Going back thousands of years ago, the bonsai plant has a colorful history. The Chinese might have been the first race to prune and shape the bonsai plants but records show that bonsais were seen in Egyptian tombs 2000 years ago.

Records also show that Indian herbalists preserved these prized plants in small containers because of the dwarfish sizes 1500 years ago.

But of course, when talking about the modern cultivation of Bonsai, we often turn to the Chinese practice. They started growing the bonsai plant at a period when the peak was cultural learning. Later on, the Japanese adopted the hobby and even associated it to their belief in Buddha. Bonsai became a culture and an art for both the Chinese and the Japanese.

When choosing the right bonsai for you, you must be aware that there are two types: the temperate and the tropical.

Temperate bonsai can live in low temperatures, thanks to their shallow roots. It needs protection from the cold though. Examples of temperate bonsai are the maples and junipers.

Meanwhile, the tropical bonsai has difficulty adjusting to cold temperatures. As much as you can, protect it against frost. Examples of tropical bonsai are the ficus, serissa and bougainvillea.

Be aware of the temperature when you're buying a bonsai. Get one that won't have a hard time adjusting. If you're thinking of getting a bonsai that'll be outdoors 24-7, then get one that can handle it.

If you are getting a bonsai that will be put inside the home, at least, make sure that it gets the right amount of sunlight and enough water. An indoor bonsai needs more water than one grown outdoors.

Generally, bonsai enthusiasts purchased these plants so that they could prune and shape it themselves. If you already have a design in mind, then you should consider this as a factor in deciding what kind of bonsai you'd buy.

Styles of bonsai vary from easy to complicated. But do not worry; there are hundreds of bonsai books you can read.

Whichever style you crop, prune or shape your bonsai, as long as you make sure that the plant gets the sunlight and the water it needs, it will surely bloom and become the plant that you want it to be.

With each bonsai, you'd soon find yourself hooked!

Growing bonsai is both a challenge and an artistic endeavor and it's a practice that is been around for hundreds of years. From its well-respected beginnings in Japan to its growing popularity worldwide, bonsai has definitely conquered our homes and cyberspace.

To join bonsai forums and meet other bonsai growers from around the nation and the world, here are a few sites to check out:

www.helpfulgardener.com
This site isn't exclusively about bonsai, but you can log on to find many helpful tips on how to give your miniature plant the ideal care. Send an e-mail to the Helpful Gardener about any bonsai concerns or register and create a profile to join their forum. Leave a message, ask a question or join a discussion. There is lots to learn about bonsai and bonsai care from this site.

www.bonsaisite.com
If you want to go straight to their forum, log on to http://forums.bonsaisite.com and post your questions or concerns. If you are a newbie, there's no need to be shy. This site is full of helpful tips and tutorials to help you along. With more than 4,800 members, the site features some of the most comprehensive info and tips for bonsai growing and networking.

If you are a novice, join the general forum for questions about bonsai selection and care or if you're more experienced, join their sub-forums for more specialized discussions: special soil preparations, tools, books, tutorials, even a discussion forum dedicated to bonsai bugs. From basic growing techniques to advanced pruning and training, this site's discussion forum covers it all.

www.forums.gardenweb.com
Gardenweb.com is one of the largest communities of gardeners on the web. If you're a newbie, you'll find some very helpful tips from more experienced bonsai growers. If you're an expert, you can share your knowledge and skills through its bonsai forum or exchange techniques with fellow bonsai masters.

This site has a lot of links to different gardening interests, so go straight to their bonsai forum by clicking on the link.

www.bonsaitreeforum.com
This site has a detailed menu for each bonsai concern you might have, from general care to propagation to pests and diseases. Get what you need and post your questions to the right forum. There's also a forum for newbies and a separate forum for bonsai trade in case you want to purchase or sell.

www.bonsaitalk.com
Register yourself for membership to gain access to the bonsaiTALK forum. Can't get enough of bonsai? Share your expertise by critiquing bonsai photos in the gallery or chat on the web with other bonsai fans. Write about bonsai and contribute to the site's journal. Join 9,500 registered members from over 100 countries.

