Herself’s Houseplants

. . . Anyone with interest, time and a little space, can become a bonsai enthusiast and collector. Bonsai generally requires a bit more care and attention than houseplants. However, with the proper care and nurturing they can last for many years. Some bonsai are passed on from one generation to the next, admired for their age and beauty and serve as a reminder of the people who have cared for them previously.Translated literally from Japanese, bonsai means “tray or pot” (bon) and “plant or tree” (sai). But this ancient art form, whose origins and early development are traced back to both China and Japan, is much more than that. Bonsai (pronounced “bone-sigh”) is the name that is given to a beautiful tree grown in a complementary container. Unlike other art forms, the uniqueness and challenge of bonsai results from the fact that the medium used to create these “three dimensional sculptures” is both alive and growing. This means that the work of the bonsai artist is constantly evolving to maintain the tree’s health and aesthetic quality. . .[ read more Small trees make big show at Japanese embassy]