Alakananda writes a two part post *with pictures* on Bonsai - “the art of aesthetic miniaturization of trees”

“Our ancient physicians tried growing hard to come by plants/trees in their own homes in pots as vamana vrikshas or miniature trees. There are also those that believe that visiting Buddhist monks who traveled back to China wanted to carry the sacred banyan and peepal trees with them and did so in small pots.”

and she answers some of our doubts enroute,

So, let me assure anybody who reads this that bonsai is not cruel to plants, so please don’t have any guilty feelings associated with it. As for it being an aberration, an act against nature, did you know that Nature herself makes bonsais quite often? Ever seen banyans and peepals growing out of cracks in walls, wells and on rocks? They are all bonsais too.

You can read the posts here and here