Designing a Bonsai Forest

bonsai forest

Bonsai, originally an art of China, has reached a worldwide audience. There are now over fourteen hundred books on the subject in more than twenty-eight languages and over one hundred thousand members of bonsai clubs. Bonsai enthusiasts now share the hobby with each other across the globe, participating in local, regional, national and international conventions and exhibitions.

One of the most popular new trends in bonsai is the forest planting, which is a grouping of trees that are arranged to create the effect of a natural forest formation. These forests can be slant style, windswept or simply feature a number of trees that are close together.

This style of planting is more difficult to cultivate than a single trunk tree but is rewarding for those who are willing to put in the time. A well-designed forest planting should evoke the feeling of natural beauty and harmony.

When designing a bonsai forest, the first consideration should be which trees to use. Ficus and camellias are the most commonly used for a forest but other species can also be used. The most important consideration when choosing a tree is whether it can survive in your climate. If it is not hardy, it will quickly die.

Once the selection has been made, it is then a matter of finding a suitable container for the forest planting. The container should be the same size as the largest individual tree and have a rounded or oval shape. When using a container with drainage holes, the holes should be plugged with lava rock or sphagnum moss to prevent the soil from becoming too dry.