I am a beginner to this arena and am looking for the best starter plant. I have an azalea that was suffering in my back yard when I moved in to the house. It has a good interesting shape and I think with TLC it will return to vigor. Would someone make a recommendation for the best starter plant beyond this azalea?
Thanks!
Beginning - Suffering Azalea the place to start
Slow to medium growing trees or shrubs with small leaves, flowers and fruit. You want a balanced look. Big leaves, flowers and friut not only look out of place, but require more water than the roots can provide. Bonsai are outdoor plants, but usually need filtered sunlight to reduce transpiration rates. Buy plants that you don't mind losing because there will be a loss as you learn the techniques. I like cottoneasters, junipers, small leafed maples, something that is compact. Check your local library for books on bonsai. Books that have lots of color photos so you can get an idea of the bonsai styles and what mature bonsai look like. Sunset Books sells a really nice book.
Thanks for the information and the insight. I'm looking forward to getting started with a healthy plant.
I have tried many different plants and find Privet to be one of the most fail-safe and easy to work with.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/40007/