Shape your own flowering bonsai in a single growing season.

The horticultural perfection of a bonsai does not have to take decades to accomplish. The chrysanthemum can be artfully shaped into a bonsai within one growing season. Register for a series of five chrysanthemum bonsai classes, beginning on World Bonsai Day, Saturday, May 13th, 2023, and produce a styled, blooming chrysanthemum bonsai by November.

This Bonsai Basics is a course for beginners and intermediates, consisting of five classes beginning May 13 and ending November 4. A maximum of 40 students will meet all together for the first and last class for lectures and demonstrations. In between, students attend three, two-hour classes in small groups of 10 for more intensive teaching by curatorial staff of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum.

Participants will learn the basics of watering, wiring, pinching, pruning, potting, and displaying chrysanthemum bonsai. While these principles also apply to bonsai that are traditional woody tree species, using the chrysanthemum allows students to see the results of their pruning, wiring, and other work, within only a few months instead of after years of training. When cared for correctly, these “gnome” species of chrysanthemums, bred for their small flower and leaf size, will bloom heavily in the fall, providing students with an opportunity to present their personally designed,flowering bonsai in an all-group display. This course is offered in partnership with Potomac Bonsai Association and Old Dominion Chrysanthemum Society.

Program Prerequisite Requirements:
Participants must be 12 years of age or older and have access to an outdoor growing area with a minimum of 6 hours of direct sun per day.

Course Fee: $150 for all 5 classes

For more details on course materials, schedule and how to register, click here.