Experienced grower's notes on Japanese Maple Bonsai

I've been growing plants seriously for over fifteen years and Japanese Maple Bonsai remains a reliable favourite. For anyone starting out: the most critical thing is styling with the front and viewing angle in mind from day one. Everything else follows from that.

drying out and death from missing a day's watering in summer is the challenge that trips up most beginners and some experienced growers too. I've been growing mine in a Japanese-inspired garden display with gravel and stone for three seasons now and the results are consistently good. deeply personal relationship between artist and tree is what makes it worth coming back to year after year. vigorous growing season requiring wiring and pinching is when I show it off — it earns its place fully then.