The term bonsai came from the Chinese word which means a plant in pot. It was the Chinese who introduced the miniature ornamental trees in the period of the second century B.C. This was the period of perfecting the landscape and trees where planted in specific containers.

Bonsai are plants that measures around 2 inches up to 3 feet in height which grew from seeds and as well as from cuttings. This plant is usually grown in pots or containers which are kept small by pruning the branches and roots to serve as decorations. There are times that the trees are wired on its branch and trunk to attain a desired shape.

Bonsais live for many years and some families think about as prized possessions. Bonsai have many varieties such as the gardenia, azalea, bamboo, camellia, pine and even plum. There are so many styles that you can do with bonsai. You can have it informal upright, formal upright, cascade, semi-cascade and slanting style.

Professionals with bonsai use specialized tools to mold and create bonsai into different forms such as the pliers, concave branch cutters, root trimmers and shears. If you want to create your own form of bonsai, there are 12 steps that you can follow.

You must choose first a petite shrub from common varieties of garden such as the azalea, camellia, boxwood, gardenia, cotoneaster, or even hibiscus. Trim the plant with the use of bypass pruners until a structure is seen. After that you need to remove the bonsai from its pot and place the root of the bonsai in water.

Decrease the amount of soil around its roots in order for the root ball to fit the said container. Trim the roots to until two-thirds of the original size are reduced. The next thing that you will need to do is to place a plastic window or a piece of gauze over the drainage hole of the pot.

Then add an inch of blended potting soil on it then the root ball while spreading gently its roots over the soil. Put additional soil again to cover the roots but make sure that there's a one inch allowance on top for watering purposes. Prune the plant on your desired structure.

The last thing that you'll do is to water it until the soil is soaked then covers it with aquarium gravel. Place the plant on a location wherein it can receive a adequate amount of sunlight.

Let's face it. Not all of us have a green thumb and not everyone has the luxury of time either. Other than that, we are not all born with the patience of a saint or a bonsai grower either.

If you have always wanted to grow bonsai but haven't got one for one reason or another, you have a choice: buy an artificial bonsai. They don't require any watering, pruning or pesticides and they'll last as long as the real thing. Here are some tips on how to get ones that are as good, or even better:

Choose the style or species.
There are dozens of bonsai species to choose from, such as pine trees and flowering trees and all of them look decidedly real. They also come in different styles - single-trunk, double-trunk, cascade, rock - and you can select one or two that'll blend with your home's overall design scheme.

Good ones to try: artificial Japanese pine bonsai, Chinese elm, maple or juniper. For artificial flowering bonsai, get the crabapple, jasmine, camellia, flowering plum or gardenia bonsai.

Seeing is believing
If the artificial can fool your eyes, it can fool others' as well. Look at the artificial bonsai from afar and then up close. Look at the trunk, the branches, the leaves and the flowers. The trunk shouldn't look painted on and the branches should blend well with the main trunk.

There should be a continuing, seamless line from the base of the artificial bonsai to the tip of the branches. If you see the joints, you might want to move to the next one. If it still looks like the real thing from six inches away, then it's top quality artificial bonsai.

Touch to test
The true test of a good quality artificial bonsai is its touch. The trunk should feel rough like the bark of a real tree and shouldn't feel plastic to the touch - slippery and smooth. Another test for quality artificial bonsai is its leaves. The leaves shouldn't be too thin or too fabric-like and avoid ones that unravel when pulled. They should be smooth with a partial sheen to mimic real leaves.

Flex to form
Another thing to look for is flexibility. Even though many artificial bonsai are shaped in various ways, there are some that let you manipulate their 'growth' by bending them anyway you like. If you're the kind who likes to work with your bonsai a tiny bit, pick ones that are made with flexible materials such as luna clay. These artificial bonsai let you bend and twist to create a plant that is all your own.