Making bonsai trees at Bonsai Bai Me was a fun, hands-on project that combined gardening, creativity, and a surprising amount of decision-making. We started by choosing our trees and pots, then learned the basics of shaping a bonsai through careful pruning. The goal was to study the natural form of the tree, decide which branches helped create the shape we wanted, and gradually trim away the excess. Our Get Out Pass covered the trees, although there were still sitting fees and pot costs to account for. Once the basic shape was established, we planted each tree in its bonsai pot and worked on the finishing details. This was where everyone could make the project their own. Cooper was especially focused on pruning and took the shaping process very seriously, while Savannah used some of the miniatures she had received for her birthday to create a tiny scene around her tree. Madi found all of the decorating choices a little overwhelming, so she went in the opposite direction and created a simple, clean base using plain white rocks. Each approach gave the finished bonsai a completely different personality. For a DIY bonsai project like this, the basic process is to choose a small tree, prune it into a pleasing shape, transfer it into a bonsai pot, and finish the soil surface with rocks, moss, or miniature decorations. The pruning is the part that requires the most patience because every cut changes the overall shape of the tree, so it helps to work slowly and look at it from several angles as you go. Although our class ended up costing more than we expected once the extra fees and supplies were included, it was a memorable group project and a great way for each of the kids to create something living that reflected their own style.
August 10, 2026
We all met up in American Fork for a bonsai class where we made bonsai trees. My dad and Miller joined us. Our Get Out Pass gave us a free tree, but we still had to pay the sitting fee and for the pots. It ended up being fairly expensive, but everyone had a lot of fun with it. We had each of the kids make their own tree, and I helped. Cooper was very into his pruning and took it very seriously. Savannah got a bunch of miniatures for her birthday and was excited to use those to decorate her tree. Madi got a little flustered and overwhelmed with decisions, so she decided to do a plain white rock base.
