Peter Olson
Peter oversees the care, styling, development, and seasonal maintenance of one of New England’s largest and most diverse bonsai collections. He has practiced bonsai for more than 12 years and has worked professionally in the field since 2020.
Energetic, approachable, and grounded in the “why”
Peter makes complicated bonsai techniques easier to understand. He especially enjoys working with students who are beginning to see bonsai as more than simply keeping a small tree alive — helping them understand how horticulture, timing, structure, and design all work together.
Students can expect practical instruction, clear explanations, honest feedback, and plenty of hands-on involvement. Peter does not want students to simply follow a series of steps. He wants them to understand why a branch is being removed, why a tree is being repotted, or how a wiring decision will influence the tree’s future.
“The introductory classes often have the most excited people in the room. Everything is new, and you can see them beginning to understand what bonsai can become.”
— Peter Olson
What Peter teaches
Three trees he keeps coming back to
Study, practice, and daily hands-on work
Peter studied with Japanese bonsai professional Jun Imabayashi and has also worked with internationally recognized bonsai artist Boon Manakitivipart. He is an instructor with the Kaikou School of Bonsai and teaches workshops and demonstrations throughout New England.
At Bonsai Outlet, Peter works directly with customers through private tutorials, tree evaluations, styling sessions, repotting, and the continued development of privately owned bonsai.
Two private events, and a story he loves to tell
Peter has hosted two private bonsai events for Martha Stewart, sharing his knowledge and helping introduce guests to the art of bonsai.
He remains very proud of the experience — and talks about Martha often enough that it has become part of the Peter Olson experience. If you see Peter, ask him how Martha is doing.
Peter’s work does not end when a class is over
Every day at Bonsai Outlet, he is evaluating growth, correcting structure, responding to seasonal changes, and making decisions that may take years to fully reveal themselves.
That daily experience shapes the way he teaches. Students leave with more than a tree that was worked on during class. They leave with a better understanding of what the tree needs next, what to watch for, and how to continue developing it at home.
Hands-on, welcoming, and grounded in real-world practice
Peter brings the same care and attention to a student’s first tree that he brings to mature material in the Bonsai Outlet collection. Whether the subject is basic care, wiring, repotting, conifer development, or advanced styling, his objective remains the same: help students become more confident, observant, and capable bonsai practitioners.