About GSBS
Northern New Jersey's premier bonsai club since 1976.
Our History
The Great Swamp Bonsai Society was founded in 1976 and is named after the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Morris County, New Jersey. For its first several decades, the club met at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morristown - one of the region's most beloved horticultural landmarks. The club later relocated to its current home at the Essex County Environmental Center in Roseland, NJ, where it continues to grow.
Today, GSBS draws members from eight New Jersey counties and Eastern Pennsylvania, and stands as one of the longest-running bonsai clubs in the region. In 2026, we celebrate our 50th anniversary - half a century of cultivating miniature trees and lasting friendships.
1976
Founded and named after the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
1976 – 2022
Met at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum (Haggerty Education Center, East Hanover Ave), Morristown, NJ
~2022 – Present
Relocated to the Essex County Environmental Center, Roseland, NJ
Meeting Times
Schedule has evolved over the years: originally 7:00–10:00 PM, then 6:30–9:30 PM, now 6:00–9:00 PM
2026
50th anniversary year
Member Accomplishments
- •Peter Michienzi won the Rosade Award for Design Excellence at MABS 2005
- •Bart Thomas was selected as Curator of the Bonsai Collection at Duke Farms, Hillsborough, NJ
- •Martin Schmalenberg - GSBS co-founder, Director of Asian Studies at Blairstown Academy - authored a book on North American bonsai and published a two-part article on Pinus Rigida (Pitch Pine) styling in International Bonsai magazine
- •Michael Markoff was First Runner-up in the Joshua Roth New Talent Competition at MABS 2010 and won the People's Choice Award at the 2011 GSBS Open House
- •Martin Schmalenberg runs Stillwater Studio, hosts member workshops, and organized the Stone Appreciation Symposium (2012)
- •Juan Calderon - expert stylist whose literati Eastern Red Cedar was praised by President Michalski as entering “the realm of the masterpiece bonsai”; co-led collecting expeditions to Nova Scotia and Maine
- •Jim Gillespie (Sho-Fu-En Bonsai) won Best Display at the first U.S. National Bonsai Show in Saratoga (2008)
- •David Yedwab is a club specialist in tropical bonsai care, root trimming, and indoor bonsai techniques
Everyone Is Welcome
Our Northern New Jersey bonsai society welcomes enthusiasts of any age or background, whether you are a beginner bonsai artist or have years of bonsai experience, or even if you simply admire these beautiful miniature trees and enjoy participating as a spectator in our bonsai community.
Everyone is welcome to attend Great Swamp Bonsai Society meetings as a guest until deciding to join our club officially. Each meeting features expert instruction on bonsai topics including tree selection, wiring, repotting, pruning, and display techniques.
Learn About Our MeetingsOfficers & Leadership
GSBS is led by a dedicated team of volunteers who keep our 50-year-old club thriving.
Diego Garnica
President
GSBS representative on the NJ Bonsai Societies Board of Directors
John Michalski
Former President
Ongoing organizer and event coordinator
Rick Myers
Treasurer
T. Albert
Webmaster
Leonard Schwartz
MABS Representative
Ralf Schumann
MABS Representative
Peter Sobol
MABS Representative
Artist in Residence
Sergio Cuan
GSBS is one of the few community bonsai clubs in the country with a formal Artist in Residence program. Renowned bonsai artist Sergio Cuan leads three GSBS meetings per year, working with members one-on-one and demonstrating advanced techniques on club trees.
Cuan, a two-time Emmy Award winner and former Senior Vice President and Creative Director at Nickelodeon, is among the most recognized bonsai artists on the East Coast. He holds a BFA in Art and Design from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, and maintains a stunning bonsai garden in northern New Jersey inspired by Japanese aesthetics.
“Finest Deciduous Award” - 4th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition, 2014
Two-time Emmy Award winner - Nickelodeon SVP / Creative Director
MABS 2024 headliner - alongside Boon Manakitivipart
BFA, Pratt Institute - Art and Design, Brooklyn, NY
Illustrated Bonsai Heresy
Potter in Residence
Fred Aufshlager
Fred Aufshlager is the Great Swamp Bonsai Society's Potter in Residence, bringing the art of ceramic bonsai containers to our club. Fred presents pottery discussions at GSBS meetings, exploring the relationship between tree and pot - how the right container elevates a bonsai from a tree in a pot to a work of art.
