About High Water Bonsai
Our Story
In 2019, H. Drew Galloway sat down in front of his first bonsai and lost track of time. He had come to it looking for a wellness practice, something to balance the pace of running a nonprofit. What he found was an hour that felt like ten minutes, and a calm he hadn’t realized he was missing. He knew right then that he’d be doing this for the rest of his life.
The collection grew the way bonsai collections do. A few trees turned into weekends spent searching nurseries and forests for the next good piece of material. Soon Drew was bringing trees home for friends across Central Texas too, and it became clear the hobby wanted to be something bigger. His husband, Martin, took up the craft a few years later, and together they started growing their own stock.
We began growing in the nursery in 2024. In 2025, we planted our first acre of growing fields. In spring 2026, we opened our gates to the public.
Why “High Water”
The name comes from how we water. In a climate as dry as ours, wetting the soil isn’t enough. Japanese growers draw a distinction between watering low, at the soil only, and watering high, over the entire tree. We water high. The whole tree gets a drink, every time.
It’s also a nod to home. Our part of San Antonio knows high water in the other sense, too. When the rain comes here, it comes all at once.
How We Grow
Central Texas is hard on trees. The summers are long, the heat is relentless, and many bonsai species that thrive elsewhere struggle here. So we grow trees that can take it.
Texas natives are at the heart of what we do. We grow Ashe juniper, cedar elm, live oak, bald cypress, yaupon holly, and Texas persimmon. A tree that already belongs here starts ahead of the game. It’s healthier, it’s easier to care for, and it’s more forgiving while you’re still learning.
We also carry the traditional bonsai species that have earned their place in the art, including Chinese elm, Kingsville boxwood, Shimpaku juniper, Japanese black pine, and more. Every tree on our benches has proven it can handle a Texas summer.
Teaching Bonsai
Bonsai gave Drew a way to slow down, and we’d like to pass that on. Our workshops welcome people who have never touched a pair of concave cutters, as well as practitioners ready to take a tree further. You’ll leave with a tree, and with the confidence to keep it growing.
Our Community
Bonsai is better with other people. Drew serves as Treasurer of the San Antonio Bonsai Society, and we’re proud members of both SABS and the Corpus Christi Bonsai Club. Supporting the local bonsai community, and the wider community around us, is part of why we do this work.
Come Visit
We’re open every Saturday from 11am to 4pm in San Antonio. Come walk the benches, ask questions, and find the tree that stops you in your tracks.
Our Team
H. Drew Galloway
Founder & Co-Owner
Drew leads the growing, styling, and teaching at the nursery.
Martin Martinez
Co-Owner
Martin keeps everything going. Every tree at High Water stays watered, healthy, and pest-free because of him. In a Texas summer, that’s no small job.
The Bonsai Bark Brigade
Skye
Quality Control Inspector
Skye personally sniffs every new arrival and has never once approved a delivery without a thorough investigation.
Arran
Head of Security
Arran announces every visitor, every squirrel, and a few things only he can see.
Islay
Water Analyst
Islay follows the hose on every watering round and considers any puddle left behind her professional responsibility.
Let’s Chat
Have a question about a tree, a workshop, or your next visit? Send us a note and we’ll get back to you soon.
High Water Bonsai is a family-run nursery in San Antonio, growing Texas natives and traditional bonsai species built to handle our heat. Whether you’re shopping for your first tree, hunting for a specimen, or planning a private workshop for your group, we’re glad to help. No question is too basic. Every bonsai grower started with a single tree and a lot of questions, and we enjoy helping people find their footing.