Bonsai originated in China, as far back as the Tang Dynasty over 1200 years ago. It was introduced to Japan some 700 years ago, where the art was refined to perfection. Subsequently, it spread from Japan to the West and other parts of the world in the 19th century.

Bonsai is a Japanese term and consists of two Japanese words, ‘bon’ meaning a shallow container and ‘sai’ meaning a plant. Basically, bonsai is the art of keeping miniature trees or shrubs in small containers. In China it is called “Penjing” or potted landscape. It is sub-divided into “Landscape Penjing” for which plants are laid into miniature gardens or landscapes, and “Tree Penjing” for which the plants are appreciated for their individual natural beauty.

To create a good bonsai, one needs to have (1) horticultural knowledge to keep plants healthy, (2) pruning, trimming and artistic styling skills, and (3) a great deal of time and patience to train the plant. The difference in growing an ordinary plant and a bonsai plant is very distinct. In the case of an ordinary plant, the grower concentrates on getting a lush healthy plant often with flowers and fruits, whereas in bonsai, the emphasis is on styling and shaping of the trunk and branches. In addition, one needs to carry out pruning constantly to control the size of the leaves. The art of bonsai aims to re-create nature and bring out the charm and beauty of miniature plants, yet showing no trace of human touch.

Recent trend favours training through the process of pruning rather than wiring in order to achieve an even more natural and realistic appearance. The “Lingnan” School of China has developed a special technique of pruning, whereby eliminating all wiring work. Tree specimens chosen should be based on their genetic characteristics, such as growth rate and habit, size and shape of leaf, density of growth and branching arrangement, etc. It is advisable to select plant species that have small leaves, small flowers and compact growth. Another major factor for consideration is the plant’s ability to sustain growth within a restricted container. The container should be chosen to match the characteristics of the plants to create a harmonious effect.

The bonsai collection of the Singapore Botanic Gardens had been on public display at the “Bonsai House” from 1986 to 1991. Due to redevelopment of the Gardens, the collection is now housed in the Plant Resource Centre. Plant materials used are from tropical and sub-tropical regions. They are of different styles and shapes, ranging in height from 15 to 165 centimetres. There are a total of 120 specimens including: Adenium, Bambusa, Bauhinia, Bougainvillea, Carmona retusa, Ficus, Gmelina, Ixora, Juniperus, Murraya paniculata, Pinus, Phyllanthus, Pithecellobium dulce, Podocarpus, Rhapis, Sagaretia, Serissa, Schefflera, Ulmus parvifolia and Wrightia religiosa.

Our emphasis is on the use of tropical species for bonsai. Many local species, however are a little difficult to train as they tend to have too few leaves, brittle branches and straggly branching. Therefore, selection of the right plant material and the combination of skill and patience are even more crucial to the successful creation of bonsai of local plants.