The American Bonsai Society is proud to offer a mentor monitored correspondence course for all who wish to learn the art of bonsai.  This course was written by bonsai artists Tom Zane and is offered through the ABS Book Service.  Each bonsai student has the opportunity to learn the art of bonsai at his or her own pace in the comfort of his or her home. 

Bonsai enthusiasts! There's something new in the wind, something uniquely that you can recommend to your friends: ABS's basic bonsai correspondence course. The course, written by Tom Zane, is the first of its kind in North American.

The American Bonsai Society realizes that a hands-on course of study with a recognized bonsai teacher is a preferred way to learn bonsai. But many of us do not live near a well-known teacher or nursery.

ABS's Introduction to Bonsai: a Correspondence Course, written in English, instructs the student in the fundamental concepts of the art of bonsai and is especially suitable for isolated bonsai enthusiasts or beginning bonsai students who prefer to learn at home.

What's most remarkable about this home-based correspondence course is that you have proficient help as you learn.

When you enroll, an experienced bonsai artist, your mentor, is assigned to help you through the course. Your bonsai instructor will answer your questions, discuss your quizzes, critique your photographs, and be your contact with the bonsai world. Mentors are selected from artists in your own area who wish to help you learn this art form and understand the growing conditions in your area.

When you enroll, you will receive a handbook, a course manual, and DVD. The handbook includes student inquiry forms, mail-in assignment sheets, and general information about the course, the author, and the American Bonsai Society.

The 170-page course manual consists of eleven chapters that are divided into six lessons that guide you step-by-step through basic bonsai material.

By reading the lessons and performing the practical exercises, you will create and work on a bonsai in training. At the end of each of the eleven chapters, there is a self-administered quiz designed to reinforce your learning. Arthur Skolnik's exemplary video, The Growing Art of Bonsai accompanies the handbook and the manual and is used as a learning tool throughout the course.

You will also find an annotated bibliography of materials that you can use for further study. If you want to learn more about the basics of bonsai and feel more confident about working with bonsai material, enroll in the course today.