Can you provide more information? What tree species are these? And what is your location?

If these are hardy trees they cannot be successfully grown inside your house. They need to be outdoors. If you have cold winters you might need them to be in a cool space like a garage in winter so the soil in the pot doesn't freeze.

You can grow trees in pots for some years without the extreme techniques of bonsai. You will need to make sure they are kept watered, feed them occasionally and pot them up as the root ball grows. At that point you can trim the roots and freshen the soil.

I am in Mediterranean climate, I started some native species and some tropicals from seed and cuttings. I am comfortable keeping them alive, feeding, repotting, etc. What I am after is some theory on aesthetics of potted / indoor plants.

BTW, I also asked ChatGPT and Calude the very same question and had some sensible conversations as a result. Both AIs pointed me to the Japanese art of Niwaki and to the concept of wabi-sabi. The only problem is that ChatGPT recommended one book that has not been written yet! It is well-known problem that AI chatbots are prone to 'hallucinations', despite _looking_ sensible, the content might be quite wrong.

I post an excerpt from my chats below, can someone have a look and say if that makes sense?

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ChatGPT: While bonsai offers valuable techniques for shaping and controlling growth, other principles from various gardening arts and tree-care traditions can also help achieve the natural, interesting look you’re after. Here are a few alternative methods and ideas beyond bonsai that may resonate with your vision:

[snip]

**Natural Aesthetic (Wabi-Sabi)**

- **Wabi-sabi** is a Japanese aesthetic that embraces imperfection, transience, and the beauty of natural, weathered forms. Instead of forcing the tree to look perfect, this philosophy encourages accepting and enhancing the irregularities in its growth, such as a leaning trunk, a twisted branch, or a rough texture.

- This could translate to allowing certain natural flaws (like bends or scars) to become focal points rather than correcting them. You might emphasize the tree’s individual character rather than aiming for a symmetrical or overly controlled form.

**Cultural Tree Forms**

- **Niwaki (Japanese Garden Trees)**: Unlike bonsai, Niwaki trees are larger and more sculptural, often used in Japanese gardens. These trees are pruned to look more natural yet stylized. You can use Niwaki techniques to achieve the sense of “wildness” while still directing the tree’s shape and scale.

- **Exposed root styles**: Some trees in natural environments show their roots due to erosion. You can create this effect in your potted trees by raising some of the roots above soil level. This gives the tree a more rugged, weathered look while maintaining its health. This concept is seen in both bonsai and Niwaki but could be adapted to your larger trees.

Me: Tell me more about Wabi-sabi

ChatGPT: Wabi-sabi is a Japanese aesthetic philosophy that emphasizes the beauty found in imperfection, transience, and the natural cycle of growth and decay. It’s rooted in Zen Buddhism and reflects the idea that nothing lasts, nothing is perfect, and nothing is finished. This philosophy contrasts with Western ideals of perfection and symmetry, encouraging an appreciation for simplicity, humility, and the beauty of nature as it is.

Here’s how **wabi-sabi** might apply to your trees and gardening:

[snip]

1. **Accepting Asymmetry and Flaws**:

- Don’t aim for perfect balance in your tree’s shape. For example, if one side grows more vigorously than the other, let it happen and appreciate how that asymmetry adds a dynamic, natural look. Crooked branches or uneven leaf growth can become focal points rather than being seen as problems to fix.

2. **Age and Weathering**:

- Allow your trees to age naturally, with some weathering over time. Wabi-sabi finds beauty in the changes brought by time, so as your trees grow taller and develop natural scars or rough patches, see these as part of their evolving story. You might highlight these features in the tree’s presentation rather than trying to maintain an eternal youthfulness.

3. **Simple Forms and Subtle Changes**:

- Instead of elaborate wiring or dramatic pruning, opt for subtle shaping that enhances what the tree naturally wants to do. Let branches grow freely to a certain extent, making only gentle adjustments to guide the overall form. This way, the tree still feels wild and alive, with its natural beauty preserved.

4. **Respect for Nature’s Course**:

- Wabi-sabi encourages working with nature’s flow, not against it. If a tree grows in a way that surprises you—perhaps a branch bends lower than expected or a trunk develops a twist—don’t rush to correct it. Instead, consider how that natural evolution adds uniqueness and beauty to the tree.

Personally I dislike niwaki and artificial training/restraining techniques. I prefer my trees natural. I think you're making this far more complicated than it needs to be. You can grow attractive trees in containers with minimal intervention. I don't go in for 'correcting' healthy plants unless there's a branch growing in a particularly awkward or impractical way.

Perhaps you can post some pictures of your seedlings so we know what you're dealing with.

The art and sciences associated with bonsai are designed to allow the tree's caregiver to create something both evocative and natural in appearance. None of the techniques used by bonsai practitioners should be seen as incompatible with not only trees, but many other more herbaceous plants grown in containers. How far one wishes to go insofar as exploring how the vast body of knowledge and techniques utilized by bonsai practitioners can be applied to trees and other plants grown in containers is up to the individual. One thing I would say though, is that it's difficult to imagine anyone ever being sorry for making the effort to learn something that increases the level of reward relative to the amount of effort expended.

A hobby grower can often create interesting looking containerized trees with only an understanding of the pruning basics and utilization of some directional pruning, often referred to as the 'clip-and-grow' method. The main hurdle using that method is, it requires a good working knowledge of not only the pruning techniques, but the tree's natural growth habit as well as the ability to envision what you are working toward in terms as the tree's appearance.

I don't have many formal upright trees (straight trunks). I find trees with lots of trunk movement (sinuous) to be more interesting. This means I might sort through 2 dozen or more nursery plants looking for a plant with an interesting trunkline and attractive surface roots; or, I very often start trees from seeds and cuttings, then wire and bend the trunk so branches are on the outside of trunk curves. "As the twig is bent, so grows the tree."

If you provide some images, I'm sure I can easily help you add some form variation and eye appeal potential to your seedlings. Depending on what species the trees are, I might even have other tips that will help you avoid the most common pitfalls.

Al

Al, thank you for your reply.

"I find trees with lots of trunk movement (sinuous) to be more interesting.

...
The main hurdle using ['clip-and-grow' method] is, it requires ... the ability to envision what you are working toward in terms as the tree's appearance."

Can you recommend any books or resources that talk about this?

Al, thank you very much! I shall take some time to get the books and contemplate.