🌱 Calling Bonsai Enthusiasts from Singapore & ASEAN 🌱

[fir_chan]

Hi everyone,

I’ve noticed there may be quite a few Bonsai Nuts from our Little Red Dot (Singapore) as well as friends across Southeast Asia (ASEAN) who might be reading, learning, and quietly lurking here. I thought it would be wonderful to gather, connect, and start building a small community where we can share encouragement, positivity, and knowledge that’s specific to our region.

A little about myself to get things started:

I’m Jonathan, and my fascination with bonsai goes back about 40 years, when my father brought home a bonsai (I believe it was a Shui Mei). Although I never found out what happened to that tree, it left a lasting impression on me.

Life then took me on other adventures—I worked in banking, traveled extensively, and spent much of my free time as an avid adventure biker. But in 2023, when my first child was born, I slowed down to spend more time at home with family. That shift gave me the space to finally start my own bonsai journey, and in 2025 I officially became a Bonsai Nut!

As I dive deeper into this hobby, I realize that caring for bonsai in Singapore (and much of ASEAN) comes with unique challenges:

• Most of us live in apartments with limited space and little direct sunlight.
• Our climate and conditions don’t always match the advice in books or forums that are often written for temperate regions.

Yet I believe—with creativity, technology, and shared experience—it is possible to make bonsai a rewarding and realistic hobby here, even in small apartments.

I’d love to hear from others in Singapore or across ASEAN:

• How do you care for your bonsai in our climate and living spaces?
• What has worked (and what hasn’t)?
• What stories—successes or struggles—can you share to help others learn?

Let’s build a thread that brings together our regional experiences and makes bonsai more accessible for everyone in our part of the world.

Looking forward to meeting more of you from Singapore and ASEAN!

— Jonathan

 

[Phucshimpaku]

Hello, I’m from Vietnam, and perhaps I belong to the group you mentioned. I started collecting and styling my first trees back in 2000. Now that I’ve moved to the city, most of the trees I collected in the past have become landscape trees, or some have grown huge and old in pots. In Da Nang city, I’m now building a new garden of mine, mostly with Shohin, to make it more suitable.
Very nice to meet you.

 

[fir_chan]

Nice to

Hello, I’m from Vietnam, and perhaps I belong to the group you mentioned. I started collecting and styling my first trees back in 2000. Now that I’ve moved to the city, most of the trees I collected in the past have become landscape trees, or some have grown huge and old in pots. In Da Nang city, I’m now building a new garden of mine, mostly with Shohin, to make it more suitable.
Very nice to meet you.

View attachment 614622

Nice to meet you, Phucshimpaku!!

I have never been to DaNang yet but will visit someday hopefully soon!

I am married to a Vietnamese wife and her hometown is in Quy Nhơn , her family currently lives in LaGi , Binh Thuấn.

We are both currently in Singapore.

I see your trees from your photos are amazing on how you have so many different varieties. Maybe when I visit DaNang, will drop by for CaPhe !

I am glad to meet you here on BonsaiNut !!

 

[Phucshimpaku]

That’s truly amazing. If you come here, don’t hesitate to have a cup of coffee I also have quite a few other mini trees. This picture is currently the best one I could find on my laptop.

 

[fir_chan]

That’s truly amazing. If you come here, don’t hesitate to have a cup of coffee I also have quite a few other mini trees. This picture is currently the best one I could find on my laptop.


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Yeah…. Gotta visit and since now there is a reason to head to DaNang.

Seem you have a really nice rooftop setup going there!

The last couple of weeks has been rather rainy and cloudy. Hope the Sun shines through soon!!!

Stay in touch!