't correct.
You will find much better, thorough, and true information online visiting Bonsai Forums.
Walk away from the monitor. Do NOT buy this book.
To quote the author..........1999-11-29
"Forming the shape of a bonsai can be a very individual subject and therefore it is very difficult for me to convey my ideas to you."
While the author is undoubtedly a talented bonsai gardener, and may well be a good teacher 'at the elbow', his informal jargon may leave the reader puzzled, and his concept of 'dimensional drawings' for tree planning is still unclear, despite numerous example drawings.
Book Description
Plant gallery shows 55 species of trees, shrubs, and woody plants adapted to bonsai culture.
Ideas to display and design bonsai to fit existing home decor and gardens.
Details several bonsai styles as well as techniques for dwarfing and training to bonsai form.
Dozens of tips for seasonal care, including how to maintain, water, fertilize, prune, and shape.
Book Description
With plants' increasing availability at supermarkets and garden centers, the ancient art of bonsai is now accessible to anyone. This care manual explores bonsai history and details all of the techniques necessary to keep a bonsai alive and thriving. This complete guide includes the history and creation of bonsai along with step-by-step illustrations and 150 color photographs, giving readers the confidence to buy, feed, and trim these miniature trees into impressive displays in their home or garden.
Book Description
“Offers instructions on care, including light, humidity, temperature, watering, and feeding requirements...creating groupings, propagating plants from seed and cuttings, trimming leaves, and pruning roots...[this] profusely illustrated and informative guide is in color.”—Booklist. “An informative, exquisitely illustrated guide to growing tropical and subtropical trees and shrubs as bonsai....Plants for beginners are clearly marked.”—Library Journal.
Customer Reviews:
Great for the novice.......2006-01-17
This book, of the 3 I purchased, is the one I refer to most often. It has detailed descirptions of each tree along wiht detailed instructions on care for the tree including maintenance, repotting, propagation, etc. Very easy to understand and has answered the vast majority of my questions.
Great How To Manual for Beginners.......2000-08-19
Paul Lesniewicz describes the bonsai art with simplicist and skill. This book is full of wonderful photos and great advise.
Good book.......2000-07-09
This book says everything from how to care for your bonsai, to how to grow bonsai from cuttings and seeds. This is a great book for beginners as well as the experinced grower.
Good book for beginners........1999-06-16
This book helped me a lot in deciding which tree to grow and maintain. This book had drawings and pictures that assisted me in pruning, wiring, and the transplanting of my tree.
The title is a little misleading........1999-02-17
While this book does stress the main idea of indoor growing, it doesn't help when the author tells us to move the plant outdoors in the spring. The lighting requirement for each species is really helpful and the photos are beautiful. The illustrations make repotting easier to do (you can see how the tree is tied to the pot). The care is detailed and quick since you can see at a glance how much watering is needed or when to propagate.n
Book Description
"[An] excellent guide."--The New York Times
One of the world's recognized experts on bonsai explains everything the indoor gardener needs to know about cultivating these living works of art. Exquisite color pictures showcase a selection of perfect specimens, beautifully shaped tiny trees as lush and thriving as the ones outdoors. And they'll last through every season and for years to come with this superb advice on choosing a plant or starting from seed; optimum conditions for growth; feeding, watering, and care; handling pests and diseases; and shaping, wiring, and pruning. There's an illustrated list of indoor species (including tropical and subtropical varieties), directions for repotting and root pruning, and invaluable commentary on hydroculture. This is a must-have for all bonsai lovers.
Customer Reviews:
Very informative and helpful.......2001-04-28
As a bonsai beginner, I found this book contained very good answers to most of my questions. It is more helpful than my other 3 bonsai books, combined.
The text can be divided into two "sections":
GENERAL INFORMATION: e.g. constant care, repotting and root pruning, shaping, propagation from cuttings, fertilizing, tools you need
SPECIES-SPECIFIC INFORMATION: very clear instructions on how to apply (at what time of the year and with what frequency) the general techniques mentioned above, on the most popular indoor species; for each species there's a picture of a magnificent finished bonsai.
I learned a lot reading about pruning, shaping and growing bonsai over rocks; also air-layering. I didn't find anything about grafting, though. I also appreciated the part about "first steps toward an indoor bonsai": it shows a lot of pictures of plants "before" and "after" a few months of training.
