The Greater New Orleans Bonsai Society
Also called: GNOBS; Greater New Orleans Bonsai Society; gnobs.org (Harahan, Jefferson Parish, New Orleans metro, Louisiana)
- Location
- Harahan, LA
- Last checked
- 2026-11-04
- location
- https://gnobs.org/about-us/location/
- membership
- https://gnobs.org/join/
- application
- https://gnobs.org/join/club-application/
- home
- https://gnobs.org/
The Greater New Orleans Bonsai Society
Category: Clubs Also called: GNOBS; Greater New Orleans Bonsai Society; gnobs.org (Harahan, Jefferson Parish, New Orleans metro, Louisiana)
What it is
The Greater New Orleans Bonsai Society (GNOBS) is a member-run bonsai club for the New Orleans area of Louisiana, meeting in Harahan in Jefferson Parish. Its History page says it was founded in 1972 by Vaughn Banting and says it has “developed into one of the most active bonsai clubs in the U.S.,” with members’ trees displayed in the National Arboretum and the Weyerhaeuser Pacific Rim Bonsai collection. It is a club, not a nursery or a school.
Official URL
Calendar: https://gnobs.org/news-and-events/calendar/
- Meeting location: https://gnobs.org/about-us/location/
- History: https://gnobs.org/about-us/history/
- Board: https://gnobs.org/about-us/gnobs-board/
- Join (dues): https://gnobs.org/join/
- Club application: https://gnobs.org/join/club-application/
- Contact: https://gnobs.org/join/contact-us/
- 2027 ABS Learning Seminar: https://gnobs.org/news-and-events/2027-abs-learning-seminar-in-new-orleans/
- Home: https://gnobs.org/
Last checked
2026-11-04.
Who it’s for
Beginners and experienced growers in New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, Harahan, the Northshore and the rest of southeast Louisiana who want a monthly evening meeting, visiting-artist demonstrations and workshops, and advice on growing bonsai in a hot, humid Gulf Coast climate.
Why it’s listed
It is a long-running bonsai club with its own dated calendar, a posted meeting place and printed dues. Checked on 2026-11-04:
- Schedule: the Location page says the club meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm at the American Legion Hall in Harahan. Demonstrations by visiting bonsai artists are generally held on Friday nights, with the accompanying workshop on Saturday.
- Next programs (calendar): Friday, November 13, 2026, 7:00 pm: lecture by Jennifer Price, “Finding the Line of the Tree.” Saturday, November 14, 2026: workshops with Jennifer Price, 9 am–12 noon and 1–4 pm, $60 per session (bring back a trident maple or gardenia from her past workshops, or bring your own tree of any species); sign up at a meeting or by email to [email protected]. Tuesday, December 8, 2026, 7:00 pm: annual Christmas potluck party with a free raffle ticket for everyone attending.
- Recent programs: an October 20, 2026 meeting on kusamono and shitakusa by Melissa LeBlanc and the annual GNOBS Auction & Plant Sale on August 8, 2026 at the VFW Hall, 1133 Hickory Ave, Harahan.
- Dues (Join page): $30 a year for an individual, $35 a year for a family.
- Board (Board page): president Dennis Burke; vice president and recording secretary Justin Jolet; treasurer Melissa Leblanc; newsletter and website editor and auction chair Kathy Barbazon; masters program director Lee Domingue; past president and convention chair Randy Bennett. Board meetings are on the third Tuesday.
- National event: GNOBS is hosting the American Bonsai Society’s 2027 ABS Learning Seminar, “All Jazzed Up,” March 11–14, 2027, in New Orleans.
Location
Monthly meetings: American Legion Hall, 1225 Hickory Ave, Harahan, Louisiana 70123 (Location page).
Contact: the Contact Us page; the Board page lists officers’ cell numbers and emails (president Dennis Burke, 504-224-0038). Workshop sign-ups go to [email protected] (calendar page).
Notes
- Finn flags: the calendar does not say where the November 13–14 Jennifer Price lecture and workshops are held, so check with the club before going. The calendar writes “Hickory St.” in one place and “Hickory Ave.” elsewhere; the Location page says Hickory Ave. The October meeting was moved from the second to the third Tuesday “due to a scheduling conflict,” so confirm each month’s date on the calendar. There is no club office phone; the contacts printed are officers’ personal cell numbers and emails. The site’s tagline still reads “Just another WordPress site.”
- Related: Louisiana already has Underhill Bonsai (Folsom) under Nurseries; Underhill is the presenting sponsor of the 2027 ABS seminar. This is the first Louisiana club listing.
- Listing image: the society’s official site header image, saved as
greater-new-orleans-bonsai-society-logo.jpg. - Not affiliated with Bonsai Plaza. No form, membership payment or contact was made.
FAQ
Q: Where does the Greater New Orleans Bonsai Society meet? A: At the American Legion Hall, 1225 Hickory Ave, Harahan, LA 70123, according to the club’s Location page.
Q: When does it meet? A: On the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. The next listed club night is the annual Christmas potluck on Tuesday, December 8, 2026, at 7:00 pm.
Q: How much is membership? A: $30 a year for an individual or $35 a year for a family, per the Join page.
Q: What is coming up? A: A lecture by Jennifer Price, “Finding the Line of the Tree,” on Friday, November 13, 2026 at 7:00 pm, and her workshops on Saturday, November 14 ($60 per session, morning or afternoon).
Q: How old is the club? A: It was founded in 1972 by Vaughn Banting, and it is hosting the 2027 ABS Learning Seminar in New Orleans on March 11–14, 2027.