New Zealand Bonsai, Clubs, Nurseries

New Zealand Bonsai Association

New Zealand Tea Tree - Leptospermum

Public Gardens - with Bonsai
Hamilton Gardens
Efil Doog Gardens

Other Bonsai Sites & Links

Useful Information about New Zealand

New Zealand Bonsai Association

This is the official site dedicated to providing information and contact details for clubs, societies, and related commercial organisations in New Zealand.

Bonsai Clubs and Societies are scattered throughout New Zealand and visitors are welcome to make contact and participate in their activities. For people in areas without easy access to a club or group, there is provision for Individual Membership of the Association, and an application form can be downloaded from this site.

The NZBA publishes a newsletter 4 times each year, and a National Bonsai Convention is also held at a different location each year.

This large forest planting was created by Dianne Miller using local New Zealand tree ferns "Punga" at the annual bonsai convention in Tauranga. Dianne who owns Penjing in Hamilton has also had some great experiences while traveling in China, read about it here. Bonsai Inspirations from China

New Zealand Tea Tree - Leptospermum
The common name of Tea Tree derives from the practice of early Australian settlers of soaking the leaves of several species in boiling water to make a tea substitute. The Leptospermum has the reputation of being the ultimate in forbidden bonsai. It is a lovely tree, with flowers which resemble tiny wild roses and spiky little evergreen leaves. The bark looks old rapidly, although it may take a while to thicken the trunk. Unfortunately, getting it to survive is a monumental task. Whilst trees are native to New Zealand and Australia, they can now be bought in nurseries in many countries around the world.
More informaton on growing these trees as bonsai can be found at the following links
Bonsai Web - Leptospermum
BCI - New Zealand Tea Tree - Leptospermum
Leptospermum Home Page

Hamilton Gardens - Hamilton
First established in the 1960s as a traditional Victorian flower garden of annuals on what had been the city rubbish tip. They now cover 58 hectares of well maintained public parks and gardens beside the slow moving Waikato river. Included amongst these garden collections are "The Chinese Scholars Garden" (A traditional Chinese Garden from the Sung Dynasty, 10th-12th Century), and "The Japanese Garden of Contemplation" (A traditional Japanese Garden from the Muromachi Period, 14th-16th Century demonstrating three forms of garden as a place for quiet contemplation and study).
The gardens are located on Cobham Drive (State Highway 1) within five minutes of the city center and are open seven days a week from 10 am till 4 p.m.

Efil Doog Gardens - Wellington
A highly regarded garden of international renown which includes a Bonsai exhibition house and display.

Bonsai For Beginners - New Zealand Native Bonsai
Mark Williams website with a nice section about some of the New Zealand's native trees

Bonsai Boutique
Dean and Susan are holders of Advanced Certificates from both the Bonsai Art Academy at Koreshoff Bonsai Nursery of Sydney Australia and the Nippon Bonsai-Saikei Art Institute of Japan.

We have been creating BONSAI for 10 years and have a busy two-kiln pottery studio in the sunny Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand. Phone/ Fax +64 7 5784 854

Bonsai New Zealand
147 Seabrook Avenue, New Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand Phone / Fax 9827 3439 Free Phone (0800) 69 62 26

Joys Bonsai Studio
6 Torquay Street, Abbostford Dunedin. ph 64-3-488 4592, fax 64-3-488 4224

North Canterbury Bonsai
Beryl and John Vernon invite you to visit The Bonsai Display and Japanese Garden in christchurch.
To arrange a time Phone 64-3-355 5411 or 64-25-238 8192

Bonsaiville - Bob Langholm
41 Taumata rd, Mt Albert, Auckland, New Zealand Phone (09) 629-3662
Bob also manages New Zealands largest Japanese Style garden