The Officers and Board of Directors of Puget Sound Bonsai Association are proud to present the Club’s new logo. The creation of the logo, designed by club member Thaison Kawal in collaboration with past president Tony Fajarillo and current vice president David De Groot, has been a five year process which began with club member logo design submissions that led to the selection of Thaison as the designer of choice by the board.

Coming Up:

Our remaining events lineup for 2025:

STONE IMAGES 15 - July 26th through August 3rd -
PSBA Viewing Stone Show at Bellevue Botanical Gardens

PSBA SUMMER PICNIC and Swap Meet - August 3rd, 11AM - 3PM at Haller Lake Community Center. PLEASE RSVP
NO GENERAL MEETINGS in May, June, July, or August…
September 22nd - 7PM at CUH, General Meeting - Bring Your Own Tree - study group style meeting (no Technical Skills program before this meeting)
October 20th - 5:30PM at CUH, Technical Series program
October 20th - 7PM at CUH, General Meeting with guest artist Mauro Stemberger
November 24th - 5:30PM at CUH, Technical Series program
November 24th - 7PM at CUH, PSBA Business and General Meeting with guest artist Carmen Leskoviansky

THE PSBA BONSAI TECHNICAL SKILLS SERIES IS HERE!

By member request, PSBA is initiating a series of pre-program presentations dealing with bonsai technical skills and seasonal care.

All presentations will take place inside the CUH Merrill Commons (glassed-in room in CUH courtyard) from 5:30 – 6:30 prior to our general meetings when we have a guest artist.

The pre-program presentations are open to all members without cost or reservation, like our general meetings.

Looking for the PSBA Bonsai Auction?? We’re sorry that you missed it!! We’ll do it again next year, first Saturday in June. We hope to see you then. Thanks to all who made this years event an overwhelming success!!

July 26th - August 3rd - Stone Images XV

PSBA’s Viewing Stone Interest Group will be putting on Stone Images XV at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens from July 26th through August 3rd. Docents are needed for each day. Setup will be Friday July 25th, and take down will be on Monday August 4th. Email request for more information.

August 3rd - PSBA Member Picnic and Swap Meet

at Haller Lake Community Club on 12579 Densmore Avenue North in Seattle 98113. Bring your excess bonsai wares to trade or sell. The club will provide pizza, salad, and drinks. Please feel free to bring a side dish or dessert (optional). This event is for PSBA club members and their families. Please RSVP here.

September 22nd - Bring-Your-Own-Tree Study Group Style Meeting at CUH, 7:00PM

Our September BYOT meeting will not be a workshop – it will be more of a “Show and Tell” at which learning is assured!

In preparation for our Winter Silhouette Show, Our September program will be in a modified “Bring Your Own Tree” format, focused on display. The first part of the program will be a PowerPoint program on display by David De Groot, followed by examples of trees displayed for an exhibit by Tony Fajarillo, Eric and Victrinia Ridgeway, and Ken Wassum, who will explain their displays.

In the second part of the program, members can view and discuss displays by those club members who wish to bring their trees, stands, companions, etc. All are invited to participate, so don’t miss this one!

If you have a favorite bonsai – along with its display stand and companion plant or stone, you are invited to bring it to our September BYOT meeting. It doesn’t matter whether you are new to bonsai or long experienced, this is a chance to show your tree and tell others about it.

DON’T HESITATE TO BRING YOUR TREE TO OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING – especially if you have not had a chance to show your tree at one of our spring shows, this is for you!

There will not be a Technical Skills presentation before this meeting.

October 20th - 5:30PM at CUH, Technical Series program

October 20th - General Meeting with guest artist Mauro Stemberger at CUH, 7:00PM

Please read our Guest Artist Workshop Suggestions before registering for any guest artist workshops. Register by contacting Lynn at psba.workshops@gmail.com

November 24th - General Meeting with guest artist Carmen Leskoviansky at CUH, 7:00PM

Please read our Guest Artist Workshop Suggestions before registering for any guest artist workshops. Register by contacting Lynn at psba.workshops@gmail.com

Check out the new photo gallery of our Spring Show 2025

Many thanks to two PSBA presidents of the past!!

Check out our new photo gallery “Spring Show 2024”,
photos by Aki Yamakawa

and … our new photo gallery “Spring Show 2025”, photos by the PSBA website group.

Volunteers at our 2025 Auction held at PBM.

Suggested:

Recommended Read by Ladd Smith

The book is “The Tree Collectors: Tales of Arboreal Obsessions”, by Amy Stewart (who lives in Portland). I could not put it down. One of my people sent me this link below about a zoom presentation with Amy Stewart.

The Tree Collectors: Tales of Arboreal Obsession with Amy Stewart - Northwest Horticultural Society | Northwest Horticultural Society

The really cool part is the book mentions the PBM and the chapter about bonsai is on Enrique Castaño, our PSBA guest artist in November!

Here’s a link to a Seattle Times story about Local Bonsai featuring club members Tony Fajarillo, Bruce Williams, and others.
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/seattles-thriving-bonsai-community-tells-stories-through-tiny-trees/

Check out a New Yorker article on Portland area bonsai artist, Ryan Neil (link to New Yorker Magazine article)

Maria Walton’s interview with Dan Robinson at Elandan Gardens (YouTube)

Video coverage of the Puget Sound Bonsai Association 2021 Public Bonsai Auction (YouTube video by Ben Nguyen)