Bonsai as a pastime has become a modern day hobby ever since it started as a Japanese pastime in the Tokugawa period. Bonsai enthusiasts collect various kinds of bonsai and grow it in their garden. They have the ability to even bring it inside their homes in little containers.

World renowned Bonsai artist Masahiko Kimura has earned acclaim not only in Japan but in various parts of the globe because of his work. He has won numerous accolades including the Prime Minister Award in 1988, 1995, 2000, and 2001. He also won the Minister of Education in 1999.

Now, Kimura's artistic works on bonsai plants are often photographed. With permission, his works are uploaded on the web. By checking out Kimura work, you'll notice how detailed his designs are. He sometimes sets the bonsai on stones. Later on, you'll see that even the stones were part of the entire canvas.

In fact, Kimura's award-winning works have been published in various books, one of which is "The Bonsai Art of Kimura" written by Katsuhito Onishi. In this 175-paged illustrated book, a bonsai enthusiast gets a glimpse of Kimura's step by step process in styling bonsai. They get a peek in why Kimura is called "The Magician."

Kimura's contribution to bonsai as a pastime is that he presents multiple possibilities on the styling of bonsai and he concretizes it by showing to his audience that it can be done.

Because he's known as the best bonsai artist alive, Kimura often attends conventions and exhibits that concentrate on the art of growing and cultivating bonsai. He also performs live designing of bonsai, sometimes with his contemporaries such as Ernie Kuo. The bonsai convention they both attended in 2000 that was held in Dallas remains to be one of the most interesting conventions due to the fact that two master bonsai artists were there onstage.

In these conventions and exhibits, Kimura motivates other bonsai enthusiasts that turning the vision of how the bonsai should look like can become a reality even when there is limited time.

With bonsai as his magic trick, The Magician Masahiko Kimura contributes his knowledge to bonsai enthusiasts and shares instructions based on his experiences in growing, cultivating and designing bonsai.

By offering his audience a taste of the pleasure in designing bonsai, Mahahiko Kimura has shown that bonsai is a relaxing hobby that anyone can do. By merely investing in a bonsai plant and reading a couple of books about the subject, anyone can design a bonsai in the very way he wants.

We have a wide assortment of Bonsai trees for sale at the lowest prices. Check out our selection now.

Bonsai trees aren't difficult to care for. If you've the experience of rearing other household plants, then you're sure to succeed with a bonsai. The only difference of the bonsai trees to other plants is they're actually 'trees'. That being the case, they have the ability to be killed even if they are kept inside during the winter.

But if you think that planting a tree in a small container can magically turn into a bonsai, you're mistaken. It takes continuous shaping and pruning. It also depends on what kind of species you've.

Caring for bonsai is like a stylist caring for his client's hair. Not all cuts are essential. There's a particular cut or style that'll work better. The same goes out to a bonsai.

Bonsai trees are shrubs and trees. Their heights are stunted artificially tying the branches using wires or pruning the roots. This practice started in China and was later on adapted by Japanese.

Some bonsai enthusiasts go out and get a ready-made bonsai. Others like to make their own. What they do is they get seeds or cuttings and dig the bonsai plants themselves.

You can begin your bonsai hobby by taking care of a young shrub or tree. We advocate you rear bottlebrush, she oak, crepe myrtle, fig, silky oak and ironwood. Make sure to ask your nursery what are the recommended bonsai for your locale's temperature.

When selecting a plant, think about the following factors:
- the bonsai needs material which you'll work with so get a tree that has branches
- the bonsai's trunk should be wide, preferably its base
- the leaves should be small
- the branches should begin closely to the ground
- the plant must be healthy

Also, the pots must have holes for drainage. Pots that are glazed can be an obstacle for the plant to breathe. You can add your own creativity by choosing a pot for its texture and color, just as long as it is perfect for the plant you bought.

If you want to be guided thoroughly, in terms of pruning and shaping, there are hundreds of books about the subject in your local bookstores. Some even have illustrations of the works of renowned bonsai artists such as Matsuhito Kimura.

