Bonsai Builders Podcast

Do you need a yard full of trees to get good at bonsai? Nicole Yabut spent years leveling up her skills with zero trees of her own. In this episode, host Addison Galambos chats with Nicole about the hidden power of the "no-tree" path in which she built real expertise through volunteering, docenting at the Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt, and working in seasoned collectors' gardens. They explore why learning on mature material beats owning a crowded collection, how to handle burnout, and the social barriers that shape who enters the hobby.

How do you adapt traditional Japanese bonsai principles to unique local climates and native species? In this episode, Hugh Grant, owner of Tree Makers Bonsai Studio in Australia, joins the show to break down how he's revolutionizing bonsai education in the Southern Hemisphere.

Hugh shares the framework behind his immersive four-day intensive courses, explaining how he designed and optimized them for teaching the Fundamentals of Bonsai in Australia. We dive into the myths surrounding Australian native species, how to adapt seasonal timing, and why prioritizing core techniques over species-specific 'rules' empowers students to grow faster. Whether you're an educator, a club leader, or a practitioner looking to refine your craft, this episode is packed with insights on building a thriving, high-standard bonsai community.

What does it take to run a 12-acre bonsai nursery with tens of thousands of cuttings? In this episode, we sit down with Derek Delisi, the powerhouse behind Canada Bonsai. Derek shares his wild obsession with 'collecting 'em all' when it comes to Japanese maple and ume cultivars—a dream for any plant nerd! Plus, we dive into the nitty-gritty of how he navigates the complex legal maze of importing bonsai trees across Canadian and U.S. borders.

In this episode, four-year bonsai hobbyist Dillon Clark joins the podcast to discuss the fascinating crossover between his day job as a video game community manager and community building in the bonsai world. How can hobbyists, clubs, and professionals elevate their digital presence—and is a strong online footprint even necessary? Plus, having recently made the leap to go 'all in' on bonsai himself, Dillon turns the tables to grill me about the early phases of my own journey.

Continuing the conversation with Jonas and Eric, we move on to discussing Water and Fertilizer from the lens of two veteran bonsai growers. We discuss what we got right and what we got wrong in previous water episodes of the Bonsai Builders Podcast and give a simple prescription for how to approach watering and fertilization.

In this episode, Addison, Eric Schrader, and Jonas Dupuich team up to discuss the recent Black Pondo episode that covered two new terms, "inside out" and "outside in" in the context of bonsai development approaches. What do these terms mean and are they useful for explaining how to make bonsai? We also take it a step further and investigate the origins of these practices in Japan.

In this episode, Josh Renaud comes on the podcast to talk about getting started making bonsai pottery in the US. We discuss his practice in Bonsai and Ceramics, as well as our responsibility to safeguard the future of US bonsai. If you ever were wondering about the cross section of Ceramics and Bonsai hobbyists, Josh is the one to hear from!

In this episode, we get back to the roots of the show, getting the hardcore hobbyists perspective on bonsai. Joel Jenkins joins us from Louisiana where he's caught the bonsai bug so hard he is even starting the city's first public bonsai collection! Hear about his journey, how he's developed his styling capabilities from 0, and also his frank take on what it takes to get good at bonsai.

In this Episode, I speak with John Romano, an esteemed teacher and certified Shohin instructor based in the Northeastern US. In this refreshing conversation, we cover a wide array of topics including the history of bonsai in the US, John's time at Taisho-en in the early 2000's, and even a conversation about rare books.

In this episode, Brock and Addison record a casual catch up conversation while working late at the workshop after a day of class at Bonsai Mirai. It was great to hear how Brock's work has been progressing now that he is full time there and learn more about what occupies his spare time. Spoiler alert, it's more bonsai!