Took a decade before I appreciated bonsai as more than little trees

I always thought bonsai people were just into cutting leaves for fun, no real point to it. Then I visited a workshop in Portland last spring and saw this 30 year old juniper that started as a scraggly nursery plant. The owner showed me photos from year 1 to now, how every branch was chosen and shaped over time. Now I get why someone would spend 15 years just thickening up a trunk before the first cut. Anyone else have that moment where a plant hobby clicked way later than it should have?

2 comments

2 Comments

dylan_rodriguez4d ago

Did you start with a juniper too or go a different route first?

betty_barnes4d ago

Well actually, I think there might be a small mix-up with junipers. Most folks starting out with bonsai tend to go with a ficus or a Chinese elm first since they're more forgiving indoors. Junipers can be tricky because they really need to stay outside year-round and a lot of beginners don't realize that.