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The North Star Bonsai School is nestled in the rolling hills of south central Pennsylvania. A perfect spot to observe nature at her best. The location offers solitude from the distractions of everyday life. Allowing students to focus on their work and to observe mother nature, our subject, up close and personal.

North Star's school is an easy 50 minute drive north of Baltimore, Maryland and a hour and forty five minute drive west of Philadelphia. Making access to a bonsai education easy an affordable. Discounted overnight accommodations can be arranged for those people that travel long distances or wish to make a weekend of it.

North Star Bonsai School stands behind its teaching program by offering a job to those that want to break into the bonsai field after successfully completing all the standard courses.

Classes:

North Star offers several types of classes to accommodate all different skill levels. 

A Beginners Class is offered to novices curious about bonsai and wish to be indoctrinated correctly. The class consists of a total of 8 students maximum. This is done so the teacher can address each student with the many questions that arise when one enters bonsai. The class meets once a month from May through October on a Saturday for 6 hours. The cost of the class is $30.00 per class. A discount of 10% is given on a lump seasonal payment.

Topics covered in the beginners class are as follows:

• Basic principles of bonsai design (  including terminology )

• Basic horticultural requirements for bonsai

• Soils

• Fertilizers

• Basic Wiring

• Pinching Basics

All class members, upon successfully completing the full coarse, will be given a certificate showing that they have demonstrated a basic knowledge and skill of bonsai. This certificate will allow them to advance to the intermediate coarse if they so wish.  - Currently this class is at maximum capacity. We are now excepting  enrollment for the 2010 season.

The Intermediate Class is offered to those that have successfully completed the beginners class or upon entering the intermediate class can demonstrate a basic working knowledge of bonsai. Class size is limited to 7 people maximum. Students are limited to a maximum of 8 goal oriented trees for this coarse. The class meets once a month from April through October on a Saturday for 8 hours. The cost of the class is $40.00 per class. A discount of 10% is given on a lump seasonal payment.

Topics covered in the intermediate class are as follows:

• Advanced principles of bonsai design ( i.e. western vs. eastern )

• Species specific horticultural requirements for bonsai

• Pot selection and accent plants

• Fertilizers (expanded), micro-nutrients, Super Feed Regimes

• Advance wiring techniques

• Pinching, candling and selective pruning

• Jin and Shari carving basics

All class members, upon successfully completing the full coarse, will be given a certificate showing that they have demonstrated an intermediate knowledge and skill of bonsai. This certificate will allow them to proceed to the advanced coarse if they so wish.  - Currently this class is at maximum capacity. We are now excepting  enrollment for the 2010 season.



North Star's school is now excepting enrollment for the 2010 seasons Advanced Class. The advanced class is a 3 year coarse designed to help students obtain the knowledge and skill necessary to create specimen bonsai.  Over the 3 year coarse focus, commitment, and quality are instilled into the student, all of which are essential ingredients for achieving the goal of a specimen bonsai. While a one teacher approach is used over the 3 years, guest bonsai masters, that specialize in a particular subject, are introduced through out the 3 year coarse. This rounded approach we feel will give more dimension to a students knowledge base.

The advanced class is offered to those that have successfully completed the intermediate class or upon entering the advanced class can demonstrate to the instructor a basic working knowledge and understanding, at an intermediate level, of bonsai. Class size is limited to 6 people maximum. Students are limited to a maximum of 6 goal oriented trees for this coarse. The class meets once a month from April through October on a Saturday and Sunday for 8 hours on both days. The cost of the class is $100.00 per class. A discount of 10% is given on a lump sum payment for the current class year.

To find out more about coarse and its curriculum please contact us.