Green Mountain Bonsai Society

Category: Clubs Also called: GMBS; Green Mountain Bonsai Society (Burlington, Vermont); greenmountainbonsaisociety.org Last checked: 2026-10-15

What it is

The Green Mountain Bonsai Society (GMBS) is a bonsai club in northern Vermont. Its home page says it “was founded in 1981 and is a non-profit educational organization,” with a mission “to provide our members with a forum to exchange information, learn, teach, and promote the art of bonsai through lectures, classes, workshops, demonstrations, and field trips.” It is an all-volunteer society run by a board. It is not a nursery and not a commercial class desk.

Who it’s for

Vermont and upper New England growers at every level. The site says, “We are an open, inclusive, and supportive organization and welcome all levels of experience from beginner to advanced,” and “Visitors are always welcome!” Members get advance notice of events, a monthly e-newsletter and member-only discounts on tools, wire and soil.

Why it’s listed

It is a real, long-running club with its own site that states when and where it meets, what membership costs and what it does each year.

Meetings (home page): generally the 3rd Sunday of every month, except August, when the club presents its annual exhibit at the Champlain Valley Fair in Essex Junction. Topics range from hands-on workshops to presentations, in person and virtual.
Venue (home page): most meetings are at Gardener’s Supply, Intervale location, 128 Intervale Road, Burlington, VT (the page says not the Williston location).
Dues (Membership page): $30 a year, collected each January; anyone joining on or after September 1 is covered through the next season.
2026 programs on its own calendar (all past on the check date): Jan 20 evening with Sergio Caun on deciduous bonsai development; Mar 15 and May 17 two-part Introduction to Bonsai course with David Knittle; Apr 12 larch group and forest workshop; Jun 7 John Romano Japanese red pine workshop; Jul 19 Kusamono workshop with Young Choe ($50, payable on the day); Aug 28–Sep 6 member exhibit at the Champlain Valley Exposition.
Visiting artists: the site says the club regularly hosts bonsai artists with national and international reputations.

Official URL

Official club site: https://greenmountainbonsaisociety.org/

Events calendar: https://greenmountainbonsaisociety.org/events/
Membership and dues: https://greenmountainbonsaisociety.org/membership/
Contact form: https://greenmountainbonsaisociety.org/contact/
July Kusamono workshop page: https://greenmountainbonsaisociety.org/event/may-program-kusamono-workshop/
Champlain Valley Exposition member exhibit page: https://greenmountainbonsaisociety.org/event/champlain-valley-exposition-gmbs-member-bonsai-exhibit-2026/

Location

Meetings are mostly at Gardener’s Supply, 128 Intervale Road, Burlington, VT (Intervale location). The August exhibit is at the Champlain Valley Fair Grounds, Expo North, Essex Junction, VT. The club has no staffed shop; use the contact form for questions.

Notes

No future dated events listed: on 2026-10-15 the club’s calendar showed only past 2026 events, and the home page banner reads “September – No Meeting.” The 3rd-Sunday pattern would put the next regular meeting on October 18, but the calendar did not list it. Confirm with the club before traveling.
An earlier Plaza ship passed over this club for having no upcoming events; it is included here with that caveat stated.
Geography: first Vermont listing. Not in VA, AL, IL, WA, ID, OH, NJ, OK or DE.
Listing image: the club’s own logo (GMBS-Logo-Color-Horz.svg, the site’s og:image), rendered from SVG to a 1200×714 transparent PNG and saved as green-mountain-bonsai-society.png.
Not affiliated with Bonsai Plaza. No membership, contact form or payment was submitted.

FAQ

Q: When does the Green Mountain Bonsai Society meet?
A: Generally the third Sunday of every month, except August, mostly at Gardener’s Supply, 128 Intervale Road, Burlington, VT.

Q: Can I visit as a beginner?
A: Yes. The site welcomes all skill levels, from beginner to advanced, and says visitors are always welcome.

Q: How much does membership cost?
A: $30 a year, collected each January. Joining on or after September 1 covers the next season.

Q: What is the next event?
A: The club’s calendar listed no future dated events on October 15, 2026. The third-Sunday pattern points to October 18, but check with the club.

Q: How old is the club?
A: It was founded in 1981.