Cascade – Kengai :
This style is modeled after trees that grow over water or down the side of a mountain. Hiding within the crevices of the mountain side allow for many pad layers to develop as the tree keeps growing and reaching for space and light. This is one style that is overly used when trying to style a tree, when in doubt people try to make it into a cascade, but the opposite should be taught. In Japan and around the world high quality Cascading trees are very rare, as it is very hard to create an attractive balanced composition with a tree that moves out, away, and downward from the pot.
-Advantages of cascade style include images of art that are very beautiful. We love to see a flowing image with movement that seems it came right off the side of the mountain into a bonsai pot. It allows us to incorporate the idea of a harsh landscape, a struggle to survive, and power to hold to its position. Cascade style allows us to open our imagination and pull fun interesting characteristics from the materiel.
-Disadvantage of kengai is that it can look very sloppy. We want downward facing branching with upward facing foliage. The idea of creating pads is very important but it must be balanced with the composition. Keeping rules of slanting and windswept in mind, we want implied line in cascading trees, pick a side of the pot to create the image.
Japanese White Pine
Black Pine
Ponderosa Pine
Juniper
Spruce
Ficus
Olive
Conifers
Star Jasmine
Wisteria
Oak Tree
