Bonsai Plaza nurseries · clubs · learning

Ann Arbor Bonsai Society

Clubs Ann Arbor, MI

Also called: AABS; Ann Arbor Bonsai Society (Matthaei Botanical Gardens); annarborbonsaisociety.org

Website
https://www.annarborbonsaisociety.org/
Location
Ann Arbor, MI
Last checked
2026-09-30
membership
https://www.annarborbonsaisociety.org/membership/
events
https://www.annarborbonsaisociety.org/events/
trivia
https://www.annarborbonsaisociety.org/events/october-meeting-bonsai-trivia-night/
newsletter
https://www.annarborbonsaisociety.org/newsletter/
home
https://www.annarborbonsaisociety.org/

What it is

The Ann Arbor Bonsai Society (AABS) is a member-run bonsai club for southeastern Michigan and the wider region (membership page notes members from as far as Midland, Lansing, and Toledo). Its main identity is the monthly club meeting on the 4th Wednesday of February–October at Matthaei Botanical Gardens in Ann Arbor, plus member programs, an annual auction, beginner series notes in newsletters, and calendar-year dues. The Membership page says no experience is necessary—just an interest in learning. It is not a commercial nursery and not a public-garden tuition class series (Matthaei is the meeting venue).

Who it’s for

Southeastern Michigan bonsai enthusiasts, from complete beginners to experienced growers, who want club meetings, member auction selling rights, and a local Matthaei-based community. Guests and new members are welcomed in the club’s published materials. People who only want a one-off botanic-garden ticketed class should look under Learning listings instead.

Why it’s listed

This is a first-party club site. It prints dues, a meeting-month cadence with a public garden venue and street address, membership benefits, and a dated 2026 October program event. It is not a Facebook-only club and not a scraped directory card. (This club was the Tuesday Sep 29 Clubs alternate; it remains strong and is used here for Midwest geographic spread.)

  • Club identity / cadence (Home + Membership, checked 2026-09-30):
    • Monthly meetings on the 4th Wednesday of February–October at Matthaei Botanical Gardens, 1800 North Dixboro Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105.
    • Membership page: open to all ages/walks of life; regional membership includes Midland, Lansing, Toledo, and southeastern Michigan.
    • Benefits listed include annual auction participation (selling reserved for members), email alerts for special events, office/voting rights, right to purchase supplies from AABS, and right to sell bonsai-related items at meetings.
  • Membership / dues (Membership, checked today):
    • Dues $30.00, payable by check, cash, and credit card/PayPal at the club meeting.
    • Current members renew by March 31.
  • Upcoming meeting sample (Trivia Night event page, checked today):
    • October Meeting: Bonsai Trivia Night, October 28, 2026, 6:30 pm–9:00 pm, Matthaei — first club Trivia Night; members form teams and compete for prizes.

Meeting times, dues, and event samples above are what the official pages showed on the check date. They can change. Confirm on the live Events and Membership pages before joining or traveling.

Official URL

https://www.annarborbonsaisociety.org/

Location

  • Region: Ann Arbor / southeastern Michigan.
  • Regular meetings: 4th Wednesday of February–October at Matthaei Botanical Gardens, 1800 North Dixboro Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105. Confirm room and check-in on the live Events listing before visiting.
  • Oct 28, 2026 Trivia Night: same Matthaei campus venue; 6:30–9:00 pm on the event page.

This is a club meeting identity. It is not a retail nursery showroom and not a botanic-garden tuition desk (even though Matthaei hosts the meetings).

Notes

  • Category is Clubs. AABS is a first-party, member-run society with $30 dues, a Feb–Oct 4th-Wednesday cadence at Matthaei, and dated 2026 program events. Not a nursery. Club programs stay club programming and do not move this card into Learning.
  • $30 dues, March 31 renewals, 4th-Wednesday Feb–Oct meetings at 1800 N Dixboro Rd, and the Oct 28, 2026 Trivia Night come from official pages checked on 2026-09-30 and may change.
  • Listing image: official site logo at /images/ann-arbor-bonsai-society.png (first-party asset from annarborbonsaisociety.org).
  • Not affiliated with Bonsai Plaza.
  • No Bonsai Plaza contact, purchase, booking, or publication action was taken.

FAQ

Q: When and where does AABS meet?
A: Membership and home pages (checked 2026-09-30) say meetings are on the 4th Wednesday of February–October at Matthaei Botanical Gardens, 1800 North Dixboro Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. Confirm the next date and room on https://www.annarborbonsaisociety.org/events/ before traveling.

Q: What are the dues?
A: Membership page lists $30.00 annual dues, payable at the meeting (check, cash, or credit card/PayPal). Renewals for current members are due by March 31.

Q: Is this a nursery or a Learning class?
A: Neither, for Bonsai Plaza category purposes. AABS publishes dues and a member meeting schedule, so the card is Clubs. Tree retail with shop prices belongs under Nurseries; garden tuition classes with printed fees belong under Learning.