Workshops
Workshops
Study bonsai
Hone your skills and practice bonsai with us at TreeMakers. All classes and workshops are run by bonsai professional Hugh Grant at the TreeMakers garden and school in the Blue Mountains, NSW.
TreeMakers is designed to be a place to practice and study bonsai on an ongoing basis. Think of us similarly as a gym, a place to increase your skills and develop your trees. We encourage students of all skills levels and experience to attend our educational offerings. Our study experiences focus on following the seasons and advancing your trees through their various stages of development.
See below for upcoming workshop offerings and dates
OPEN STUDY WORKSHOPS
These frequently occurring workshops offer the students the space, time, and resources to study and practice bonsai with professional mentorship. Open Study Workshops align with bonsai techniques that are appropriate for both the given season and species you choose to work with. You will be guided to respond to your tree’s stage of development and adjust your techniques and approach according to the tree’s progress over time.
Apart from a short introductory lecture at the beggining of the day our workshops are hands-on with much of the time spent responding to your trees. Our aim is to deliver you the ability to study bonsai with seasonally-specific techniques, design, and horticultural applications to help you elevate your bonsai and your experience.
Details
Open Study workshops give you the capacity to study as frequently as you like. Bring a tree in to to be developed or refined. Each class offers you suggestions of techniques covered and what types of species to work with.
Class size
Classes are small and capped at 3 students each. This is to maximise the quality of teaching and delivery of technique.
Workshop duration
10am - 5pm
Most workshops are run over a weekend*. You can choose to study for 1 or 2 days. To attend for a whole weekend simply book and add to cart each day option in a singular weekend.
* some workshops may be offered as a 2 day length only.
Trees
Bring your own trees to work with and gain training on, OR
Work on provided seasonal and skill specific trees from our garden.
Catering
Refreshments are provided, and lunch if opted into*
Tools
We provide many of the tools required for technical work such as carving tools, raffia, repotting tools etc. We simply require each student to provide there own basic tool set including wire, which can be purchased while on site here at TreeMakers. Some workshops may specify unique tool requirements.
Cost
$200 per day
*Optionally catered lunches are $25 per day
Want a more tailored experience?
Our One-on-one study experiences may be for you
Learn More US
SEASON OF 2024/25 OPEN STUDY WORKSHOP DATES
December Workshop - Dec 21 2024
Growth management, development, deadwood creation
Conifers, Broadleaf evergreens
February Workshop - Feb 1 & 2 2025
Growth management, development
Conifers, Broadleaf Evergreen, Broadleaf Deciduous
March Workshop - Mar 1 & 2 2025
Design, refinement, development
Conifers, Broadleaf Evergreen
April Workshop - Apr 5 & 6 2025
Design, refinement, development
Conifers, Broadleaf Evergreen
May Workshop - May 3 & 4 2025
Design, refinement, development
Conifers, Broadleaf Evergreen
June Workshop - June 21 & 22, 2025
Design, refinement, development, end of season cut back
Conifers, Broadleaf Evergreen, Broadleaf deciduous
Contact us if you need assistance choosing a workshop that is suitable for you and your scope of work.
Need help understanding what species will be best worked during each workshop? We categorise different tree types into genres. To lean more visit our tree genres page.
