History

The New Zealand Bonsai Association began in 1991, as a proposal to bring the bonsai clubs of New Zealand together to grow and share information and learnings, while at the same time raising the profile of bonsai within NZ. Momentum began to grow with the appointment of a steering committee comprised of representatives from clubs in both the North and South Islands. Over the next few years it developed into an association of clubs, including an annual meeting of club delegates, usually held at a national meeting or convention. 

10 years later, at the 2001 Otago Convention, it was proposed to establish a more formal organisation with a constitution and ultimately to register it as an incorporated society. The NZBA was then formally established at the New Plymouth Convention on 12 October 2002, and the association’s rules were finalised at the AGM in Christchurch the following year, leading to the association becoming an incorporated society on 16 December 2003.

Since its formation, the NZBA has continued to support annual conventions, often with international demonstrators, and produces a quarterly magazine for its members—Bonsai Times, and is always looking for ways to keep New Zealand’s bonsai community in the know about new techniques, learnings, and events from around the world, while also attracting new people who are keen to get involved in learning about bonsai.

Committee

Each member of our NZBA Committee is elected for a three-year term, with two members up for re-election each year.

Meet our current Committee members:

Bonsai Times

Bonsai Times is our quarterly magazine published for our NZBA members. In 2009, the NZBA magazine ‘Bonsai Times’ was awarded a Silver Medal by the World Bonsai Friendship Federation in recognition of it being an outstanding publication.

Check out the Bonsai Times archive for past issues.

National Bonsai Competitions

Currently there are two competitions at the National Convention, four trophies awarded to trees on display at the National Show and two for suiseki. All details can be found on the competitions page.

National Bonsai Show

Alternating between North Island and South Island, the National Show brings together some of the best trees in Aotearoa. You can view images of winning trees from previous National Shows in our gallery.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions on international travel, the 2020 convention has been replaced by two mini conventions—one in each island. Stay tuned for more details on these and how to register.

National Bonsai Conventions

Like the National Bonsai Show, the National Convention is held in conjunction with local clubs also alternates between North Island and South Island, bringing together members from around the country to see and learn from international demonstrators. You can view images from previous conventions in our gallery.

Bonsai Demonstrator List

We maintain a list of registered NZBA demonstrators from around the country willing to travel to clubs to give talks, demonstrations or run workshops. The demonstrator list gives a short history of each of the demonstrators and their special areas of interest, so clubs can pick the most suitable demonstrator for their event. View our public NZBA demonstrator list.

Note: Clubs have access to the full NZBA demonstrator list in the private club area of our site.

Demonstrator Travel Grant

Created to help bring in demonstrators from around the country, the demonstrator travel grant helps clubs subsidise the travel costs of demonstrators for the benefit of their members. Clubs can find the application form for the DTG in our private club area of the site.

Occasional Assistance Programme

The OAP was created to help clubs stage events through financial, material, and/or organisational support. Clubs can view full details about the programme in our private club area of the site.

Club Programmes

Over the years, the NZBA has compiled a series of lecture slides and notes that clubs can use as the basis of presentations on various bonsai techniques and topics. Clubs access these files in the private club area of our website.