Miniature Bonsai - by Terutoshi Iwai (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

This step-by-step bonsai book shows you how to craft super mini bonsai--the smallest form of bonsai!

Miniature Bonsai reveals the Japanese art of super-mini bonsai gardening. As rewarding as full-scale bonsai cultivation is, mini bonsai is affordable, straightforward to learn and kind to your busy schedule. It's a complete gardening experience--a plant raised from seed or cutting, carefully potted, grown and maintained over time--a world of green in a pot no bigger than a demitasse or a thimble.

From mixing the right growing medium to choosing the perfect pot to displaying your mini bonsai, this Japanese gardening book gives you basic techniques and valuable tips to help you grow miniature:

• flowering trees
• pines
• maples
• oaks
• junipers
• and other varieties of tiny trees and potted plants that are readily available and last for years

With Miniature Bonsai you'll learn how to:

• Select plants that thrive as mini bonsai
• Work with seeds and small cuttings
• Match the right plant to the right pot
• Buy and prepare the growing medium
• Maintain and drain your miniature bonsai
• Display and enjoy your prized bonsai plants
• And much more!

A pleasant pastime, a perfect gift, a beautiful addition to spaces small and large--Miniature Bonsai will show you how to make it happen.

Review Quotes

"A truly delightful book which is very entertaining...the techniques described would be a new, and relatively simple, element of Horticulture Therapy. The only way to find out it, of course, to buy the book--which I heartily recommend!" -- Shakkei, the Journal of the Japanese Garden Society

"As if bonsai gardening didn't already render the likes of cedar, maple, pine, and cherry trees into infinitely smaller versions, here super-mini bonsai reduces them to a size best suited for thimble-size 'pots' ... But it's certainly an excellent introduction to the practice and deserves a spot on a shelf with conventional bonsai-gardening books." --Booklist

"Comprehensive, profusely illustrated throughout, and thoroughly family gardener friendly in organization and presentation, Miniature Bonsai: The Complete Guide to Super-Mini Bonsai is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Gardening & Horticultural Studies collections." --Midwest Book Review

"Everything you could possibly need to know to create your own super-mini bonsai is laid out before you; all that has to be done is follow Iwai's instructions. Each section is clear, readable material that is easy to follow ... the perfect tool for anyone looking for fun, simple, easy-to-follow ways to create super-mini bonsai of their own." --Washington Gardener magazine

"Maybe actual bonsai isn't your speed. Try mini-bonsai! They're easier to manage than bonsai and way cuter. Three words: tiny thimble tree. You'll see what I mean when you read the book." --Book Riot

"This book by Terutoshi Iwai shows you step by step how to craft super-mini bonsai, from selection of the plants that work best for this form of bonsai, to the tools and gardening techniques you'll need to know. The directions are simple and easy to follow, and I'll bet you'll want to run outside right now and get started." --Drought Smart Plants blog

"This is a great book for anyone like me who is fairly clueless on gardening/plants as it provides complete details on how to successfully create mini bonsai planters. They are so adorable!!!" --Desire to Inspire blog

"This is the type of project I like to start during the winter months, when I'm longing to be in the garden, despite the frozen earth. If you enjoy quiet, small-size garden projects, this could be your new mini thing." --Empress of Dirt blog

About the Author

Terutoshi Iwai is the Bonsai researcher and instructor who first developed the idea of creating super-small Bonsai just a few inches tall, which anyone can grow and enjoy at home. His work has been universally acclaimed for its charm and accessibility--and his "super-mini" Bonsai are now popular worldwide. Iwai teaches the art of miniature bonsai cultivation in cultural centers throughout Japan as well as through his blog. He frequently participates in events designed to broaden the understanding of Bonsai cultivation for enthusiasts.