Four Seasons Of Bonsai

Photographs of an outstanding collection of bonsai, along with information on how to care for each species shown

Here is a season-by-season look at 180 remarkable bonsai presented by the official gardener to the Imperial Household of Japan. Shown in their full glory from the first spring foilage to their somber winter repose, this collection celebrates the individual colors and beauty of each season. 280 full-color photographs.

"Elegant representations of nature and the four seasons populate a wide range of Japanese genres and media. In Japan and the Culture of the Four Seasons, Haruo Shirane shows how, when, and why this practice developed and explicates the richly encoded social, religious, and political meanings of this imagery. Shirane discusses textual, cultivated, material, performative, and gastronomic representations of nature. He reveals how this kind of 'secondary nature, ' which flourished in Japan's urban environment, fostered and idealized a sense of harmony with the natural world just at the moment when it began to recede from view. Illuminating the deeper meaning behind Japanese aesthetics and artifacts, Shirane also clarifies the use of natural and seasonal topics as well as the changes in their cultural associations and functions across history, genre, and community over more than a millennium. In this book, the four seasons are revealed to be as much a cultural construction as a reflection of the physical world."--Back cover.

Penelope Porter longed for a baby. But now that her marriage is over, she's turned to the next best thing—a cute, cuddly puppy. Mr. Darcy's an absolute sweetheart, but he could use a stint in obedience school. He keeps sneaking over to the shop across the street, the one owned by Baltimore bad boy Dylan Mersey. Not that Penelope minds having to fetch her dog from his handsome new friend . . . Mr. Darcy? Only a high-society hottie would name a mischievous pooch after a romantic hero. No, to Dylan this pup's name is Bonsai . . . and his owner's impossible to resist. Dylan's more rough-and-tumble than refined, but he's about to prove he's exactly what Penelope needs to forget her heartless ex. Soon things are heating up between proper Penelope and dangerous Dylan as they learn that misbehaving isn't just fun for the dog. What Penelope considers unsuitable quickly becomes unstoppable, and she discovers that true love truly is worth the risk.

One evening at the campus in China, I was waiting at the main gate to the campus for a student to have dinner with me. It was a eureka moment for me because it was the first time I took notice of the two huge bonsai trees in elegant pots, one on either side of the gate. Suddenly, I saw something more than those two elegant potted trees. They reminded me of the young men and women under my care in my daily classes; their thinking, behaviors, mindsets, personal interactions, class participation, community activities, likes and dislikes, and habits were expected and predictable because of years of trimming, pruning, twisting, and shaping by their parents to be who they are today. They are the bonsai kids! Here are some of their voices. “Meanwhile, I got a five-thousand-Australian-dollar scholarship from the university that I applied to. I then managed to persuade my parents to support me. I was lucky because my parents said yes to me because they did not want to let me down. Now I am studying for a master’s degree at the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School in Australia. In the words of Steve, “Do what you have to do to get where you want to be” (Jay Qi-long Han). “I studied very hard because I wanted to become a doctor. I wanted to help my mother because she is not a healthy person. I was able to enter Chongqing Three Gorges Medical College. I wanted a better future for myself and my family” (Michael Qiao Jia). “To me, the key to success is one’s ability and willingness to adapt to new possibilities in life and also to do what you have to do to get where you want to go, even if that meant giving up my PhD in transportation engineering and pursuing a new dream, leading me to Amazon in Seattle, Washington State” (Duan Xi). “Now looking back, I don’t know how I came along nor how I will go in the future. But I think it’s good to keep an active attitude. I went to teach in a college in Guangzhou after finishing my postgraduate program. And three years later, I successfully applied for the PhD program of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. This is where I am” (Minwei Ai).

Go beneath the soil with this hand-drawn guide! This book is sure to become your go-to reference for all things bonsai. Beautifully illustrated with details and views a camera simply can't show, Introduction to Bonsai offers a unique and insightful look at these mini ecosystems. This complete guide contains all the information you need to create and maintain your own bonsai: Handy monthly bonsai maintenance schedules detail proper watering, pruning, wiring, transplanting and other upkeep activities throughout the year Leaves, fruits, flowers, and processes are presented up-close to help make growing and upkeep as successful and simple as possible Diagrams show where, how much, and in what direction pruning, wiring, watering and other maintenance should be performed Clear, detailed illustrations of every part of the bonsai ensure that you'll see everything you need to see, exactly as you need to see it--making this a great resource for collectors and enthusiasts at all levels Learn the specific ways to care for more than 40 types of popular bonsai trees, including: Flowering Bonsai--cherry blossom, dogwood, azalea and lilac Fruiting Bonsai--crab apple, persimmon, Chinese quince and burning bush Coniferous and Deciduous Bonsai--maple, Japanese beech, black pine and salt cedar Prepared by the editors of Japan's popular Bonsai Sekai (Bonsai World) magazine,this handbook is designed to make care and maintenance easy for bonsai beginners--from seeds to root systems and from basic watering to your first transplant.

Take a master class by one of the world's greatest living bonsai masters! Kunio Kobayashi is one the world's most recognized bonsai artists. In this comprehensive book, he presents all the essential techniques needed to plant and maintain the most popular types of bonsai—from pines, cypress and cedar to flowering trees and other beloved varieties, including grasses. Bonsai Master Class is a book for new fans and longtime aficionados alike, showing you how, with the help of human hands, a bonsai tree can evolve and thrive over centuries. This book provides you with all the vital information you need, including: A thorough explanation of the basic bonsai types and styles, and their characteristics Guidance in the art of selecting the right plants, pots and spaces to display your bonsai Tips on getting started including purchasing the plants, assembling the necessary tools and choosing the soils Advice and techniques for planting, repotting, watering, pruning, shaping, wiring and protecting your plants, including a seasonal schedule of tasks for each type of bonsai Detailed lessons for specific bonsai varieties like Japanese cypress, red pine, maple, zelkova, sakura and more! You'll be inspired by Kobayashi's award-winning bonsai ranging from classic types to out-of-the-box originals, showing how this art form is as individual as it is traditional. His book will become your bible as you nurture and cultivate your skills and knowledge of these venerable plants.

Bonsai brings serenity to the home with beautiful miniature trees in idyllic container landscapes. Now DK brings this ancient practice into the 21st century, explaining how to grow and care for bonsai trees with a clear step-by-step approach. Offering easy-to-follow advice and simple photography, Bonsai demystifies the art of bonsai with sequences covering the traditional styles of Chokkan, Moyogi, Shakan, and Kengai, as well as deadwood bonsai styles such as Ishizuki, Yose Uye, and Sharimiki. For bonsai enthusiasts in search of fresh ideas, innovative techniques, and new ways to display their living art, Bonsai is the must-have book of the season.