"Bonsai is a tree or plant cultured in a container and is therefore small in size, but yet in its entirety expresses the beauty and volume of a tree grown in a natural environment." - The Masters' Book of Bonsai, compiled by Directors of The Japan Bonsai Association 1967 (Nobukichi Koide, Saburo Kato and Fusazo Takeyama) Pretty much been the bible for enthusiasts ever since. "The difference between bonsai and ordinary potted plants is that the latter are usually plant species in which the flowers or leaves are the focus of appreciation, while with the former, the beauty of the entire tree and its harmony with the container in which it is planted is the matter of esthetic concern." "Bonsai, in other words, is an ATTEMPT to artificially perfect natural tree forms in miniature."