Natural Inspiration

Susan Carr rakes her Japanese Zen garden at her home in Jefferson City. Carr was introduced to Japanese gardens as a child and grows bonsai trees as well.

Susan Carr created this bonsai tree from a Juniper. Carr is a part of the Mid-Missouri Bonsai Society.

Bonsai Styles
There are five main styles for bonsai:

Formal upright: Grown in the open under perfect conditions. The trunk should be perfectly straight, tapering naturally and evenly from base to apex. Branches should be symmetrically spaced and balanced when viewed from any direction.

Informal upright: In nature, such trees bend or alter their direction away from wind or shade, other trees or buildings or towards light. In an informal upright bonsai, the trunk should slightly bend to the right or left, but never towards the viewer.

Slanting: Trees that slant naturally occur as a result of buffeting winds or deep shade during early development. Whether curved or straight, the whole trunk leans at a definite angle. The stronger roots grow out on the side, away from the angle of the trunk lean, to support the weight.

Cascade: The growing tip reaches below the base of a container. The trunk has a natural taper and gives the impression of the forces of nature pulling against the forces of gravity. Branches appear to be seeking the light. The winding main trunk is reminiscent of a stream running down the side of a mountain.

Semi-cascade: The tip projects over the rim of the container, but does not drop below its base. The style occurs in nature when trees grow on cliffs or overhang water. The angle of the trunk is not precise, as long as the effect is strongly horizontal. Any exposed roots should balance the trunk.


You don’t need to be an expert or have any formal training to try your hand at bonsai.
The Mid-Missouri Bonsai Society, which has been in Columbia almost two years, has members with more than 25 years of experience as well as those who have just started working on their first bonsai.
Club president Jerry Antel and member Lee Snyder started the group with about 10 members. Membership has since grown to 26. Members range in age from early 20s to 80s.
“We have a mix of people, which is good,” Antel said.
Although the group has some members who have just started with their first bonsai, beginners are able to receive guidance from Antel, Snyder and some of the more experienced members, said Susan Ferber, the club’s secretary.
Ferber became interested in bonsai in college.
“I remember being taken by how beautiful they were,” said Ferber. “They were so peaceful and calming.”
Twelve years later, Ferber still has a passion for bonsai. She said she had always been interested in Japanese art and culture and finds working with bonsai incredibly relaxing.
Bonsai, which literally means “tree in a pot,” originated in China around 200 A.D., when trees were planted in pots for aesthetic purposes. The art form eventually shifted to Japan where the craft was developed and perfected. The trees were shaped to mimic trees in nature and
give the appearance of age. Many bonsai trees have lived for hundreds of years.
“There’s nothing you do that matches the satisfaction in seeing a tree change from year to year,” Ferber said.
Ferber’s bonsai garden has about 10 trees in addition to 20 or so trees she calls “works in progress.” Her oldest tree is 16 years old, and she has cared for it for the past 12 years.
Club member Kim Beasley said she considers bonsai an expression of art.
“I like that they mimic nature, but you can control it with one small tree in one small pot,” she said.
Beasley, a potter, also makes custom pots for her trees and has been selling her work since 1997. Her handmade work can be found at Orchids and Art on Forum Boulevard.
Beasley has been working with bonsai for nine years and has nearly 120 trees, most of which are in her greenhouse in Rocheport. She tends to her trees daily, making sure they have adequate sunlight and water and getting rid of any dead material.
According to Antel, the Missouri climate is relatively good for bonsai, but it can be done just about anywhere as long as you care for the plants properly.
He suggested using trees such as junipers and pine trees that are acclimated to the Midwest climate.
“It’s best to use native plants, because their chances of surviving are better,” said Antel.
To take up a bonsai hobby, you don’t necessarily need to spend a lot of money, although you can.
Antel said the club recently held a workshop where members were able to purchase a tree and a pot for $30. He said that trees and pots can sometimes cost hundreds of dollars. He also said it’s important to have tools such as horticultural scissors and branch cutters, which range in price depending on quality.
The Mid-Missouri Bonsai Society meets once a month, but members often meet at additional times throughout the month for events such as garden shows and tours of members’ gardens. At the regular meetings, members discuss different topics such as tools and their maintenance, potting and repotting of plants and winter care. Often, members have the chance to bring in trees of their own to work with during demonstrations and are also given the chance show off their works to other members.
—For more information about the Mid-Missouri Bonsai Society, contact Jerry Antel 234-1530 of beadsandbonsai@aol.com