Bonsai

I had wanted to learn bonsai for years, but I kept putting it off because I couldn't find a reference that covered everything. Some books are great on types of plants but don't cover maintenance in much depth, some are great on maintenance but aren't well illustrated, and so on. Then I picked up this book, largely on the strength of the reviews I found here. I was not disappointed. This 216 page book has an 'A-Z of Bonsai Species' that covers 75+ species with a pagefull of information and at least one (often two or three) full color photo of each. A dictionary of trees and shrubs at the back of the book covers the requirements and care of 250+ species. All of the major methods of starting bonzai are covered, as well as the major forms, and every aspect of care and maintenance, all with clearly written instructions and step-by-step photos. The book is beautifully illustrated throughout with full color photos. These are supplemented with very clear one-color pen-and-ink drawings in the section on wiring, which is quite detailed. There are lots of before, during, and after photos showing how bushy nurshery shrubs, seedlings, and cuttings can be turned into attractive bonsai. Every "but what about X" question I had was answered. It is simply the most comprehensive, best written, best illustrated, and most reassuring book on bonsai I've ever seen.

This is a good book. I have had it for a number of years. This is a good book for the beginner and the intermediate Bonsai enthusiast or if you are just going to buy and maintain a Bonsai. It is broken down into chapters including: The Art of Bonsai, A-Z of Bonsai Species, Creating a Bonsai, Propagating Bonsai, Maintaining Bonsai, Dictionary of Trees and Shrubs, Glossary and Index. The Art of Bonsai is the overview. It give the basics, some background, and ideas and information. Most people will want to start in the A-Z of Bonsai Species. This has at least one color picture of the different plants (in some case 3 or 4 picture of different shapes, styles and arrangements) and is VERY handy. It has a detailed, close up view of the leaves and flowers so if your bonsai has a different shape or form, you can still identify your plant. Each of the 75 different species include the following information: Identification (Botanical name and common name), General description, Bonsai suggestions, Leaf detail, Container, Special interest, Seasonal features, Main Caption (which includes height, age, style and particular features of the Bonsai pictured), and Cultivation box. For those of us who have purchased our Bonsai this Cultivation Box has all the information in it we need to keep our Bonsai healthy and happy. The Maintaining Bonsai section has all the information you will need to keep your Bonsai looking good. How to prune, repot, water and more are covered in this section. It also includes information on pests. Creating a Bonsai take you through all the steps from taking a raw plant to turning it into a masterpiece. The Dictionary give you all the information you need on the plant including cultivation (sun needs, watering, repotting, pruning and propagation), identification, cross reference and general description. It is a very handy reference once you know what kind of plant you have.

This book is essentially the compacted version of Tomlinson's "The Complete Bonsai". The wealth of full color images is just as descrptive (though much smaller), and the text much abridged, but if you are looking for a quick yet comprehensive reference, this book will fulfill your needs. I would highly recommend it to anyone considering taking up the art of bonsai. It covers various species and techniques in enough deatil to get anyone going, as well as keep a novice well-informed. It also would make a handy quick refence for any bonsai artist, though it does not go into extreme detail about any techniques. Overall I would call it a very complete overview and chock full of value for the price.

A wonderful book for all levels of Bonsai enthusiast. Clear concise text make this book a wonderful reference and teaching tool while the beautiful pictures make it a pleasure to read. The book contains a very good tree reference section with complete hints and tips on styling, care and maintenance for each type of plant. The information covers Australian, American and European growing conditions. Overall I would rate this as the best bonsai book available. If you only buy one book it should be "Bonsai" by Harry Tomlinson.

The book "BONSAI" by Harry Tomlinson is a very informative bonsai manual. It provides my illustrations and tips for different styles of bonsai with easy to follow text. I find that if I have a question I can grab the book and it's there! I looked at many books before I picked this one and have not had any regrets. This book deserves 6 stars.-Ryan Natschke Phoenix,AZ