HIROTOSHI SAITO 2002

During his recent visit, Bonsai Master Hirotoshi Saito provided the following points which must be present for any bonsai to be regarded as beautiful

 To give the appearance of an old tree shape

1. Good roots (all roots are the same size and at the same level)

2. Apex of the tree must be round

3. The tree must have many twigs

4. All branches must be the same angle

    - Evergreen trees branches slant down

    - Deciduous trees branches slant up

5. Curves on trunks and branches become closer towards top of tree

     and the ends of branches

To give the tree a beautiful shape

 1. Lower part of the trunk must be straight or have a right or left side slant

2. Side branches must be 45 degrees towards front

3. Right movement trees; right branches are the biggest

4. Left movement trees; left branches are the biggest

5. Space between branches smaller towards apex of the tree

6. Trunk and branches smaller towards apex of tree (taper)

7. Position of tree in pot

    - Right movement; left side of pot

    - Left movement; right side of pot

8. Branches always divide into two

9. Trunk curves all round

10. Side branches are long, front and back branches are short

11. Bonsai always move left or right. On a formal upright tree the biggest branch (usually  bottom branch) determines left or right movement.

12. Short and fat tree has low branches while a tall tree does not need low branches

13.  All shoots, dead twigs etc must be cleaned from forks of branches

14. All branches have the same volume of leaves

15. All branches must have some curves i.e. must not be straight

16.  In twin, multiple, group, raft etc plantings all trunks must have the same curves

17.  Group plantings do not have branches on lower third of trunks.

 More from the Photograph Album

 Bob, Steve and Diana

 Intense concentration

 Gwen, Adrian, Nancy and Beth

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