Pachyforms 2: Bonsai Succulents (Paperback)
Product Description
This is the second volume of Pachyforms, a series that focuses on the cultivation of sculptural plants characterized by unusually thick or globose bodies. It is also the first book dedicated to the use of succulent plants as bonsai and is illustrated with 500 color photographs, including some of the finest examples of this American form of horticultural art. The second portion of the book is a continuation of the catalog of pachyform plants started in volume I.
About the Author
Philippe de Vosjoli is the author of the category bestseller, Pachyforms, dedicated to the cultivation of caudiciform and pachycaul succulents. Rudy Lime is a renowned pioneer in the field of bonsai succulents and the winner of many awards at cactus and succulent shows. He is a frequent lecturer on the subject, known for expanding the vocabulary related to training succulents as bonsai, and for establishing the categories of style in this new branch of the art of bonsai.
January 13th, 2010 at 4:54 pm
An amazing piece work! This was a phenomenal read, with many spectacular photos to augment the information. It is basic enough to read, but with a lot more detail than a beginner book. As a new convert to pachyforms, I am truly mesmerized. An absolute must have!!
January 13th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
Incredibly, de Vosjoli has done it again. Pachyforms 2 is every bit as good as his first Pachyforms book. The photography alone makes this book invaluable to anyone with an interest in container gardening. Yet this book is also packed with technical information written in a style that is friendly, easily understandable and entertaining. The authors fully cover plant selection, pot selection, potting and staging, training, working with the vining pachyforms, and maintenance. Reading the chapter on the future lets the reader in on the love affair the authors have had with fat plants. They are sensitive to and respectful of traditional bonsai, and indeed coin a term “SMOLA” (Succulents as a Medium of Living Art) to distinguish work with fat plants. Whether you are a pachyform aficionado, a bonsai traditionalist looking to branch out, or just getting started in the wonderful world of container plants, this book is worthy of reading.
January 14th, 2010 at 12:57 am
This is primarily a book of photos. It really opens the door to the possibilities of creating beautiful bonsai-like art. Anyone with an interest in succulent plants or bonsai would do well to get this book.
I was amazed at how many plant families contain suitable plants for training into art works. I also have the author’s previous book on Pachyforms and I’m feverishly growing things so that I can apply some of these principles.