Bonsai

I styled my first bonsai (a Ficus Natasja) in 1989. It accompanied me through my undergraduate studies in biology, living on a number of different dorm windowsills. It later moved to London with me while I worked as an editor in science publishing. I was fascinated by indoor bonsai and tropical species mostly because I didn't have a garden for many years. I eventually had access to a roof garden and some the oldest trees I own were bought (or started from cuttings I "found") during the 1990s.

I live in the suburbs of Birmingham, UK and have a lot of trees and shrubs that I train (roots and shoots) regularly, most live in the ground or containers rather than bonsai pots because I'm keen to build up chunky, old-looking trunks and primary branches. I specialised in plant genetics and cell-culturing at university and I've spent more than 30 years learning how different species grow and respond to training. By sharing my experiences, I hope to encourage others to engage with bonsai.