Bonsai Gardens

Japanese Bonsai Trees

Art of Penjing

The Chinese art of penjing evolved thousands of years ago. Its Japanese relative bonsai, although derived from penjing has adapted a little differently over its thousand year history.

As both art forms advanced, they developed their own unique aesthetics and terminology separately. Both however, still reflect the natural world, man's relation to it and nature's effect on it.

Bonsai (pronounced bone-sigh) and penjing (pronounced pen-jing) are both singular and plural. In Chinese "pen" means pot or container and "jing" itranslated as landscape or scenery.

The various elements used are the container/tray, rocks, trees, soil, water, grasses or moss, and figures (human, animal, or architectural). Not every element is required in every creation, often these are simply inferred in the overall composition.

Many penjing (typically landscapes), use rock in their design. The artist is not trying to create an exact copy of a landscape. Instead, he or she tries to portray an ideal image able to evoke an emotion the viewer can "recall" based on their own individual experiences with nature.

Of the tree basic types of penjing (tree, landscape, or water and land), bonsai is most directly related to tree penjing. In Japanese "bon" means plant or tree and "sai" means pot or tray. Most often in bonsai, woody plants are grown in containers as representations of aged or interesting trees.

The most common depictions are: single tree, multiple tree, and forest. Like penjing, bonsai has never been an attempt to create scale models. Rather, this living art form is carefully developed over years as a "statement" about: trees, man's interaction with them, or the often dramatic effects nature's cycles have on them.

True mastery of bonsai and penjing requires considerable knowledge of horticultural and aesthetic techniques to say the least.

Carrying out the art of miniaturizing trees alone is a fascinating process. Doing with strict adherence to various artistic principles while also attempting to depict the often formidable forces of nature itself, is nothing short of astonishing.

Needless to say, one must both possess and be able to convey a deep sense of reverence for the natural world. Is it any wonder then, that both these art forms are so deeply embedded in the histories and cultures in which they originated, or that we, in the west have become so fascinated with them?

Bonsai tree for sale

If you are looking for a bonsai tree for sale, Dennis Clark has over 200 hundred of them. They are hand picked, hand styled from scratch by experienced professionals who spent years developing and refining the perfect bonsai growing techniques literally from the ground up.

They can be picked up in Fort Lauderdale or delivered in the Broward County, Dade County, West Palm Beach County. Delivery fees apply.

Tiger Bark Ficus Bonsai Tree from $ 24.99

Fukien Tea Bonsai Tree from $ 27.99

Chinese Sweet Plum Bonsai Tree from $ 27.99

Chinese Elm Bonsai Tree from $ 29.99