LITTLE BOOK OF BONSAI

Bonsai is the Japanese art of caring for trees and these miniature trees represent the next level of plant parenthood. When given the right care they can be rewarding to grow and here is a marvellous directory of over 50 popular varieties with beautiful photography capturing the unique character of every plant. Organised by outdoor and indoor, there is a Japanese white pine, Abbott's pygmy Canadian hemlock, a dwarf birch, or Alberta spruce, Little John Hinoki Cyprus, a bearberry cotoneaster with small white blooms in spring followed by berries in late summer that turn dark red in winter and colourful leaves in the autumn, it can be trained for cascading styles. Even the European olive, the willow leaf fig and the Bougainvillea with its pink tissue-papery bracts in hues of pink and scarlet we are familiar with on the sunny walls of Mediterranean homes can be bonsaied, and pruned heavily. Place in full sun, regulate soil moisture, keep between 7°C and 38°C in a well ventilated area and use a soil mix of 70% organic matter sifting out any fine particles and 30% grit and watch for aphids or white fly. With expert advice on general care, tips on pruning and styling. 144pp in a beautifully designed publication complete with glossary and list of suppliers and laid out almost like a recipe book. 100 colour illus.