🌿 My Bonsai Adventure — Chapter 4 : Getting the Plants

Around the same time as preparing the soil and pots, I also began collecting the plants that would become part of my bonsai journey. Choosing the trees felt just as important as choosing the soil, because each species brings its own character, challenges, and learning curve.

I didn’t want just one tree. I wanted variety — different leaf types, growth habits, and responses to pruning and training. Over time, I gathered the following plants specifically with bonsai in mind:

Golden Maple

The Golden Maple immediately stood out for its delicate foliage and seasonal color changes. Maples are known to be challenging but deeply rewarding as bonsai. This one felt like a long-term project — something that would teach patience, refinement, and respect for seasonal care.

Red Maple

The Red Maple was chosen for similar reasons, but with its own personality. Strong visual impact, beautiful leaf structure, and dramatic color shifts made it an exciting addition. I knew this would require careful attention to pruning, leaf size reduction, and protection from extreme conditions.

Lemon Cypress

The Lemon Cypress brought something completely different to the collection. Its fresh citrus-like scent and upright growth made it appealing, especially for experimenting with formal or informal upright styles. It also felt like a good plant for learning wiring techniques because of its clear structure.

American Pine

Adding an American Pine was a deliberate choice. Pines are classic bonsai trees and require a different mindset altogether — slower development, needle management, and long-term planning. This tree represented discipline and patience more than anything else.

Variegated Juniperus Chinensis

The Variegated Juniperus Chinensis felt like a natural bonsai candidate from the start. Junipers are forgiving, resilient, and excellent for learning styling and wiring. The variegation added extra visual interest and made it a strong candidate for future shaping and experimentation.

A Growing Collection, A Growing Responsibility

With these plants added to my space, the journey suddenly felt more real. Each tree had different needs, different growth patterns, and different lessons to offer. This wasn’t about rushing to create perfect bonsai — it was about learning how each plant behaves, how it responds to care, and how time shapes living things.

These trees weren’t bonsai yet.
They were beginnings.

And with the right soil, the right pots, and careful attention, they were now ready to take their first steps toward becoming something much more refined.