Illuminated bonsai at the Oakland Autumn Lights Festival

Each fall, the Gardens at Lake Merritt host the Autumn Lights Festival. The event is a fundraiser for the seven-acre garden in Oakland’s Lakeside Park.

Held over three evenings, the event attracts thousands of visitors of all ages. More than five thousand made it to the Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt to see trees illuminated by the festival lights. Here are some highlights.

Coast redwood

Trident maple

Ginkgo

California juniper

Japanese maple

Cascade juniper

Root over rock trident maple

The GSBF Convention in Sacramento is open now!

The GSBF Convention 41, Creativity in Flight, is now running at the McClellan Conference Center in Sacramento, California. This year’s convention will spotlight headliners Suthin Sukosolvisit, Bjorn Bjornholm, and special guest Yasuo Mituya. The event features the workshops, demonstrations, and exhibits the convention is known for, as well as an expanded vendors area. I’ll be vending at the event with trees, tools, and supplies. If you can make it to the convention, stop by and say hi!

For registration, directions, and more information, see the event website here.