Santa Anita Bonsai Society Kicks Off May Show Planning at March Meeting

With the Annual Memorial Weekend Show and Members Sale just ten weeks out, the Santa Anita Bonsai Society is shifting into show mode. The club's March 14 meeting at the LA Arboretum's Palm Room runs a split program designed to move preparations forward on two fronts at once: a 6:00 p.m. planning session for anyone who wants to help shape the 2026 show, followed at 7:00 p.m. by a deep dive into accent plants and display tables with guests Debra Mauzy-Melitz and Ken Bross.

The planning meeting is open to all members interested in contributing to the show, which is scheduled for May 23-25. Members who can't attend but want to get involved can reach volunteer coordinator Mike Kelly directly. The bulletin makes clear that even members who miss the March 14 meeting can still plug in through Kelly's contact.

The 7:00 p.m. session with Debra Mauzy-Melitz is the kind of program that rewards members who arrive with questions and a willingness to think critically about their display. Debra will run an interactive study group on pairing accent plants and pots with a main tree, covering styling, storytelling, after care, and placement. Members who bring their own kusomono will get something rarer: direct critique and feedback from Debra on the spot. The bulletin is careful to note, though, that the evening will not include hands-on kusomono creation. If you're bringing one, bring a finished piece.

Ken Bross is listed alongside Debra Mauzy-Melitz as a guest for the evening's program, though the bulletin does not detail his specific role in the session.

The club is also counting on members to stock the raffle table and feed the room. SABS is asking everyone to bring a bonsai-related item to donate and to bring appetizers and snacks to share; water will be provided by the club. Raffle donations, the bulletin notes, are a significant source of support for SABS, and the club is hoping for a large table's worth.

The calendar ahead keeps the show-prep momentum going. On April 11, Daniel Deephouse leads a demo followed by a workshop where members are asked to bring their show tree, giving exhibitors a chance to get eyes on their material before the show. The May 9 meeting topic is still to be announced.

SABS meets on the second Saturday of each month from January through November. The March 14 meeting at the LA Arboretum Palm Room is the next one on the calendar, and with the Annual Memorial Weekend Show and Members Sale opening May 23, it arrives at exactly the right moment.