5 comments about Bonsai (Gardening & Landscaping).

1. A very good book, talks in easy words about how to do, how care, how choose. Give to you nice reading moments!

   Enjoy it!




2. Contains clear, easy to follow guidelines. Great pictures of trees, styles, tools, etc. Recommend for beginners or anyone wanting to know if they want to do bonsai.



3. I have read this book and have looked at the pictures many times.I use it as a picture reference as to how my creations should look more so than as how to do it.I have a web site that goes more in depth in this subject...



4. I highly recomend this book to any one who wants to become serious about bonsai. Great photos and explanitions.



5. Very nice photographs. Good intro to the craft...but lacking a bit. (There is no mention on `stump chopping' at all.) Has a good tree reference/care at the end. It was my first bonsai book...It's a keeper.

5 comments about Bonsai (A Care Manual).

1. This is a very good book for the beginer bonsai enthusiast. The species guide is an excellent way to decide what kind of bonsai is right for you or how to better care for the bonsai you already own



2. This is a very visually-appealing book with creative photography and excellent color pictures on almost every page. It is targeted to the beginner, and (though a beginner myself) I think it is quite informative and gets one off to a good start. It has an index of many common trees used for bonsai and rates them according to difficulty, hardiness and sun/shade preference. It's weakness is an abundance of technical printing errors (goofed up captions, mostly), but in spite of this I heartily recommend it to the beginner for use as "A [Basic] Care Manual" and say it's well worth its price.



3. Very good book with excellent photographs. Good advices for those who want to buy, create or simply take good care of bonsai trees. The author explains very well how to do almost everything with these wonderful trees. If you're intention is to buy only one book of bonsai you should buy this one. It's my favourite!



4. This was my very first bonsai book. It helped inspire me into the hobby, and the book is great for a beginner, but I thought it was just a bit short. Says 128 pages, but feels more like 50. Overall its okay.



5. I was able to compare this book to two other books (including the ever-popular Bonsai: 101 essentials). this book does such a great job in explaining every aspect of the basics of Bonsai whereas most other books just give you a brief description and very little information about how to take care of your Bonsai.
   
   If you are begining bonsai, or are just interested in the art itself, this is the one ESSENTIAL book you need to read! Other books can help give another perspective on how to do something, but this book is the foundation for all you need to know! I still refer to it at times!!!

2 comments about Bonsai School.

1. Hundreds of photographs and dozens of ýstep-by-stepýsý

   I started Bonsai a little while back and have bought a couple of books to help me. The first one I bought was too advanced for me but the second book, Bonsai for Beginners, by Craig Coussins was just the very thing I needed. It was great. Lots of step-by-step examples and easy to understand text. I recently found out that Craig Coussins has written a new book, Bonsai School. This book is amazing. When I received it from Amazon, I had what could only be described as a ýreal booký in my hands. I mean it was big, thick and packed with wonderful photographs of bonsai, techniques and examples of many Bonsai Teachers work. Just like a school, the book has different techniques explained in detail by teachers in different subjects. Craig Coussins, the architect of the book, has brought together exciting talented and knowledgeable instructors who share that knowledge with ýmeý. I say me because the book is like my own personal college faculty. I found Bonsai School very easy to read. That was funny initially as I first thought it was purely a technical book until I found myself reading the book. It is superbly written and really, a Bonsai book for everyone. Gardeners, bonsai growers and horticulturalists.

   It starts with a history that is truly fascinating and indeed, riveting. Craig Coussins has gone into this research in a very thorough way. It shows. Peppered with great images, this section looks at the discovery of bonsai in different countries. With its origins arising from accidents as well as discoveries, the Chinese Penjing-Chinese Bonsai- are superbly illustrated and the subsequent development in Japan is then discussed by a famous Bonsai historian. The chapters seamlessly bland and makes the book easy to follow. A joy!

   The book is divided into chapters covering the styles, techniques and methods of growing Bonsai and Penjing. Many teachers are represented here. Uniquely this book is not just one personýs view but a sharing of views from around the world. Indeed from afar a field as China, Italy, America, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, Vietnam, England, Wales and of course Scotland, the authors home country.

   What that means is that we now have far ranging step-by-step sections that are profusely illustrated with a specific subject which the individual writer wishes to share with us.

   It covers all areas of ability. You may be a beginner or advanced but the author is considerate enough to show that everyone can use this book. In any event, you will always start somewhere and develop with study. That is where Bonsai School is so perfect. Clearly the author is a very experienced master of his art but the fact that he is shown pruning what can only be described as a beginners bonsai while later in the book refining a fantastic Yew Bonsai illustrates his thoughtfulness in catering for his audience. It is not about him but about the reader.

