Bonsai is a horticultural art.
Woody plants are grown in shallow containers, styled to resemble scale-models of the mature plant in nature. Bonsai need sunlight, air movement, water, nutrients and a substrate in which to grow. That’s the horticultural element, and it’s the same as any other form of gardening. The artistic element is a little more challenging but can be learned by anyone. It involves styling, training and pruning the tree to the shape you want and then matching it to a complementary container to create the desired overall effect – drama, strength, grace, elegance or whimsy. Any woody plant is potentially suitable bonsai material, but small-leaved varieties with interesting bark generally produce the best results in the shortest time.