Make a bonsai in minutes

Bonsais have a bad reputation for being tricky to care for and often way out of most urban renters' price range. That was before Kenji Kobayashi.

The Japanese author, landscape designer and owner of modern bonsai shop Sinajina in Tokyo is known for creating the style he calls "keshiki bonsai", which basically translates to "landscape bonsai".

If you're wondering how a modern bonsai would differ from a traditional one, or, more importantly, how it will make creating one of your own any easier, keshiki bonsai brings bonsai into a brave new world by stretching what is considered bonsai appropriate plants, dishes and landscapes. 

The book takes you through all the essentials of growing a keshiki bonsai, from the type of soil you should choose to how select your tree and the basic tools you'll need. All up there's 37 projects to try.

Previously, the techniques, tips, and insights of keshiki bonsai were available only to Japanese bonsai enthusiasts. This book is the first time Westerners have access to the techniques of making miniature landscapes.

How to make a keshiki bonsai: 

Watch the video above from Timber Press and learn how to make one of the 37 keshiki bonsai projects.

You'll need:

A round small bonsai pot

Rich soil

Moss

Chop stick

Sand

Screening (to prevent soil loss)

A plant (tree or shrub: five basic styles — formal upright, informal upright, slanting, cascade, and semi-cascade — based on the overall shape and how much the trunk slants.)

Small rocks or pebbles

Visit Timber Press to find out more and buy Kenji Kobayashi's Keshiki Bonsai.