This post is not for any of you bonsai purists out there, you'd only be disappointed I'm afraid.
I've always enjoyed looking at bonsai. Even killed 2 of them in my younger years. [They were the juniper types. The care instructions never mentioned that they needed a cold winter rest ... so they didn't get one and croaked.]
This is my faux bonsai.
http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid.../3830.imgcache
Why "faux"? Well I've never trimmed its roots or its branches [other than dead ones] & I've had this ficus for over 5 years now. A purist will tell you that under my circumstances, this is a dwarfed tree, NOT a true bonsai. In addition, I've never taken any active role in shaping it. The "wind-swept" look was achieved passively ... I've always just kept the same side of the pot facing the window. I freely admit, it's not as eye catching as a real bonsai -- definitely would look better with a thicker trunk and some shaping. But it has been ever so easy to care for ... minimal maintainence.