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 this five-class workshop series and produce a styled, blooming chrysanthemum bonsai by November! Classes start on Saturday, May 3, 2025 at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum on the grounds of the U.S. National Arboretum.
This Bonsai Basics is a course for beginners and intermediates, consisting of five classes beginning May 4th and ending November 2nd. 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 class is led by expert staff at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum and is offered in partnership with the Potomac Bonsai Association and the 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 Materials:
Participants in the course will be provided with the following:
Three chrysanthemum plants
Growing containers
One ceramic bonsai container for final display
Aluminum wire for styling (1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm)
Potting mix
Drainage screens
Participants are expected to bring or provide their own:
Box (at least 14 x 24”) to transport materials to and from each class
Pruning scissors - (any scissors will work)
Fertilizer for encouraging growth during the time between classes.
Course Fee: $225 for all 5 classes
COURSE OUTLINE
Lesson 1
Museum’s Lecture and Demonstration Center, National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
Introduction to the course, history of bonsai and bonsai chrysanthemums, introduction to bonsai styles, tour of National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, and course materials.
Lesson 2
Small-Group Instruction in Museum’s Lecture and Demonstration Center, National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
Finalize, design selections, potting, wiring, and pinching to begin initial design.
Lesson 3
Small-Group Instruction in Museum’s Lecture and Demonstration Center, National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
Health check, hard pruning, wiring, and pinching to balance foliage density and encourage flowering.
Lesson 4
Small-Group Instruction in Museum’s Lecture and Demonstration Center, National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
Health check, repotting near-complete bonsai into ceramic bonsai pots, review of care to encourage optimal flowering, and principles of bonsai display.
Lesson 5
Display critiques in the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
Display set-up, viewing and discussing individual displays.
REGISTRATION
At registration, students will select from one of four small groups that meet on different dates and times. With no more than ten students in each, these groups allow for individualized attention from the instructors. All students will meet jointly for the first and last lessons. There is no variation in course content among the groups.
Group schedules are listed below. Students may not switch small groups during the course. If a group is not available when you register, that group is full. There is no waitlist for individual small groups, only the course as a whole.
Group A
Saturday, May 3rd, 1:00PM-4:00PM
Saturday, June 21st, 10:00AM-12:00PM
Saturday, August 2nd, 10:00AM-12:00PM
Saturday, September 27th,10:00AM-12:00PM
Saturday, November 8th, 1:00PM-4:00PM
Group B
Saturday, May 3rd, 1:00PM-4:00PM
Saturday, June 21st, 1:00PM-3:00PM
Saturday, August 2nd, 1:00PM-3:00PM
Saturday, September 27th,1:00PM-3:00PM
Saturday, November 8th, 1:00PM-4:00PM
Group C
Saturday, May 3rd, 1:00PM-4:00PM
Sunday, June 22nd, 10:00AM-12:00PM
Sunday, September 28th, 10:00AM-12:00PM
Sunday, September 28th, 10:00AM-12:00PM
Saturday, November 8th, 1:00PM-4:00PM
Group D
Saturday, May 3rd, 1:00PM-4:00PM
Sunday, June 22nd, 10:00AM-12:00PM
Sunday, September 28th, 1:00PM-3:00PM
Sunday, September 28th, 1:00PM-3:00PM
Saturday, November 8th, 1:00PM-4:00PM