RANCHO MIRAGE WORKSHOP FIELD GUIDE
Make a Tiny Tree at Sunnylands: Two Hours of Bonsai Craft on a Historic Estate
A lively, beginner-friendly, 2-hour Bonsai Bar workshop at Sunnylands where you pick and pot your own tiny tree—this guide explains what to expect and how to plan.
Make a Tiny Tree at Sunnylands: Two Hours of Bonsai Craft on a Historic Estate.
Set on the 200‑acre Sunnylands estate in Rancho Mirage, Bonsai Bar brings a hands-on bonsai workshop to a historic venue once used as the winter home of Walter and Leonore Annenberg. Over a focused two-hour session you pick a tree, pot it in a ceramic bonsai pot, learn practical techniques, and leave with ongoing support for your new plant—an approachable, social evening designed for beginners and friends.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Sunnylands: A Garden with a Diplomatic Past
The workshop takes place at Sunnylands, the former winter home of ambassadors Walter and Leonore Annenberg. The 200‑acre estate, now open to the public, balances public gardens and a role as a retreat for world leaders—and provides a quietly dramatic backdrop to an evening of bonsai work.
Two Hours of Hands‑On Bonsai Instruction
Bonsai Bar runs a lively, beginner‑oriented session where instructors guide attendees through the steps of creating a tiny tree—selecting stock, potting, and initial styling—so you can walk away with a planted bonsai and practical know‑how.
Pot, Tools and Ongoing Tree Support
Tickets include a tree you pick and a ceramic bonsai pot; the event also provides borrowable tools (a soil bin, shears and a chop stick) and continued care support through the operator’s Tree‑iage program.
What the day feels like
What the evening feels like
Expect a compact, social workshop: instructors lead a classroom‑style, hands‑on session in which attendees choose their tree, use provided tools to pot and trim, and receive step‑by‑step tips during an energetic two‑hour window—perfect for pairs of friends or solo beginners who want a guided craft experience.
THE SETTING
Sunnylands: A Garden with a Diplomatic Past
The workshop takes place at Sunnylands, the former winter home of ambassadors Walter and Leonore Annenberg. The 200‑acre estate, now open to the public, balances public gardens and a role as a retreat for world leaders—and provides a quietly dramatic backdrop to an evening of bonsai work.
THE WORKSHOP
Two Hours of Hands‑On Bonsai Instruction
Bonsai Bar runs a lively, beginner‑oriented session where instructors guide attendees through the steps of creating a tiny tree—selecting stock, potting, and initial styling—so you can walk away with a planted bonsai and practical know‑how.
WHAT YOU LEAVE WITH
Pot, Tools and Ongoing Tree Support
Tickets include a tree you pick and a ceramic bonsai pot; the event also provides borrowable tools (a soil bin, shears and a chop stick) and continued care support through the operator’s Tree‑iage program.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this workshop suits—and what to check before you go.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Workshops run for two hours; all materials for the session are provided by the operator.
Bring a friend and your beverage of choice if you like; the operator provides tools and a pot, and has items available to borrow for the workshop.
Ticket holders keep the tree they pick and a ceramic bonsai pot. The operator provides ongoing Tree‑iage support, and loaner tools include a soil bin, shears and a chop stick.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
Can two people share one tree/ticket?
No. Events are ticketed per person; everyone attending must have a ticket because space is limited.
Are Bonsai Bar workshops 21+?
Maybe. Most venues are family friendly and allow underage guests with a parent/guardian—check the venue’s UNDER 21 POLICY or contact the venue directly for details.
Are drink tickets included in the price of a ticket?
No. Drink tickets are not included with Bonsai Bar tickets.
When should I arrive to the event?
Please arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled event to get checked in and grab a drink; workshops start promptly as scheduled.
What's included with a ticket?
You get to keep a tree you pick and a ceramic bonsai pot, receive two hours of instruction, and have access to ongoing Tree‑iage support; the operator also provides loaner tools such as a soil bin, shears and a chop stick.
Are tools provided?
Yes. The event provides materials and has tools available to borrow—shears, a soil bin and a chop stick are listed as loaner items.