He is the author of “Bonsai Containers as Ceramic Art,” a paper exploring bonsai and pot styles and how they relate to one another. Fred's handmade bonsai pots are available for purchase at GSBS events, offering members high-quality, artisan-crafted containers at reasonable costs. For years, Fred also hosted a small Saturday morning study group at his Bernardsville home - an open invitation for members to practice hands-on bonsai in a relaxed, one-on-one setting.
Guest Artists Over the Years
For over two decades, GSBS has hosted internationally acclaimed bonsai artists.
Marco Invernizzi
Italy · 2003, 2006
Italian bonsai master; multiple visits with evening lecture-demos at GSBS
Boon Manakitivipart
California · 2003, 2004, 2011, 2017
Multiple visits including workshop at Stillwater Studio; trained in Japan under Kihachiro Kamiya; won Best Medium Size Bonsai at 2016 US National Exhibit; $100 workshop at GSBS 2017
Horst Krekeler
Germany · 2003, 2005
Renowned lecturer, teacher, and author from Heidelberg; German bonsai master bringing European techniques BYOT workshops with evening lecture-demos
Colin Lewis
Maine · 2004
Internationally renowned author of several bonsai books and magazine articles; lecture-demo at GSBS
Arthur Skolnik
International · 2004
Renowned bonsai artist and teacher
Walter Pall
Germany · 2005
European bonsai pioneer; lectured on European vs. American bonsai and non-traditional design thinking
Andy Smith (Golden Arrow Bonsai)
South Dakota · 2005
Lecture-demo on a wild collected Rocky Mountain Juniper
Roy Nagatoshi
California · 2005, 2009
President of the California Bonsai Society; known for work on the Karate Kid films; BYOT workshops with evening lecture-demos
Min Hsuan Lo
Taiwan · 2006, 2008
Internationally renowned Taiwanese master; demonstrated cascade styling on San Jose Juniper
Ted Matson
California · 2007
Founded the California Shohin Society; trained with Ben Suzuki, Roy Nagatoshi, and John Naka; created Shohin from Juniper at GSBS
Bill Valavanis
New York · 2007
Publisher, International Bonsai magazine; lectured on The Genesis of Classical Bonsai at Stillwater Studio; hosted Michael Markoff on Japan trip to Kokufu Ten
George LeBolt
New Jersey · 2005, 2006, 2007
Past President of MABS; President of Bergen Bonsai Society for 16 years; tropical bonsai specialist; Ficus and collected Larch workshops. His trees are in the Montreal Botanical Gardens bonsai collection
Tony Tickle
UK · 2018
BCI Board 2003–2005; four Ginkgo awards; specializes in Hawthorn, Yew, and Pine; styled Shimpaku Juniper at GSBS 2018 workshop
Pedro Morales
Puerto Rico · 2009, 2019
Styled San Jose Junipers at GSBS; hosted at Fred Aufschlager's home
Julian Adams
Virginia · 2007
Adams Bonsai; Scots Pine specialist; BYOT workshop and PowerPoint on Pinus Silvestris; zuisho white pine cuttings for sale
Jim Barrett
California · 2008
Founding member Golden State Bonsai Federation; presented on matching deciduous trees to pots
Sean Smith
Pennsylvania · 2009
Custom Oriental Woodcraft, Marysville PA; presented on bonsai display stands, Tokonoma, daiza, and shoji screens
Charles Ceronio
South Africa · 2010
South African bonsai master; guest speaker at GSBS after MABS 2010
Michel Phaneuf
Canada · 2010
MABS 2010 featured artist
Michele Andolfo
Italy · 2010
MABS 2010 featured artist
Kathy Shaner
California · 2011, 2022
Workshop at Fred Aufschlager's residence; MABS 2022 headliner at Parsippany Hilton
Yasuo Mitsuya
Japan · 2011
Japanese bonsai master
Steve Tolley
UK · 2011
UK-based bonsai artist
Chase Rosade
Pennsylvania · 2012, 2022
One of the 'Mount Rushmore of American Bonsai Pioneers'; deadwood carving at Rosade Bonsai Studio, New Hope PA
Peter Warren
UK · 2012, 2013
UK-based bonsai professional; multiple GSBS visits fresh from MABS
Isao Omachi
Japan · 2012
MABS 2012: Pine and Juniper demonstrations
John Thompson
— · 2012
MABS 2012: Coastal Oak and Boxwood demonstrations
Minoru Akiyama
Japan · 2013
Youngest winner of the Prime Minister's Award at Sakafu; apprenticed under Kunio Kobayashi at Shunkaen
