Bonsai Design: Deciduous and Coniferous Trees [Paperback]

Peter D. Adams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1996

Growing bonsai is a beautiful art that inspires tranquility and peace, yet requires precision and patience. Comprehensive profiles on each major species used in bonsai design include information on natural habitat and plant description, soil preferences, watering instructions, transplanting tips, containers, feeding, pests and diseases, and what to expect each year in terms of structure and form. Each section is completed with a summary chart of the species' individual development, month-by-month, year-by-year. Specific styles are studied in a "case history" manner from stage one -- development of mass -- to stage two -- structure and form -- through stage three -- refinement of image.

Product Details

• Paperback: 143 pages
• Publisher: Ward Lock Ltd (April 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0706374479
• ISBN-13: 978-0706374476
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,296,973 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars horticulture AND art, November 1, 2001

By 

Steve, Northern Calif. "steveindavis" (Davis, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bonsai Design: Deciduous and Coniferous Trees (Paperback)

It's probably safe to call this one a classic; it's just unfortunate that it's out of print and a bit hard to find.
Peter Adams comes at the subject of bonsai from the point of view of the trained artist, and his training shows through here. His emphasis on artistic method should be a welcome antidote to the oft-found notion that bonsai is little more than keeping alive a cute little tree in a pot.
In addition, this book has a wealth of hands-on information concerning soils, horticulture and strategies for long-term development of specimens. Keep in mind that few true bonsai are created in less than a few years, even when starting with specimens that already have a well-developed trunk and roots.
Adams has a special respect for, and treatment of, collected trees -- those taken from the wild.
This is a very good how-to book with lots of examples of how individual specimens were designed and developed.
This book is perhaps a little intimidating for the beginner; a novice might be better off starting with something like Herb Gustafson's "Bonsai Workshop," which gives a better basic overview of the art form but shares Adams's project-oriented approach. Or John Naka's "Bonsai Techniques" I & II, which have a wealth of very accessible information. Or even Peter Adams's "The Art of Flowering Bonsai," which has a lot of general information on developing trees as well as species-specific information related to certain blossoming kinds.
But if you find a used copy of "Bonsai Design" somewhere, buy it. If you don't read it now, you'll want to refer to it later.