All you need is basic wiring and pruning skills. Soon enough, you will be able to change a rugged and mangy old bush and shrub into a well-shaped bonsai you can display in your centerpiece. Or if it's a bonsai tree you spent hours pruning, it can be the center of your garden.

John Yoshio Naka was born on August 16, 1914 in Denver, Colorado. He and his family returned to their native Japan when he was eight years old. Having his grandfather as his constant companion, he observed as his elderly shaped and trimmed the trees.

When he was nineteen years old, John took up landscape design. He learned the fundamentals in the relationship of nature - trees, space and stone. After completing his education, he pursued further studies by attending a prestigious art school in Japan.

Because of the building war in Japan in 1935, his father feared that John might be deployed. John was sent back to Colorado to live with Sadao, his bruther. He settled down by marrying Alice Toshito Mizunaga in 1936. They had three sons: Eugene, Robert and Richard.

The family moved to Los Angeles in 1946. Here, John worked as a landscaper and concentrated on Japanese gardens. Striking a friendship with Sam Doi, John Naka was encouraged to read books about bonsai techniques.

His first work was the Montezuma Cypress. It was a 36 inch tall five gallon plant that was grown in Southern California. Years later, this plant continued to grow at the exact height. Tree also produced small cones two times.

At this point, John Naka was noticed as a bonsai artist. Together with for other friend, Fumiko Nagata, Ai Okumura, Joseph Yamashiro and Morihei Furuya, Naka started the Southern California Bonsai Club.

From local instructor, Naka went on to become a national teacher in the art of bonsai. He attended symposiums where he was the gust speaker in the 1970s. Some of his works were published in newspaper articles and on the "Bonsai Journal." Here, he illustrated step-by-step the transformation of a juniper that is grown in a nursery to
the center of a bonsai garden.

Then Naka conquered the global scene by visiting various countries and also educating bonsai enthusiasts on his art. His collections of bonsai art have been viewed countless times. They've been published in countless books as well.

John Naka once said that he regarded his works as his grandchildren. That's why his interest and passion on bonsai can be seen by all.

The National Bonsai Foundation is a non-profit corporation which elected Naka as one of the honorary advisers to the foundation. Through the years, Naka has also become legendary in the sense that he has buildings named after him. As a matter of fact, a workshop room is named after him who they regarded as the "Father of Popular Bonsai."

More and more people are turning to bonsai planting to cope with stress. Believe it or not, that small potted tree could be equivalent to a regular yoga class. It could soothe the mind just as much as those physically-twisting poses that people do during yoga. If you're considering your first pot (of bonsai, that is), it's time to meet Brussel's.

Brussel's is one of the leading grower and importer of bonsais in the United States. Looking at the company's website, one is able to find all the needed tools and methods to be able to begin or maintain bonsais.

The Brussel's On the internet Store sells bonsai trees (potted and ready to take home); bonsai pots, tools (such as soil scoops, scissors, hut stake signs, pliers or cutters); fertilizers; and accessories (like fountains, watering cans, even books).

The company also aids bonsai beginners by educating them with the styles of bonsai and how to properly care for it. With the on the internet education, people can learn the basics of bonsai growing and also some of the most frequently asked questions.

This 'nursery', as they are fond of calling themselves, began in the mind of a 5 year old when his dad came back home from a business trip. The dad brought back several species of bonsais that captivated the young child.

This child grew up to be a bonsai enthusiast and throughout his teenage years, he studied the art of bonsai. It soon became his business when he began trading bonsais through the mail. This kid started the first, ever bonsai nursery in the entire country.

The founder, Brussel Martin, has his office or 'nursery' in the northern part of Mississippi. The abundant lighting in that area made it more conducive to bonsai tending. The company also boasts that the founder himself specially selected each and each bonsai tree.

Brussel's doesn't only provide useful information but they also hold special events to market their trees and other products. With this aggressive approach to marketing, they are able to sell at discounted prices as they also invite resource speakers to talk about bonsais in specifics. If you would want to meet the top masters of bonsai planting, you can even attend the annual convention that is held for all bonsai lovers.

Brussel Martin has definitely expanded the horizon for bonsais. With all the help that's available today, even those who haven't grown a single plant in their lives would aspire to have one.