As a hobby, bonsai offers the opportunity to step away from work, chores, and other responsibilities to enjoy a mindful engagement with nature. It also fosters a sense of community and connection to the planet, while providing a way to express artistic expression. Hobbies like bonsai can help boost mental health and happiness, as well as encourage creativity and a sense of accomplishment.
Bonsai is a horticultural art form that requires patience and attention to detail as you shape and trim miniature trees into beautiful forms. This mindful engagement with the plants can be a powerful antidote to stress and anxiety, as you engage in a calm activity that requires your full attention.
The practice of bonsai involves specialized tools, soils, pots for the plants, and guidance from an experienced practitioner. Getting started is easier than many would think: choose species that are suitable for your climate; purchase a modern and up-to-date basics book; and seek advice from a local group or online resources.
Ryan Neil, a bonsai enthusiast, was nineteen when he began cultivating tiny trees in decorative pots. A horticulture major at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, he helped care for the campus collection and traveled around the West Coast to attend master classes with renowned practitioners. When other college students went out partying, he stayed home and read bonsai books or travelled to remote mountain locations in search of wild miniature junipers to train as bonsai.