ghues
Omono
I was going to put this in a recent post but didn't want to sidetrack that one so:
The Pitch:
I've just acquired 5 new trees (picked them up last night) for my collection and I’d like you all to guess the price I paid and what you think of my purchases.
I’ll set it up and wet your appetite by giving you my scenario, I’m a bonsai newbie but (taking the advise of many on this site) have belonged to and helped set up a club in my area last October. I’ve purchased trees from known local Bonsai artists and clubs in the past……but unfortunately most (not all) have died on me (wrong timing/treatment of re-potting, poor winter protection etc), all of which I’m sure most of you have done too.
So you can imagine that even though I could hear Harry and others telling me that I should fork out some real bucks to get a quality tree and learn from it…I hesitated (but was definitely tempted) to buy just one tree (there were two real nice/large tridents, a bunch of big mountain Hemlocks, plums etc) …I opted to stretch my predetermined budget and went for the smaller “project trees”.
A senior club member (he’s been active in Bonsai since the late 80’s) announced to the club that he wanted to downsize his collection and would give us and his friends the first crack at them.
When we got there this last Saturday, I couldn’t believe the low prices and after about 15 minutes of mulling around talking to the other folks…..you could almost sense that a feeding frenzy was about to break out……as one fellow (that had traveled 1 ½ hours to be at the event) whispered in my ear “if you put the azalea back down on the bench it will be mine”. Then all of a sudden it was a beehive of activity and the member was having to use two wheel barrows to get the trees to peoples cars.
SORRY no pictures yet, I know, I know……….I’ll get to that tonight……AND seeing as though I don’t have a good set up….I’ll ask for some forgiveness NOW.
I picked up an Amur Maple (just based on its “winter look” as the member had showed it to us in its dormant state), a shohin azalea (just a garden variety though), a small cascade Japanese Larch, a spiraea and a large azalea that isn’t at the moment a classic bonsai but will definitely be a real classic springtime show on the patio….you know the type……the wife/partner pleaser for the evitable “you spent how much on more freaking trees”.
Till tomorrow then
Cheers Gman
The Pitch:
I've just acquired 5 new trees (picked them up last night) for my collection and I’d like you all to guess the price I paid and what you think of my purchases.
I’ll set it up and wet your appetite by giving you my scenario, I’m a bonsai newbie but (taking the advise of many on this site) have belonged to and helped set up a club in my area last October. I’ve purchased trees from known local Bonsai artists and clubs in the past……but unfortunately most (not all) have died on me (wrong timing/treatment of re-potting, poor winter protection etc), all of which I’m sure most of you have done too.
So you can imagine that even though I could hear Harry and others telling me that I should fork out some real bucks to get a quality tree and learn from it…I hesitated (but was definitely tempted) to buy just one tree (there were two real nice/large tridents, a bunch of big mountain Hemlocks, plums etc) …I opted to stretch my predetermined budget and went for the smaller “project trees”.
A senior club member (he’s been active in Bonsai since the late 80’s) announced to the club that he wanted to downsize his collection and would give us and his friends the first crack at them.
When we got there this last Saturday, I couldn’t believe the low prices and after about 15 minutes of mulling around talking to the other folks…..you could almost sense that a feeding frenzy was about to break out……as one fellow (that had traveled 1 ½ hours to be at the event) whispered in my ear “if you put the azalea back down on the bench it will be mine”. Then all of a sudden it was a beehive of activity and the member was having to use two wheel barrows to get the trees to peoples cars.
SORRY no pictures yet, I know, I know……….I’ll get to that tonight……AND seeing as though I don’t have a good set up….I’ll ask for some forgiveness NOW.
I picked up an Amur Maple (just based on its “winter look” as the member had showed it to us in its dormant state), a shohin azalea (just a garden variety though), a small cascade Japanese Larch, a spiraea and a large azalea that isn’t at the moment a classic bonsai but will definitely be a real classic springtime show on the patio….you know the type……the wife/partner pleaser for the evitable “you spent how much on more freaking trees”.
Till tomorrow then
Cheers Gman
