Understanding Bonsai

About the Book

Understanding Bonsai is about as complete a book as you can get about the art of bonsai. It covers every thinkable aspect of bonsai from the definition through the history, styling, growing, exhibiting and evaluating in remarkable detail. The subject is treated in such a way that the very lay person can get all the elementary information needed to start understanding the art, but the more advanced growers can also benefit by the detailed, researched sections on applicable art as well as sound information on botanical issues. Throughout the book the author stresses the fact that growing bonsai is a form of artistic expression, but cannot be practiced without a thorough knowledge of ways to keep these living art objects healthy and growing well. The information is supplied.

The chapters are set up to group different fields of interest in a user friendly manner. The contents page already gives a wide coverage of the scope of the book on a single page. The index at the end of the book is extremely detailed. A list of Japanese bonsai terms and translations into English is included, because the reader will come across these terms in this and other publications. A short glossary of more common botanical terms and compact descriptions thereof will help the lay person to understand some botany.

The chapter on all the different styles is located in the heart of the book and along with the next chapter on characterizing trees will lead the bonsai grower into designing each and every imaginable shape of tree.

An index of common tree names and their Latin counterparts has been included after the new chapter on different species of trees. More than two hundred species and variants of trees are described in the last chapter. This information covers their growth requirements and details with regard to their keeping as bonsai. Species from all over the world and its varying climates are included. This section can hardly ever be completed due to knowledge about trees and their suitability as bonsai constantly evolving. Notwithstanding, the chapter on species contains a wealth of data.

The book is richly illustrated with more than 300 drawings by the author. In many instances the drawings are of actual bonsai existing somewhere in some collection. This has been done to emphasize that bonsai can be achieved. They exist. This book is about the reality and is not a theory. The photographs are of trees created by the author and a few friends. They show what can be managed in only a few years.

About the Author

Pieter Loubser is a dentist by profession. He lives in Klerksdorp in the North West province in South Africa. Pieter has been growing bonsai for more than 20 years. He has a collection of some 200 trees, but he reckons only some 20 are up to exhibition standard as yet. Being a scientist he has researched the subject thoroughly and is always asking questions about his field of interest. The nearly 400 drawings were made by him self and speak of his artistic abilities. Pieter has been writing articles for bonsai publications for many years and some of these have been published in India and the USA. He has been chairman of the local bonsai club for more than 15 years and is currently vice-president of the Bonsai Regional Association of Tsela Lekwa in South Africa. He has demonstrated and given talks at many bonsai and other clubs and associations. Pieter has also demonstrated at international bonsai conventions in South Africa. His first Understanding Bonsai was published in 1993 and was translated into Afrikaans only months later. It has been out of print some years.

His days of running marathons are over, but in his free time he still plays squash and keeps fit at a local gymnasium. Pieter has also done some painted glass lamp-shades and quite a few of his counted cross-stitch works adorn the walls of his home.