Hirojoshi Yamaji
Japan · 2013
Full-day advanced BYOT workshop at Fred Aufschlager's home; demonstrated bending heavy branches with iron rebar; transformed member trees 'beyond all recognition'
David Easterbrook
Canada · 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2016, 2017
Curator, Montreal Botanical Garden bonsai collection; 7 visits over 11 years; called GSBS 'one of the more active and vital clubs' in North America
Ron Lang
— · 2013
Bonsai potter; presented The Gestalt of Tree/Container Selection
Suthin Sukosolvisit
Thailand/USA · 2014
Royal Bonsai Garden, Stoughton MA; involved with bonsai since 1970; MABS 2014 headliner; tropical and temperate species expert
Bjorn Bjornholm
Tennessee · 2016, 2022
Owner of Bjorvala Bonsai Studio; trained 6 years in Japan under Keiichi Fujikawa; certified by Japanese Bonsai Association
Mauro Stemberger
Italy · 2022
Italian bonsai artist; detailed styling and wiring demo on Scots Pine at the Bonsai Shack, Pomona NY
Marc Noelanders
Belgium · 2019
President of European Bonsai Association; Director of WBFF for Europe; studied with Kimura, Kato, and Naka; founded the Noelanders Trophy
Will Baddeley
UK · 2022
Deadwood carving specialist; specializes in natural deadwood on deciduous trees using power tools and scalpels; workshop at Fred Aufschlager's home in Bernardsville
David Knittle
Vermont · 2017
Specialist in collected bonsai from New England; Red Spruce, Larch, and Balsam Fir from power line cuts and state lands
Koji Hiramatsu
Japan · 2018
Multi-generational bonsai business; pine specialist; styled wild-collected Pitch Pine at GSBS evening demo
Philip Shimko
USA · 2015
Shimpaku juniper styling workshop at GSBS; demonstrated trunk shaping with raffia and copper wire on 6–7 year old cuttings
Budi Sulistyo
Indonesia · 2015
Internationally acclaimed Indonesian bonsai master; MABS 2015 headliner; workshop and demonstration at GSBS; author of Tropical Bonsai Gallery; bonsai instructor on Indonesian National TV since 1985
Jonas Dupuich
California · 2026
Bonsai Tonight author; 50th anniversary guest artist
What We Cover at Meetings
Over 17 years of newsletters document hundreds of meeting programs. Here is a sample of the topics our members have explored together.
Styling & Design
- •Initial design from raw material
- •Finding the design in nursery stock
- •Deadwood creation (jin & shari)
- •Approach grafts & phoenix grafts
- •Night of the Six Junipers (group styling)
- •Display & presentation techniques
Horticulture
- •Repotting workshops (spring)
- •Air-layering demonstrations
- •Soil mixing & akadama use
- •Fertilizer cake making
- •Winter protection strategies
- •Wild collecting (yamadori) field trips
Species Focus
- •Scots Pine styling (Pinus Sylvestris)
- •Pitch Pine on stone slabs
- •Tropical bonsai care & styling
- •Juniper design sessions
- •Japanese Maple refinement
- •Shohin (miniature) bonsai
Art & Culture
- •Kusamoto (accent plants)
- •Suiseki (viewing stones)
- •Bonsai containers as ceramic art
- •Bonsai photography
- •Annual club auction
- •Holiday party & swap meet
Our Annual Bonsai Show
For decades, GSBS has hosted an annual open house and bonsai exhibition, open to the public and free of charge.
The Annual Bonsai Show (originally called the “Open House”) is GSBS's signature public event. Held each June, the show features dozens of member trees on formal display, live demonstrations with raffled demo trees, educational presentations, and vendor tables. The public is invited to attend free of charge.
For many years the show was held at the Haggerty Education Center at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morristown, NJ. Club members would arrive by 9:00 AM to set up display tables with risers, runners, stands, and accent plants. The show opened to the public at 10:00 AM and ran until 3:00 PM. Members were encouraged to bring trees at every level - from beginner projects to refined specimens - and to set up a “work table” where visitors could watch pruning, wiring, and repotting in real time.