At the end there's a list of "Tropical and subtropical plants suitable for training as indoor bonsai", with a short description of each species and short directions for optimum conditions and care.
To save time, there's also an index of plant names and a general index.
Ok Beginners book.......2000-05-23
This is a good general basics book -- it has beautiful color plates and some good diagramming on prunning and training.
I found the index of specific species to be very lacking and there is no "problems" section so if you have a problem that is not pest or disease related -- you can't find answers to pretty common situations(like leaf drop) here.
A must for for indoor Bonsai newcomers........1998-08-19
This is an excellent book for newcomers and pros alike. It encourages one to break with many of the old traditions and grow your Bonsai indoors! It covers all aspects of tropical and sub-tropical tree cultivation and gives hints and tips on every page. Excellent value for money at any price.
Average customer rating:
- Bonsai Landscapes
- One of the top two!
- Great informative material
- review bongsai landscape 1
|
Bonsai Landscapes
Peter Adams
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Bonsai
| By Plant
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
House Plants
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0706377672 |
Amazon.com
Miniature gardens are becoming increasingly popular. Bonsai Landscapes reworks the enduring appeal of the bonsai to create whole mini-landscapes. The author, Peter Adams, has 40 years experience in bonsai design and growing and has created some of the bonsai held in the British National Collection.
The book is designed to take the enthusiast through the process of creating these landscapes. Adams begins by looking at the different examples of miniature landscapes, using plants including Japanese and trident maples, "Seiju" elm, and American larch. He includes some interesting examples from both well-known growers and amateurs, using plants from a variety of nurseries worldwide. All of the landscapes featured have been planted for a number of years. Adams gives the height and age of the plants as well as details of the container used so that you can recreate a similar effect.
The book begins with the basics, listing the tools and materials you will need to create your bonsai landscape. Adams considers the differences among accent plants that define the landscape, accessory plants that create surface texture, and rocks that are brought in to suggest cliffs and ravines. Soil type, container, and tools and sundries are all listed for a successfully completed project.
Adams goes on to offer advice on choosing and shaping plants and includes a glossary of the most commonly available bonsai plants and how they will work within a miniature landscape. The back of the book has a tree-care directory. Adams's methodical analysis of 13 projects, with accompanying line drawings and photographs, makes it easy for anyone to achieve this novel effect. --Karen Homer
Book Description
“Adams, a leading bonsai expert, gives detailed instructions on creating 13 individual landscapes.... Instructions list the components needed....There are also chapters supplying general information on tools and materials...shaping plants, creating landscapes, and making a rock planter. Any reader...will be greatly rewarded with the results. Photographs...along with helpful drawings, are included.”—Booklist.
Customer Reviews:
Bonsai Landscapes.......2006-01-30
Peter Adams has achieved international stature as one of the finest bonsai practitioners alive. Classically trained as a studio artist at the Royal Academy of Arts, Mr. Adams essentially pioneered the art of bonsai in the UK in the 1950s. What distinguishes him both as a bonsai artist and author is his vast knowledge of horticulture combined with his grasp of bonsai aesthetics as expressed through Western art doctrines. His ability to communicate those two integral disciplines clearly and powerfully in his writing and drawing contributes to the value of his work.
Bonsai Landscapes is first and foremost a guide book. It is a reference from which bonsai enthusiasts can draw inspiration and salient information concerning the creation and maintenance of miniature landscapes. As is typical of Mr. Adams, the subjects are examined and discussed using the universal language of aesthetics rather than a culturally-oriented system of artistic ideals. When needed for emphasis or clarity, the author will of course make note of a certain form or composition that evokes an Eastern locale or style. However, he is just as likely to create the image of a British hedgerow or American rainforest when the material and potential allow.
Thirteen plantings of a wide variety of materials are reviewed by the author. A history of each planting is presented and consideration is given to the original artist's intent. Then the landscapes' forms are tuned and adjusted by Mr. Adams to create more harmonious designs. Mr. Adams' pen and ink sketches give a clear sense of the desired refinement for the future. Liberally sprinkled throughout the book, horticultural notes on the species used as well as viable design choice alternatives enrich the text. The reader is left with the notion that beauty in bonsai is not an end goal, but rather a transitory state through which the trees will rise and fall over the course of their lifetime.
