Join Us

Our meetings generally occur on the third Sunday of each month from 1 – 5 pm, with locations alternating between Lincoln and Omaha. These typically begin with a seminar or demonstration and conclude with a Study Group. Our Study Group sessions offer members an informal hands-on approach to learning and practicing bonsai. Each session begins with a group critique on at least one tree, which has proven to be an excellent learning opportunity for all experience levels. Additionally, there are mentors available at every meeting to provide guidance on member trees.

For the beginner/novice level, we offer a low cost workshop each year, which provides students with a tree, pot and soil as well as hands-on instruction year round on how to properly care for and maintain the tree. Our novice bonsai class meets three times during the growing season and is highly recommended for new members at the beginner-intermediate level. This class covers the basic steps necessary to develop an attractive bonsai from nursery stock, but also how to keep a bonsai alive and healthy.

Our showcase event is our Fall Exhibit in conjunction with the Japanese Ambience Festival at Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha, which provides members the opportunity to display their bonsai in a public forum.

Every year there are a number of events to fully capture opportunities for bonsai in the Midwest. The club regularly hosts a trip to the Midamerica Bonsai Society show in Chicago as well as trips to nearby vendors and distributors. We also try to plan a annual collecting adventure that has provided members with some remarkable bonsai material.

In addition to our monthly meetings, we offer members at least two (material available) workshop opportunities each year and host at least one reputed bonsai artist for a weekend in Nebraska, which usually involves a demonstration, lecture and workshop.