2 comments about Japanese Art of Miniature Trees and Landscapes.

1. This is one of the best bonsai books. It should be in every seriuos hobbyst's library. It contains all the information needed to get started on bonsai. It has an apendix for tools, equipment and soil, and another one very helpfull, with plant names in Chinese-Japanese Characters. Yoshimora is a truly great Bonsai master. The disvantages are that the B&w photos are not of very good quality and the text can be a little tedious to read



2. This book, beyond a doubt, has all of the information the serious bonsai artist needs to know. A friend gave me this book when I first expressed an interest in bonsai, and it succeeded in intimidating me. The authors provide very thorough details about creating bonsai, and take it to the level of science rather than art. However, it is because of this high degree of detail that I was struck with how serious the art really can be. I find it unfortunate that it is currently out of print, since it does cover bonsai in such detail. I would tend to recommend Japanese Art of Miniature Trees and Landscapes to the person who is quite dedicated to pursuing the art, and would not recommend it to a person with a more casual interest.

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.

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.

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!!!

5 comments about Four Seasons of Bonsai.

1. As you go trough the book you will discover some wonderful pictures, but that's it. Because the information that comes with the photos is very limited and in some cases inexistent, except for the name of the species, of course. Unless you are an "advanced" bonsaist, you better buy another book as this, only gives you lots of visual information, that beginners, as me, won't see at first glance. So, if you are a beginner, you better grab your hands on another book, but if you know enough, I would rate this book as four-five stars.



2. Full of examples of excellent bonsais, the results of techniques which are almost lost in the present profit-basis world of bonsai. This book is an accumulation of true masterpieces which an amateur can never attain.
   Those who criticize this book for the lack of explanation are making the same mistake as saying "no explanation of how to paint!" looking at the book of Leonardo da Vinci--crying for the moon; besides, bonsais in this book are grown for tens of, sometimes hundreds of years. So it would be impossible to explain what time does to the plants.
   In front of this book, all I have to do is to sigh for my lack of skills. But I believe this is an agony by which all creators are haunted.



3. Full of examples of excellent bonsais, the results of techniques which are almost lost in the present profit-basis world of bonsai. This book is an accumulation of true masterpieces which an amateur can never attain.
   Those who criticize this book for the lack of explanation are making the same mistake as saying "no explanation of how to paint!" looking at the book of Leonardo da Vinci--crying for the moon; besides, bonsais in this book are grown for tens of, sometimes hundreds of years. So it would be impossible to explain what time does to the plants.
   In front of this book, all I have to do is to sigh for my lack of skills. But I believe this is an agony by which all creators are haunted.



4. Full of examples of excellent bonsais, the results of techniques which are almost lost in the present profit-basis world of bonsai. This book is an accumulation of true masterpieces which an amateur can never attain.
   Those who criticize this book for the lack of explanation are making the same mistake as saying "no explanation of how to paint!" looking at the book of Leonardo da Vinci; besides, bonsais in this book are grown for tens of, sometimes hundreds of years. So it would be impossible to explain what time does to the plants.
   In front of this book, all I have to do is to sigh for my lack of skills. But I believe this is an agony by which all creators are haunted.



5. This book is not a "how-to" book about growing bonsai. As other reviewers have stated, the text accompanying the pictures is spare, sometimes hard to follow, and not all of the plants pictured are easy to find or grow well in much of the U.S.
   
   Nevertheless, this is the wisest book about bonsai that I know of. Why? Murata-san approaches the concept of bonsai as applying to almost any plant, including common weeds, grasses, rare orchids, and fruit trees. By taking a plant, matching it to a container, and giving it care, you can see the plant in a whole new perspective; the common becomes uncommon, nature takes on a fresh beauty. The book is divided into seasons because Murata emphasizes how bonsai reflect the changing seasons, and should be viewed in that way, rather than just as show plants to be displayed only when they're at their flowering or foliage peak, and then forgotten the rest of the year. If you want to learn how to grow and train bonsai, buy another book. If you want to deepen your appreciation of bonsai, buy this one.

3 comments about Bonsai: Grow Your Own Bonsai from Cuttings, Seeds, and Saplings.

1. This is an excellent -- and useful -- book for those who wish to use native trees for their bonsai. However, to get the best benefit from it, you need to live in Europe, since the 'natives' are from that continent.



2. I think this book is excellent. Although the trees are native to Europe, most of the advice applies perfectly to people in temperate North America. Scots Pine, yew, spindle, beech, hawthorn, apple, willow etc... all species are covered in detail with info on training, pests, propagation, etc.... Definitely not just for Europeans, anyone in the Eastern U.S. and most of Canada will find this very useful. Great photos, too!
   -j



3. This is a great book--lots of valuable information, pictures, and info and different species of bonsai. Practical.

2 comments about Growing Bonsai: A Practical Encyclopedia: The essential practical guide to a classic art with techniques, step-by-step projects and over 800 photographs.

1. This is a visually beautiful book that is even more valuable for its contents. A must have if you want to be inspired by beautifully photographed examples of classic trees, along with guidelines for how to begin to create trees in those style. You need to have this book if for no other reason than for the inspiration that it offers.



2. On the surface this book seems to have 600 photos of trees but it repeats toward the back many of the same trees over and over. Also I hope you can read what appears to be Dutch because the first 19 pages are in that language and then the rest of the book is English! Definately a book for the dilatante or coffee table casual reader.

No comments about El libro del Bonsai: La guia definitiva para los amantes del Bonsai.

1 comments about The Bonsai Kit: Perfect The Ancient Art Of Miniature Gardening.

1. These kits are a waste of time and money. If you want to start with bonsai. Buy one of the beginning bonsai books offered by amazon. Harry Tomlinson's book is a good start. Then...go to your local nursery and buy a few inexpensive potted shrubs -- far better material then you could ever achieve with the seeds in this kit, and saves you about ten years of work and wait. Please do not support the charlatan peddlers of these little rip off kits.

No comments about The Bonsai Handbook: A Complete Guide To The Techniques, Design, Care And Cultivation Of Miniature Trees And Shrubs.