The Art of Bonsai

This class will cover the hands-on practice of the art of bonsai, from choosing a nursery plant to styling a bonsai and maintaining it for the first year of growth. Details include branch pruning, root pruning, wiring and leaf reduction to achieve a miniature specimen. The horticulture of specific species will be covered with attention to small garden trees and flowering shrubs, deciduous and coniferous varieties, for our Pacific Northwest climate zone. Soil components for each species will be reviewed and care throughout the four seasons will be given special attention. A discussion of the aesthetics of bonsai will be included.