Welcome to the Iowa Bonsai Association's website. IBA was founded in 1979 to promote appreciation and development of bonsai. Meetings are held on the third Saturday of each month from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. You may come and go as your time permits and work on trees or just socialize and observe. See the calendar page for details! We meet at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden.
Join us! Members will enjoy a helpful, supportive atmosphere no matter what your experience level, opportunity to participate in workshops, bonsai shows and collecting trips, access to the association's library of books and a monthly newsletter. If you are interested in becoming a member or would like to get to know more about bonsai, please attend one of our meetings or contact us.
By jenjo on April 14, 2017
On April 1, 2017, members of the Iowa Bonsai Association and, by gracious invitation, members of the Eastern Iowa Bonsai Association, had the privilege of working with Bonsai artist, Todd Schlafer, at the Magruder’s home. April – 2017 DOWNLOAD NEWSLETTER
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By jenjo on April 14, 2017
On April 1, 2017, members of the Iowa Bonsai Association and, by gracious invitation, members of the Eastern Iowa Bonsai Association, had the privilege of working with Bonsai artist, Todd Schlafer, at the Magruder’s home. Todd is a student of Ryan Neil’s and is from Denver, Colorado. He collects very fine conifers from the Colorado […]
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By jenjo on April 14, 2017
Bonsai pots have many drain hole configurations. One of the trickier situations is figuring out how to arrange wires to tie in your tree, when the pot has only a single drain hole and no wire holes. March – 2017 DOWNLOAD NEWSLETTER
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By jenjo on April 14, 2017
This time of year we begin preparation for repotting season. This is fairly easy if you have only one tree and you plan to put it back into the same pot. All you need is some fresh bonsai soil and a bit of number two aluminum wire. February – 2017 DOWNLOAD NEWSLETTER
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By jenjo on January 8, 2017
There’s something magical about a garden that’s hard to put into words, it’s like a little slice of Elysium in our own backyard. The great impressionistic painter Claude Monet once referred to his garden as, “my most beautiful masterpiece.” January – 2017 DOWNLOAD NEWSLETTER
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By jenjo on December 28, 2016
January 21, 2016 @ 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM with presentation at 11:30 AM Des Moines Botanical Garden, 909 Robert D. Ray Drive Open Study Group is a chance (with ample time) to bring your trees to work on, and/or watch others work on their trees so you can learn by observing and exchange […]
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