The show has always been a key recruiting tool for the club. Newsletter archives record that each year's show attracted new newsletter signups and prospective members, many of whom went on to become active participants. The 2019 Open House drew a couple hundred visitors - the best-attended in many years, credited in part to a yard sign campaign. The 2005 show marked the club's approximate 25th anniversary, and the 2026 show will celebrate 50 years of GSBS.
Past Award Winners: 2008 - People's Choice (tie): Mark Schmuck (Potentilla) & Dan Boehmke (Shimpaku). 2009 - People's Choice: Mark Schmuck (Potentilla). 2011 - People's Choice: Michael Markoff. 2016 - People's Choice: Mark Schmuck (Shimpaku Juniper), President's Award: John Michalski (Amur Maple). 2018 - Best in Show: Fred Aufschlager (Korean Hornbeam), President's Choice: John Michalski (yamadori Northern White Cedar), People's Choice: Mark Schmuck (Forest planting). 2019 - Best in Show: John Michalski (Northern White Cedar), President's Award: Rick Meyer (Bush Honeysuckle), People's Choice: Rick Meyer (Shimpaku Juniper).
Today, the Annual Bonsai Show is held at Garibaldi Hall (621-A Eagle Rock Ave, Roseland, NJ) on the same campus as the Essex County Environmental Center. The next show is Saturday, June 6, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Club Traditions
Decades of shared experiences have created traditions that define the GSBS community.
Holiday Party & Auction
Each January, GSBS holds its Holiday Party and Club Auction. Members bring bonsai, pots, tools, books, and other materials for a lively auction - 15% of proceeds supports the club. It's a great way to find treasures and pass along items you've outgrown.
Summer Picnic Series
During warmer months, meetings move to members' homes and gardens. Hosts share their collections, members bring food and trees, and the afternoon unfolds with informal critiques, garden tours, and fellowship. Past hosts include Peter & Genevieve Michienzi, Martin Schmalenberg (Stillwater Studio), Doug & Karen Siedenburg (Port Murray, NJ), Rick & Leslie Myers (Succasunna, NJ), Mark & Sheila Schmuck (Rockaway, NJ), Mark & Marla Sanders (Randolph, NJ), Michael Markoff, and many others.
MABS Penny Vote
Each March, members select trees to represent GSBS at the Mid-Atlantic Bonsai Societies Spring Festival. Every attendee receives pennies to place before their favorite trees - the top vote-getters earn the honor of representing the club at the regional exhibition.
Copper Wire Drive
Members save their discarded copper bonsai wire clippings and bring them to meetings. Once a year the accumulated wire is sold to a scrap metal dealer - typically bringing in enough to cover one or two memberships, helping keep the club financially healthy.
Wild Collecting Trips
GSBS has organized group yamadori (wild collecting) expeditions, including trips to Maine for American Larch and arrangements with the Morris County Park Commission for collecting non-native species on park land. These trips combine adventure with the art of finding bonsai material in nature.
Community Outreach
GSBS regularly participates in public events: the Frelinghuysen Arboretum Plant Sale, Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival at Branch Brook Park, Earth Day celebrations, Bloomfest, and library lectures, and trips to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and National Arboretum. Members display bonsai, answer questions, and introduce the art to new audiences.
Our Affiliations
GSBS is proud to be a member of the region's leading bonsai organizations.
Mid-Atlantic Bonsai Societies
MABS is a coalition of 11 member clubs across Connecticut, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. Each spring, MABS hosts a multi-day festival featuring world-class demonstrations, workshops, and vendor markets.
GSBS Representatives: Leonard Schwartz, Ralf Schumann, Peter Sobol
midatlanticbonsai.orgNJ Bonsai Societies
NJ Bonsai Societies is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about the art of bonsai. The organization hosts the annual “Art of Bonsai” exhibition - the 4th edition is planned for Hazlet, NJ in October 2026.
Co-sponsoring societies: Bergen Bonsai Society, Deep Cut Bonsai Society, GSBS, Pennsylvania Bonsai Society
GSBS Rep: Diego Garnica (Board of Directors)
njbonsaisocieties.comCome See for Yourself
The best way to learn about GSBS is to attend a meeting. No experience needed - just curiosity and a love of trees.