Forget "Going By The Book" - Do What You Like

There are tons of books about bonsais and bonsai styles.

Plenty of resources to help guide you when creating and styling.

Most of them are nice, fun and informative.  Usually, they’re pretty beautiful too.

These resources exist to help guide you.  They are your guidelines for inspiration based on what is globally accepted as “pretty” with regard to a bonsai tree.

But don’t treat any resource as a rulebook.

Remember, these are guidelines that can help you find some inspiration. 

If you can picture something beautiful in your mind, just focus on creating that.  If it ends up being a formal upright, or informal upright, or cascade, that’s fine.  Whatever your tree comes out looking like, if it has an official name, is irrelevant.

The only thing that matters is if you like it.  If it makes you happy.  If looking at it makes you smile.

If you think it’s pretty.

That’s it.

For most of us, this isn’t a competition.  Keeping bonsai trees is a way to brighten our days and to add some extra beauty into our lives.  The only style guide and opinion that matters is your own.

Don’t go by the book.  Just do what you like.