ArtPage on Bonsai

bonsai - A Japanese word, literally meaning "tree in a pot," bonsai is the Chinese and Japanese art or craft of cultivating dwarfed, potted trees. The term denotes both the pursuit of this horticultural work and the objects themselves.

The goal in bonsai is to create small versions -- from a few inches to several feet in height -- of what resemble huge, ancient trees, with special regard shown to balance, harmony, and form. The parts of each miniature tree are carefully pruned, its wood painstakingly trained by various techniques -- typically winding wire -- which gradually bend them to the artist's taste. Bonsai originated in China, later to be embraced by the Japanese. Before becoming bonsai, a plant may be referred to as potensai. Some bonsai is modeled upon traditional Chinese painting.

BonsaiWeb is a site devoted to the study of the ancient art of bonsai, with pages about pond and water gardening, discussions, clubs, links, and even bonsai software.
The Bonsai Site examines this horticultural pursuit with a forum, gallery, books, FAQ and more.
The Bonsai Ring.
Paul Wolters Bonsai site comes from The Netherlands.

Also see aleatory and aleatoric, design, earth art, ikebana, landscape architecture, landscape painting, suiseki, tradition, and wabi-sabi.