The best way to sustain a Bonsai Garden is to have a strong team of dedicated and educated volunteers who care for the bonsai on a regular basis. To achieve this goal the Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt is creating the Bonsai School at Lake Merritt. Initial funding was approved by the Golden State Bonsai Federation (GSBF) at its recent Board of Trustees meeting.

The goals of the School are threefold: 1) train students to develop and manage large public and private collections of bonsai such as the GSBF collections at Lake Merritt and Huntington; 2) raise the level of bonsai knowledge throughout the bonsai community; and 3) provide an advanced level of bonsai education for serious bonsai students.

The School will commence in January 2015 with five or six students chosen from among the applicants who present the best qualifications. The School is seeking applicants who have demonstrated an interest in bonsai education, a dedication to improving the bonsai community and the temperament to be good bonsai students, teachers and role models. Continue reading →