Bonsai For Beginners

Get an introduction to the fascinating world of Bonsai, and learn how to get started in this ancient living art.

“Bonsai” is a Japanese term which, literally translated, means “planted in a container.” It is the art of cultivating and growing beautiful small trees that actually mimic a large tree, and is a tradition that has been carried out for over a thousand years.

Join Master Gardener Arnie Friedman in this illustrated talk, as he shares with us his personal journey of discovery into the world of bonsai. Surveying the 3000 year history of gardening in miniature, he will talk of  early attempts at creating ancient-looking trees in miniature and how the skills can be developed using modern-day tools and resources. 

He will talk of key terms and concepts, show you how to get started, as well as cover the basics of the care, cultivation and maintenance of bonsai trees. This will include plant and pot selection, pruning and shaping, stages of development and required tools.

Arnie is a landscape designer certified by the New York Botanical Garden in Landscape and Garden Design and Horticultural Identification. He has his own landscape design business, Landscapes By Design, creating projects large and small all around the North Jersey, Rockland and Westchester area. He is a Rutgers Master Gardener and  currently runs the Master Gardener Speakers Bureau.

Every year Arnie lectures on the history and methods of design to the new Master Garden Class and periodically lectures to various garden clubs and associations in the metropolitan area. Arnie is also an avid traveler who loves to visit historic and specialty gardens around the world. 

He has recently been learning the art of Bonsai and has started his own small fledgling collection.

The program is open to all and no registration is required.