Hours:

Foster Tree Program

Curator Kathy Shaner, began a program in 2006 called Fostering Bonsai.   Volunteers who are experienced in bonsai maintenance may select a bonsai to foster, approved by Kathy.  The foster parent performs general maintenance, sometimes monthly, during the growing season. 

Under Kathy’s direct or indirect supervision, foster parents will also participate in pruning, wiring, restyling and repotting.  All experienced bonsai volunteers and docents are welcome to apply to foster a bonsai tree at the garden.  Contact the garden at (510) 763-8409 if you want to begin the process.  To view a list of trees already under foster care download the following file: [DOWNLOAD]

The following people have general responsibility for these groups of bonsai and are the go-to people when Kathy is not present:

1. Junipers: Gary Tom and Janice Dilbeck are responsible for collected junipers

2. Fruiting and Flowering Bonsai: John Boyce

3. Other Deciduous Trees: Frances Noles

4. Satsuki Azaleas: Darren Wong and Yvonne Batcheller

5. Pines: Laurie Feetham

Sponsoring A Tree

Each of our bonsai requires hours of maintenance, pounds of wire, quarts of quality soil, fertilizer and pots.  All these elements add up to many hours and dollars to care for every tree. 

We are very excited about our newest program:  sponsoring a bonsai.  Sponsors will pay for the maintenance of a specific tree for an entire repotting cycle of three years. This is an opportunity for you or a group or your club to support a tree of your choice over a 3-year period.  Sponsorship fees will vary with the size of the tree but are anticipated to be in the range of $200-1000 per year.

There are more than 200 trees from which you may choose, so start planning now.  At your next club meeting, ask the members which of the Garden’s trees they might like to sponsor.  Or consider an individual sponsorship.  When you’ve made a decision, contact Andrea Burhoe.  Sponsors will be acknowledged in our handout.  And of course, individual contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
 

Anyone with horticultural experience, a home gardener for instance, can help the Garden tremendously by volunteering to: 

1. Weed, weed, weed

2. Remove dead flowers from landscape plants

3. Rake fallen leaves in the fall

4. Helping to install new designs for the landscape

This is a small list of ways to help out.  If you think you can help, contact the garden at (510) 763-8409 to begin the process.

Garden Pruning

The Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt is a garden with many landscape plants which need tending.  Those with garden experience are invited to help maintain the landscape plants: prune the trees and shrubs in appropriate season, remove dead flowers and other unromantic but quite satisfying tasks. 

Contact the Garden at 510-763-8409 for more details.