Customer Reviews

Thriving Bonsai

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I read and watched many bonsai books and videos. I found this film provided a summary of all basic but essentials techniques to keep your bonsai healthy and in shape. Unless you are a true bonsai enthusiast like myself into collecting all books and related learning media or materials, this film alone should be sufficient to get you started. Also, this film is as accurately as described. To me, as an advanced bonsai hobbyist, I found this film more entertaining than informative: its contents have become more a review of techniques to me. Nevertheless, it does have a better demonstration than others. If you are one of the group of people as listed in the description, you will not regret buying this video.

This DVD is fun, educational, and artistic! With this video, I have become well versed in the world of bonsai in just a short time. I would definitely recommend this video to those who are considering bonsai as a new hobby.

I find this film successfully demonstrate all the technical aspects that I need to know to keep my bonsai in shape and healthy. Besides, it is truly the first video of its kind combining bonsai care instruction and history of the bonsai art form that reflects the rich far eastern cultrual heritage. It is useful and entertaining. I love it!

I received a bonsai as a mother¡¦s day gift last year. I was fascinated by its small size and delicate detailed. I loved it very much. I went to a local bonsai nursery to purchase accessories, as well as how to guides. I was told to buy a sheet of moss from the nursery to cover my bonsai soils in order to make the tree look more natural, as well as to protect the roots of my tree. After the summer my bonsai died even though I had read all the books I bought and cared for my tree accordingly. Its mysterious death kept me puzzled until I had a chance to watch ¡§Thriving Bonsai¡¨ recently. As illustrated in the film, it was the type of moss that I put on my bonsai, which had killed my beloved tree. In short, this film went into many aspects of bonsai care in general. In my opinion this film makes a great contribution to those who are looking to get a quick start.

I've received a bonsai as gift last year and liked it very much. However, after much trial, the plant does not survived well. When doing reasearch, I stumbled accorss this DVD. I found this DVD provides a lot of info about bonsai as general and I specially like the segment about bonsai care. The instructions are easy to follow, not requiring fancy tool or a green house. It is an essential survival guide for a starter like me.

An interesting, even somewhat inspired attempt at an introduction to bonsai, this DVD is disappointing due primarily to the distracting errors in pronounciation ("deciduous" as "dessidus"), and amateurish video editing (dropouts, missing transitions, and "jerkiness"). Its primary drawback, however, is the emphasis on romantic verbiage and music as a background for endless scenics of woodlands and nature vistas -- a poor substitute for helpful information on the art and science of bonsai horticulture.

This is a good and mandatory bonsai introductory video. It does contain video clips with a wealth of information essential for any bonsai beginner or hobbyist in need of a complete reference guide on how to care and maintain bonsai. I have been practicing the bonsai hobby for 20 plus years, and also teaching bonsai in local communities; other than "The Growing Art of Bonsai" by Arthur Skolnik, I find "Thriving Bonsai" one more excellent video material to help many of my friends and students quickly jump start a new hobby in bonsai. Nonetheless, if you have already proficient in the bonsai art, this video may not suitable for you; in my opinion, it is more a video for beginners and amateurs.

After my first bonsai (bamboo) plant faded away after a few months, I came across this DVD. I'm a beginner and I enjoyed the interactive medium and very informative, easy to learn instructions. The nicely ordered format for the instructions, the relaxing background and a story-like narrative on how to nurture a bonsai plant are some of its best features.

This film is a perfect ¡®Bonsai Learning Media for Dummies¡¯! With this film, I have had a down-to-earth guide to the overall understanding of bonsai. It gets started right away with an intro to the basics; it is an ideal reference for first-time bonsai buyers like me. Most importantly this video considers the ¡°what¡± and ¡°why¡± just as important the ¡°how¡±.

This is almost an end of winter in the North Country. My first bonsai has survived through the cold winter in my garage - yes, in the garage! Thanks to Thriving Bonsai video instruction.

Here is the story: I am an absolute beginner and just received my first juniper bonsai this past Christmas. I really did not know what to do with it after the holiday's display in my living room. Until one day, I had a chance to watch the DVD with a friend who bought this video; its instruction suggested that I placed my tree in my unheated garage that was cold, dark and damp. I wondered at first but finally decided to give it a try. This is what it has happened, after a long cold winter, there are now new fresh buds showing up on almost everywhere!

I understand it is an independent, low budgeting film and I do not anticipate the best video's quality; it does gain me a new level of confidence to begin my bonsai journey. My conclusion is that this video has definitely served its purpose.

I give it at least a 4 stars and I think it is fair.