   I can recommend Bonsai School to everyone and would urge you to choose this unique, well-written and profusely illustrated book for your pleasure, learning and study.




2. This is indeed a nicely presented book with an interesting concept in which various bonsai experts offer their opinions and creative ideas behind this amazing artform. I have to pick up on the history section though, in which it is explained that the term bonsai means bon=tree and sai=tray. This is in fact NOT the case. The word bon (this particular kanji) actually refers to a Buddhist tray, one on which various ritual implements where placed. The actual kanji on its own is not used much anymore and is only usually encountered today in the word bonsai. The kanji sai actually means "a planting," not a tree, or a plant, but "a planting." So the Japanese term BONSAI means "a planting on a (Buddhist) tray." It can be seen from early 7th century paintings that bonsai in Japan were connected with (Mikkyo) Buddhist contemplation/meditation, and that they were indeed grown on a tray without a "pot" as such. Some examples of this style are shown in the book.

   Another thing that is a little annoying is the many typographical errors that hinder reading. Some words are repeated, some are mis-spelled, and others are missing entirely. This can make it hard to understand and annoying.

   Some of the pictures appear to be reprinted from poor-quality scans or photocopies - but maybe this was intentional? or perhaps that was the only copy of the picture available to the publisher.

   All in all an interesting read and an insightful book.

3 comments about Indoor Bonsai: A Beginner's Step-By-Step Guide (Crowood Gardening Guides).

1. "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.




2. 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.




3. 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.

4 comments about Totally Bonsai: A Guide to Growing, Shaping, and Caring for Miniature Trees and Shrubs.

1. What is vastly different about this book and most other Bonsai books is one simple premise. It is this. When you start Bonsai you are afraid that growing such a plant will take many years. Most folk can be put off by the fact that they believe they will need 30 years to produce a Bonsai that looks old. Craig Coussins new book explodes that myth.

   In his first book, Bonsai for Beginners, Craig Coussins covered a vast range of subjects up to intermediate but in Totally Bonsai, the title used in North America, ('Growing Bonsai' elsewhere)he uses Bonsai throughout the book that are rarely over five years old. But what Bonsai. Some of these trees are wonderful and extremely beautiful. Gone are the seedlings in a plastic pot, Craig Coussins really shows you what you are capable of. This shows the newcomer exactly how much they can achieve in a short period of time. Many of the trees are also shown in winter so that you can really see the branch structure and shape under the leaves. Most of the trees are easily available as shrubs or garden centre material which makes life a lot simpler for the complete novice.

   The unique section written by his friend Salvatore Liporace and his student Luigi Maggione, highly respected Bonsai Masters from Italy, also shows how you can, within Craig's five year period, take basic raw material and turn it into a masterpiece when you have understood the basics and focussed on the techniques.

   This well liked Bonsai International Teacher has kept to his remit in writing a book that is truly for the beginner and it is recommended as a very good read. A great present for a friend just starting out.

   One interesting thing is also his sensitive dedication to his mentor, John Yoshio Naka, the respected American Bonsai Master and one of the top five Bonsai Masters in the world.




2. "What else would I need than this book when learning about Bonsai? I recommend it fully and suggest that it should be on everyone's bookshelf, or at least in his or her hands"

   When you start growing Bonsai, it is hard to work your way through all the titles available. I first bought a book called Bonsai for Beginners by the same author and while this was a very nice book, it was not only geared to beginners but also to more advanced growers. This new book is a revelation. Beautifully laid out, the practical guide to Growing Bonsai is the first book I have read that truly spells it out. It is lavishly illustrated and very well written that it is more than a reference book. It has become a `read'.
   The Practical Guide is just that. It covers all the basic information that you, as a Bonsai Grower in the early stages of this wonderful hobby, need to learn to understand what is to be done. A real beginners book but written by someone who understands what a real teacher needs to speak about when speaking to a newcomer. Craig Coussins writes in a very one to one style and I really felt that he was with me every step of 'his' way. This is a great book!
   Clear instructions filled with some gorgeous photographs looks at all the techniques that I need to know. Charts explain the right times of the year to do the work and completed by a species list of all the most popular Bonsai that beginners should try.
   Therefore, what else would I need than this book when learning about Bonsai? I recommend it fully and suggest that it should be on everyone's bookshelf, or at least in his or her hands.