Later chapters discuss topics such as tools and materials and sources for plant materials. In an especially helpful chapter titled `Styling The Plants', the author outlines basic to intermediate pruning and styling techniques and why they are appropriate. Of particular interest is the chapter 'Making a Rock Planter' in which the artificial rock construction developed by Mr. Adams and Bill Jordan is described. Although some detail is offered, it would have been of more use if the descriptions went a step further and provided more in-depth instructions on textures and coloring of the cement. (Bonsai enthusiasts eager to try such a project can look to Chase Rosade of Rosade Bonsai Studio, New Hope, PA who regularly teaches these techniques in classes and workshops.)
The book concludes with a hands-on step by step 'how to' section about recreating each of the thirteen plantings. Each planting is carefully described and materials needs and their sources are fully and clearly presented.
This 128 page volume, a fine addition to any bonsai library, has been illustrated with Bill Jordan's excellent photographs.
One of the top two!.......2002-09-23
Having been involved in bonsai for about 20 yrs and especially like forests & groves, I feeel that Peter's book is one of the two best on the topic. It is imformative, the photographs are excellent, and he gives you step-by-step details for serveral different projects as shown in the book. This, as well as any other of Peter's books, is a must for a bonsai library.
Great informative material.......2000-02-29
This book was terrific for me both as a beginner and to my friends, Who are long-time Bonsai enthusiasts. The wonderful photography made the reading very enjoyable and also illustrated the topics well.
review bongsai landscape 1.......1999-11-30
nice arrangement with colourful pictures . easy diagrams with simple explanation . recommended for starters and pro .
Book Description
PREFACE
The art of bonsai, together with that of ikebana or Japanese flower-arrangement, originated in Japan and is now admired throughout the world. Among the lovers and admirers of bonsai are many who find infinite pleasure in growing their own bonsai? The satisfaction of creating with their own hands the
beauty of nature in miniature. Although there are several publications on bonsai, very few books have been published for beginners.
This book is designed to equip those who wish to embark upon growing their own bonsai with the knowledge and skills to do so. To this end, we have included as many photographs and illustrations as possible in the hope of giving the reader a complete and comprehensive explanation of the pleasurable
and rewarding art of bonsai growing.
You will find outlined in this book every step, from the basics of how to choose a tree, what fertilizer to use and when to water, to the more skilled techniques such as wiring the branches of your tree into the desired shape. This book will be a practical help and welcome companion to all those who
desire to grow bonsai, emphasizing both the growing techniques and the pleasures to be gained from viewing your plant as a work of art.
Bonsai changes with the seasons, so will give the grower enjoyment throughout the year-a pleasure that cannot be obtained from growing flowers in the garden. And, as it grows older, the more your bonsai will come to exhibit the beauty of its full-sized counterpart in nature. This is the pleasure
that the authors wish to share with as many people as possible.
Customer Reviews:
An Excellent Introduction To Growth And Care Of Bonsai Trees.......2004-06-21
I recently bought a Juniper bonsai and have become very interested in these exquisite miniature plants. Bonsai is the reproduction of natural tree forms in miniature which increase in beauty and value as they mature over the years. I am now thinking about purchasing another and want to learn as much as possible about the growth and proper care for these Japanese-style miniature plantings. I browsed through bookstores and also asked a friend, who has numerous healthy bonsais, for some book suggestions. I finally purchased "Bonsai: Nature in Miniature." A few people recommended it as a bonsai book that is especially designed for beginners. It is also an excellent book to accompany a bonsai given as a present.
Kyuzo Murata and Isamu Murata have created a book filled with beautiful color photographs and drawings which provides specific, step-by-step instructions for: how to select a tree; what fertilizer to use; lighting; watering; trimming; wiring branches to form tree into desired shape, etc.. The text also emphasizes the pleasures of viewing the trees as works of art.
The selection of subjects, photography, illustrations, the writing style, all present the subject - an introduction to bonsai - in a clear and interesting fashion. Highly recommended.
JANA
Books:
- Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification
- Burpee : The Complete Vegetable & Herb Gardener : A Guide to Growing Your Garden Organically
- Color Atlas of Turfgrass Diseases
- Color Schemes Made Easy (Better Homes & Gardens)
- Conceptual Physics
- Conifers: The Illustrated Encyclopedia (2 Volumes)
- Creative Concrete Ornaments for the Garden: Making Pots, Planters, Birdbaths, Sculpture & More
- Designing the New Kitchen Garden: An American Potager Handbook
- Designing with Succulents
- Easy Gardens for South Florida
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