About Us
My first experience of a Bonsai tree was with a neighbor. He was keeping a Weeping Willow Bonsai tree: what left me completely dumbfounded wasn’t the beauty of the tree, but how he was able to keep the tree short within such a small confined space and how he managed to keep the tree branches droopy. Ever since then, I would go to his house every day to ask questions, just to satisfy my curiosity about the tree. But unfortunately, he moved with his family to Cyprus, and couldn’t complete my Bonsai training with him.
Nonetheless, I remained unflinching with my determination to find answers to numerous unanswered questions disturbing my mind; so I started making some research about the Weeping Willow and other Bonsai species. Although, as at that time, people around the world are fully aware of Bonsai tradition, only a few people in my area were actively involved in the practice, hence I had a problem getting the needed Bonsai tool, so I couldn’t put what I’ve learned into practice.
My journey as a professional Bonsai Gardner started in 2001: 2 years after I graduated from college with a degree in international relations. Before I became a professional Gardner, I and my friend Clyburn who is now an indispensable member of my Bonsai team had already amassed vast knowledge and experience about the Bonsai tradition while keeping different Bonsai tree species as a hobby during our college days. It was during that period that I was able to properly utilize the little training I acquired from my neighbor as well as the comprehensive research I made about the practice.
When I officially started professionally in 2001, we started with 5 different species, the Weeping willow Bonsai, (for obvious reason), Bald cypress bonsai, Crepe myrtle Bonsai, Calamondi Bonsai, and the Money tree Bonsai. Although many other growers suggested that I start with the Japanese maple and the Fiscus Bonsai (two of the easiest Bonsai species to grow) but I turned them down because I chose not to go along with the usual norm as I want something more challenging and complete out of ordinary. Plus these trees each have unique traits and symbolism that make them stand out from other species.
Year on year, in my garden, as we exploit and make meaningful progress with each Bonsai species, whether recommended or discovered, we made sure every progress made at the growth stage of each species is properly documented. We do this to make it easier for us to keep track of whether there will be any deviation in the established pattern of growth in the future, of a particular tree species, so that appropriate adjustments can be made promptly.
However, as time goes on, we felt documenting for personal use is pure selfishness; and as a result, we decided to create an online interactive platform where people from all walks of life, regardless of their country can easily access simplified, accurate and latest information on how best to grow Bonsai tree (almost all the species), best Bonsai tool, clarification on myth and facts about Bonsai, as well as the benefits associated with keeping a Bonsai tree. And that prompted the basis for the conceptualization and ultimately, the birth of this website — Bonsai-express.com.
What we aim to achieve
Our goal is to create a web of information where different people regardless of their geographical location or experience can feel connected with people of similar interests.
- Simplify every Bonsai terminology, so that it will become relatively easy for inexperienced Bonsai growers to properly understand every keyword used in the content.
- Create an interactive section where visitors can ask and have an almost immediate answer to any questions they have about Bonsai practice or any challenges they encounter during the process.
- Provide as much useful information as possible about every Bonsai tree species there is, to accommodate the diverse Bonsai species choices of the teeming visitors of our website.
To be the topmost go-to website for Bonsai growers seeking information of any kind about the care, history, description, types of any Bonsai tree as well as related topics.
Simplify every step involved in Bonsai tree cultivation so that even a grower with little or no knowledge about the tradition will be able to practicalize the process without any help from an expert.
This platform is built on the tenet of 3 principal core values — Passion, Growth, and Love.
If you read what I wrote about how I fell in love with the art of Bonsai and how as a little boy, I was able to build on the unfledged skill I acquired from my first teacher, you would know I wouldn’t be what I am today (Bonsai expert) if not for my passion for the art. My passion kept me going!
For a Bonsai grower to be successful, the passion for the art must be there: while some Bonsai trees may be easy and fast growers, some are difficult and very slow, this kind of trees will test your patience and if you don’t have passion for it, you might give up. And that is why passion is one of our values.
The information provided on these websites has thoroughly researched contents aimed to help both young inexperienced and experienced adult Bonsai growers to grow. We believe that by helping one another to grow, we will be promoting the Bonsai tradition and consequently enhancing the popularity of the culture worldwide.
This is why the interactive section where any questions about Bonsai tradition can be asked was established. On this platform, various Bonsai experts can from around the world exchange ideas for the betterment and growth of the industry at large.
Why choose us
No matter how much we try and encourage coherence between Bonsai growers, there will always be divergent opinions because we don’t have equal access to information. And that is why we have a team dedicated to the onerous task of fact-finding. The daily obligatory duty of this 9 member team is to help sieve information received to be able to distinguish what is fact from what is not so as not to mislead our readers.
