What is a Bonsai? The History of Bonsai (Part 2)

The training of bonsai probably originated before the eleventh century in China, where they were called P'EN TSAI, the precursor of the Japanese name.  Very likely the dwarf trees were developed from small temple landscapes, like bonkei, that symbolized Horai-san, the sacred Taoist mountain of eternal youth and the bonsai were the trees that grew on the steep slopes.  Although there are other theories, thirteenth and fourteenth-century scrolls picture temples with shallow boxes in the courtyards.  Some of the boxes contain small trees; others mounds of earth that suggest mountains.

At first, grotesque, deformed trees were considered good art.  It was not until the mid 1800's that growers in Azakusa Park, a famous nursery center near Tokyo, coined the name bonsai and turned to nature for guidance in shaping their trees.  The Emperor Meiji encouraged them and by the twentieth century bonsai had become a national art of Japan.

The art came slowly to the West. The earliest bonsai to come to the west came mostly from Japan. It was in Paris at the Third Universal Exhibitions in 1878 and later exhibitions in 1889 and 1900 where bonsai were shown for the first time. One of the earliest exhibitions was held in London in 1909, and about the same time a grower from Yokohama, a Mr. Sato  brought to New York the first bonsai most Americans had ever seen.  Although Sato and the London show caused comment, neither did much to popularize bonsai.  Sato held private exhibitions and sold many of his plants to wealthy New Yorkers, but steam heat and lack of information on how to grow them soon caused their demise.  Thus the myth arose that bonsai belong to Japan and are not suited to the conditions in the
West, or to our attitudes.In these early years many westerners felt that the trees looked tortured and many openly voiced their displeasure in the way the trees were being treated by bonsai masters. It was not until 1935 that opinions changed and bonsai was finally classified as an art in the west.

With the end of World War II, bonsai started to gain in popularity in the west. It was the soldiers returning from Japan with bonsai in tow that sparked western interest in the art, even though most of the trees brought home by these soldiers died a short time after their arrival. They survived long enough to create a desire in westerners to learn more about the proper care of their bonsai. The large Japanese-American population was invaluable to Americans in this respect. Their knowledge of the art of bonsai was of great interest to many Americans learning the art.
Today, most of the bonsai in the west clearly show a strong Japanese influence. This is, of course, only natural, given the fact that in the west, this art has been introduced and taught by Japanese.
Gardeners, experienced ones at that, still say "I cant grow bonsai. You have to think as a Japanese to do it" . But I soon discover most of them never tried.  They seem to think the techniques as both difficult and mysterious.

This is far from the truth.  If you can grow other potted plants you can learn to grow bonsai, and you don't need an Oriental turn of mind to be successful.  Bonsai offer delightful contrast to full-scale gardening, a solution to problems of space, an elegant, artistic form of expression. Culture is not complicated.  Just as confined conditions and natural elements keep some wild trees small, certain cultural techniques, purposely applied, accomplish the same thing for our plants.

Dwarfing depends upon growing in a minimal amount of soil, fast drainage, planned prunnings and sometimes wiring.  Because objectives differ from those for other container-grown plants, bonsai are watered, fertilized, top and root pruned differently.  A house plant is rarely potted until it is root-bound.  Bonsai are repotted and root-pruned on schedule to keep them both small and healthy.  (Check out our post about root pruning).

Culture is not complicated, but when I began a friend exclaimed with horror: "You'll lose your mind.  There is so much to learn and it takes forever".  Of course, he was wrong.  While bonsai is hardly one-season gardening from a packet, it is neither so complex nor so prolonged as my friend said.

Techniques are fun to learn and the technical jargon, not difficult to master.  I discovered it was possible to develop attractive in a year or two if that was the objective, and in the beginning it was.  I made "instant bonsai", pruning, trimming and potting low-growing shrubs like juniper with immediate and pleasing results.

Some people call bonsai-growing an art, others call it a hobby. I believe it can be both, the difference more a matter of plant perfection than personal attitude.  I find a special green-thumb enjoyment in growing bonsai, in training and trimming plants.  No other type of gardening has proved so enjoyable.

In Japan several "schools" have developed, each with its own techniques.  The master of one insists on a complex soils mixture for certain decidious trees; another master recommends a very different mixture for the same trees.  The fact that both techniques are successful proves only one thing:

"There is more leeway in the culture of bonsai than is generally admitted".

Thanks Behme.