by Joe Byrd, Chairman
Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt

Visitors often ask how we succeed as an all-volunteer non-profit museum. My answer is “through the kindness of our friends.” Let me give you three examples out of the many that support us on an annual basis – one from an individual, one from a single club, and another from an event put on by four clubs to support the Garden.

Don White, a long-time member of the Watsonville Club seen here in the back row wearing a hat, recently contacted me to say he needed to sell some of his prize bonsai as he can no longer care for them. Many of the senior members of the bonsai community face a similar situation, but few have Don’s foresight. He asked for our help to sell some of his collection at our Mammoth Auction & Sale on February 27 & 28, 2016. We picked up over 60 bonsai from Don’s home in Watsonville and will have them available as part of California’s biggest Auction & Sale at the Lake Merritt Garden Center. This event, thanks to the support of folks like Don, is our biggest annual fundraising event that helps provide the money we need to keep the Garden open and thriving throughout the year. For more information on the Mammoth Auction & Sale visit us at https://gsbf-lakemerritt.org/?page_id=1350. Continue reading →

One of my first teachers, John Boyce, a founding member of the Bonsai Society of San Francisco in 1960, approaches bonsai from a seemingly unique direction. Incorporating elements of minimalism, Japanese Literati aesthetics and one other strong influence… John has always had a strong preference for bunjin trees – and he likes his bunjin on the sparse end of the spectrum. His trees have a delicate feeling but are simultaneously rugged and aged. John has been making bonsai since he was 28 years old and he’s now in his 80’s. Continue reading →

All things have a starting point. And, all schools have their first day of class. So it was for the Bonsai School of Lake Merritt. Joe Byrd, Chair of the Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt, welcomed the six first students to opening day one of the new Bonsai School of Lake Merritt with a slide presentation. One key to success will be having the clear Mission Statement for the Golden State Bonsai Federation (GSBF) northern collection — The mission of the Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt is to provide education, inspiration, and enjoyment of bonsai to novice visitors and bonsai enthusiasts within a museum of bonsai masterpieces. (more…)

The Mammoth was not only the biggest land mammal, it is also the biggest Auction & Sale of bonsai trees and pots around.The Mammoth is at the Lakeside Garden Center at Lake Merritt in Oakland on February 21 and 22. The Auction will feature 106 items bonsai, pots, and suiseki stones. The Sale will have more pots and trees than we have had in years thanks, in part, to the generous donations of Lonnie McCormick.
Continue reading →

My first year managing the Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt is coming to close and, in this holiday season, I have so much to be thankful for. The many volunteers who make the Garden possible have accepted me as one of their family and seem to welcome the changes I have brought to the Garden. Our Garden is continuing to evolve as the center for Bonsai display and education in the Bay Area thanks to the support of all of you.

Continue reading →

By John and Marsha Mekisich

The morning of Saturday November 25^{th in} Hayward, Ca. started out clear and cool. The time had come at last after several months of planning to move a beautiful 100 year old Blue Atlas Cedar from Grove Way Bonsai Nursery to its new home at the Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt.

The tree started out as a Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica) grafted to Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) root stock planted in a 15 gallon nursery container. Years later it was removed from the nursery container, planted in the ground and allowed to develop for an additional 35 years. Taken up and potted again in 1989, the tree had by then grown into a majestic specimen. Continue reading →