Living Art Bonsai Society

Address

Huntsville, AL

Quick contact

LivingArt.HSV@gmail.com

Living Art Bonsai Society
Volunteers at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens

Being part of the community, our club members volunteer to help get the bonsai and train area back in shape or keep in good standings. Come to the gardens and enjoy.

Useful Links:

Living Art Bonsai Society FACEBOOK Page

Huntsville Botanical Garden

Nashville Bonsai Society

Brian Van Fleet

Alabama Bonsai Society

The North Carolina Arboretum

Atlanta Bonsai Society

Bonsai Nurseries

Bennett Nurseries

Brussel’s Bonsai Nursery

Catbird Seat Garden Center & Landscape Nursery

Wigert’s Bonsai Nursery

Stone Lantern

Myrick’s Bonsai Pottery

find out more

A Message from Our President Tim Doran

President’s Message – March 2026

Happy April, everyone!

Spring is in full swing, and with it comes one of our busiest and most exciting times of the year. By now, most of us should be finishing up our reporting—or at least getting close—and I appreciate everyone’s continued energy and involvement as we move into show season.

Our big event, the LABS Bonsai Show, is quickly approaching on May 16–17, and enthusiasm is already building. The recent Jennifer Price workshop was a tremendous success, with overwhelmingly positive feedback from those who attended. We’re already working to bring her back next year, which is a testament to the value she brings to our community.

This month, Dennis Coad will be sharing his expertise on fertilizing bonsai—a timely topic as our trees wake up and begin their spring growth. We’re also extending invitations to our friends in Nashville, Birmingham, and possibly Chattanooga, and hope to welcome members from those clubs to our upcoming events.

I’m also excited to share the award categories planned for this year’s show. In addition to our traditional People’s Choice Award, we will have:

A Peer Award, voted on by exhibitors,
A Novice Category, to encourage and recognize emerging artists, and
A Professionally Judged Category, evaluated by the outstanding team of Jim MacClean and John Walker.

We’re honored to have Jim and John join us, and we look forward to the insight and expertise they will bring to our show.

Thank you all for your continued support, enthusiasm, and dedication to our club. I can’t wait to see what this season brings and to celebrate another successful year together.

See you soon,
Tim Doran
President, LABS

18 Apr 26
LABS Meeting

Monthly Meeting

Times 1:00pm to 4:00pm Varies

Discuss Coordination about the up coming Shows
Presentation on Fertilization by Dennis Coad
Work on trees

Location: Huntsville Botanical Garden

4747 Bob Wallace Avenue, Huntsville, AL 35805

Here are directions to the meeting room called Volunteer Classroom:

The Linda J. Smith Building is located to the right of the Guest Center. Drive straight to the Guest Center, take your first right in the traffic circle, and park in the parking lot (Dogwood Lot on the map) at the top of the hill. Go to the red brick building with the wooden ramp in front of it next to the pavilion. When you walk up the ramp, the volunteer classroom is the door on the right.

Current Trees that you may find in our collections

BOXWOOD

Boxwood (Buxus) are very robust and can grow even on barren ground, in fu ll sun or shade. As boxwoods tolerate constant trimming very well and can bud from old wood, they are very well suited for bonsai.

CYPRESS

One of the best bonsai trees for beginners is the Bald Cypress, or Taxodium distichum. A member of the Redwood family, Taxodiaceae, it is a primary tree species & can reach heights of 100-120′ with a trunk diameter typically between 3-5′.

AZALEA

Azaleas can be trained for either flowers or bonsai but not really for both. Azaleas trained primarily for flowers usually have a shrubby appearance – Azaleas bloom in various colors and are an ideal species for bonsai.

ELM

The Chinese elm is a very popular choice of Bonsai for beginners, as it is a strong tree that reacts well to pruning and can be kept outdoors as well as indoors. The fine ramification, tiny leaves and beautiful bark are characteristics most loved for this tree species.