3. This book provides excellent background and general information for someone starting out in bonsai. The photos are excellent and a wide variety of types are shown. However, I was expecting more of a guide on how to actually start growing a bonsai. There are a lot of references to finding "a local club" which would of course be helpful, but if you're just starting out (like me) and don't have a nearby bonsai club, you'll probably want additional books to guide you through getting started.



4. This is a good beginners book with information about all phases of the art and some of the science. It is accessable to anyone. I would recommend it to serious beginners.

5 comments about The Bonsai Workshop (Our Garden Variety).

1. this is a great way to get someone into bonsai. herb gustafson, in this and his other books, does a great job of walking through different necessities (food, light, watering, tools, etc.) and techniques using several examples. he also gives information without seeming biased towards one style or type of plant, but shares all with the reader. definitely worth getting, even if you're not sure about getting into bonsai.



2. The book is very well done and informative. Technically, I don't think I'd call this book for the total beginner as it doesn't go into a lot of detail as to types of trees. It does briefly mention types of trees that work as bonsai, but doesn't give care sheets and the like found in some other bonsai books. The workshops are good in the book, however, it would have been better if the formatting was not so confusing. You tend to see pictures either before or after the text and that does cause some consternation. All things considered though, this is a really helpful book and one definitely worth buying.



3. Interested in bonsai but clueless on where to begin? This book makes an excellent starting point. It clearly and concisely explains the basic "rules" - which the author advises the reader to learn, practice, then feel free to ignore as their confidence and creativity take over. Every basic area, from tools to pots, from soil to common plant choices, are explained and illustrated with hundreds of drawings and color photographs. If you decide to truly pursue the art of bonsai this book alone will not be enough - you will need to draw upon other books and build a resource library. But, for your first introduction to the hobby, I highly recommend this "workshop".



4. After many starts which led to complete disasters for me, this book finally gave the information I need to get started in this wonderful art. The instructions are great for a beginner like myself. The combinaiton of written, step by step direcitons along with the wonderful photographs makes this book a joy to work with. I cannot say if this is a good book for the advanced student, as I am far, far from that category, but I can say without a doubt that it is great for beginners. It certainly answered all of my questions. This book was far better than any other I purchased on the subject! Thank you SO much Mr Gustafson!



5. I was mostly...unimpressed by the bonsai books you normally find in a book store, so I asked my mentor(world famous) for a good suggestion for a book. He suggested this book. I went out and bought it. It is so easy to understand. It made the hardest stuff seem easy. It put everything that would seem extremely difficult into words even a beginner could understand. I used this book to save a tree that was almost killed by Hurricane Katrina! Using this book I still havn't lost a single tree.

4 comments about Simon & Schuster's Guide To Bonsai (Nature Guide Series).

1. More then 100 full-color photographs of 150 species of trees.



2. Simon and Schuster's book of Bonsai is a classic to use for a bonsai enthusiast. It gives details on conditions, soils, plants and care for numerous plants used for bonsai. They have information that is not available in many other bonsai texts. I have read dozens of bonsai books and have over 15 of my own including this book. I would highly recommend it for all but the novice.



3. The first one hundred or so pages of this book are devoted to the art of Bonsai before it goes into description of the different types of Bonsai. For each listing there is a photo of the tree in Bonsai form, as well as four icons. The icons tell whether or not this is an outdoor bonsai, how much water it needs, how much sun it can get, and how hard it is too grow. The actual description under each listing is divided into five parts: a brief description, repotting information, pruning and wiring information, feeding (fertilizing) information, and additional notes. Ultimately, the descriptions could be more detailed, but provide all of the necessary information.

   There are many species covered, but the list is by no means all-inclusive. Coast Redwood, Baobab and Cotoneaster are conspicuously missing from this text. The trees that are included:

   Acacia;
   Apricot (two kinds);
   Bo Tree;
   Bougainvillea;
   Box;
   Camellia;
   Carmona;
   Cedar Of Lebanon;
   Chinese Ash;
   Chinese Juniper;
   Chinese Persimmon;
   Chinese Pistachio;
   Common Horse Chestnut;
   Common Myrtle;
   Crab Apple (two kinds);
   Crape Myrtle;
   Cypress: Bald, Hinoki, Italian;
   Dwarf Lilac;
   East Indian Satin Wood;
   Elephant Bush;
   Elm: Caucasian, Chinese;
   European Beech;
   European Larch;
   European White Birch;
   Fig (four kinds);
   Frethorn;
   Giant Sequoia;
   Glossy Privet;
   Golden Larch;
   Gooseberry;
   Hazel;
   Hawthorn;
   Hemlock: Eastern, Japanese;
   Hornbeam: Regular, Hop, Japanese;
   Italian Alder;
   Jacaranda;
   Japanese Blume;
   Japanese Larch;
   Japanese Privet;
   Japanese Red Cedar;
   Japanese Sago Palm;
   Japanese Wisteria;
   Judas Tree (red bud);
   Liquidambar;
   Maidenhair Tree;
   Manna Ash;
   Maple: Trident, Field, Montpelier, Japan;
   Mastic Tree;
   Milkweed;
   Narihira Bamboo;
   Nebrodi Silver Fur;
   Needle Juniper;
   Nettle Tree: Southern, Chinese;
   Oak: Cork, English, Holly;
   Oleaster;
   Olive: Wild, Common;
   Orange Jasmine;
   Pine: Arolla, Black, Japanese Black, Japanese Brocade, Japanese Red, Japanese White, Mountain, Scots;
   Peach;
   Pink Carnation;
   Pomegranate: Regular, Dwarf;
   Potentilla;
   Queensland Umbrella Tree;
   Quince (three kinds);
   Rosemary;
   Saint Lucie Cherry;
   Setsuke Azalea;
   Smoke Tree;
   Spruce: Nowway, White, Yezo;
   Strawberry Tree;
   Sweet Chestnut;
   Sycamore;
   Tamarind;
   Tamarisk;
   Theezan Tea;
   Thyme;
   White Mulberry;
   White Willow;
   Wild Pear;
   Winged Spindle;
   Winter Jasmine;
   Yew: English, Japanese;
   Zelkova




4. I decided to order this book after purchasing a bonsai tree at Walmart (which I have since been told is a bad idea, but my tree is doing wonderfully in spite of its lowly beginnings). I'm a rather visual person, so the fact that the book is full of pictures is immensely helpful to me. It's a very informative little book and I would definitely recommend it to those who are looking to get into bonsai.

5 comments about Indoor Bonsai.

1. 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.



2. 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.




3. 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.




4. This book tell about shaping and creating, planting and repotting, creating your own indoor bonsai, the tools you will need, pruning, cutting, and trimming, how to wire or bend the branches and all of those necessary things to make a tree or plant into a bonsai. Because of its size 5X7 it is not as easy to use as the larger bonsai books. This book is totally devoted to indoor bonsais and there are not many books on indoor bonsais.
   
   An indoor bonsai does not mean that it lives indoors all year. All bonsais grow better if they are outside as long as your area will permit. An indoor bonsai is one that can live in the house during the winter without a dramatic set back. Outdoor bonsais on the other hand must spend the winter out doors. If you try to keep them in the house for the winter they will eventually die. Most bonsai books include many of the indoor bonsais, but they don't label them as indoor bonsais and they don't tell you how to keep them thriving in the house for the winter.
   
   In this book there are 27 indoor bonsais that are presented in a two-page format. There is a beautiful picture of each bonsai. There is general information about the bonsai; it's origin, size, flower and fruit information, and other interesting information about this bonsai. It also has the following sections: Site, Watering, Feeding, Repotting, Soil, Pruning, Wiring and Propagation.
   
   In the back of this book there is a section listing many more plants and trees that can be made into indoor bonsais with a paragraph on each of them.
   
   This book has a lot of good information. It is printed on very good quality paper and is very tightly bound. It is because of this that it is hard to keep open which makes it a little hard to read and that is the only thing I don't like about this book. "Bonsai In Your Home" is a large book by the same author and is written in the same style. It has more bonsais described in detail, but it doesn't have any of the short descriptions.



5. I love this book. Simply paging through the gorgeous color photos is a treat - I dream about all the types of bonsai I could care for, shaping into lovely forms. There are step by step details about growing a bonsai from seed, training the branches to grow, fertilizing the soil, handling vacations.
   
   For each type of plant there are details on how to set up the temperature, watering, fertilizing, sunlight,and much more so that the particular plant type flourishes.
   
   There are drawings and photos of how the bonsai change over the years so you can get a sense of what to expect
   
   The book goes into common issues a new bonsai owner might face - listless leaves, mushy roots - and explains how to deal with the issues.
   
   Well recommended!

1 comments about Beginning Bonsai: The Gentle Art of Miniature Tree Growing.

1. A good book for someone with no bonsai experience. The authors keep the basics of bonsai simple and point the novice in the right direction. Although it would be a good reference to have handy while attempting that first Juniper, the beginner would do well to read other books before going further.

1 comments about Successful Bonsai: Raising Exotic Miniature Trees.

1. Full of information and beautiful pictures. Execellent reference book for beginner. Come to think about it, what else do you need to learn the art of bonsai?