Meeting my bonsai neighbor

pandacular

pandacular

Masterpiece
Messages
2,138
Reaction score
4,415
Location
Seattle, WA
USDA Zone
9a
On a walk in my neighborhood, I happened upon a little patio garden with quite a few bonsai. I wasn't trying to creep on this person's home but...well it got me excited! They have a really awesome pair of trees--a lovely broad Japanese maple and a nice formal cascade juniper--on a balcony above their garage which showed me that I can learn a thing or two from them. As I live about a 3 minute walk from this place, I'd love to reach out and make a local bonsai friend.

How would you feel if someone slipped a note onto one of your benches saying "hi"? Should I send a letter in the actual post? Knock on their door? I've been over-thinking this for a few months now, but I'm kind of leaning towards the note on the bench approach (they're easily accessible and visible from an alley that we both live off of)
 
Don't be bashful or shy, go knock on their door and say hi! I have actually done this one time, and it went really well. So i'd say go for it, you never know you might pick up a good friend, or at least have a nice conversation.
 
it's silly, but I almost wanted to wait to say hi until I was more proud of my trees. Which actually has happened, but not because they're better, just because I've seen how much work they are just to look okay.

If I still lived in the Midwest, I would 100% knock on his door, but people are a little different out here. I might still get up the nerve to do it, but I think a note leaves the ball more in their court, so to say.
 
pandacular said:
If I still lived in the Midwest, I would 100% knock on his door, but people are a little different out here....
Click to expand...
Here in South Florida people can be more than just a little different. When I delivered pizza I went to the wrong door one evening and the guy answered with a gun in his hand, it wasn't even late at night, heck there were still kids playing in the street. Not too far from me someone shot a door to door meat salesman when I first moved here.

There are two bonsai neighbors I've thought about trying to talk to. One keeps some very nice, big specimens of Desert Rose, Bougainvillea and others in their front yard, they live right by the walmart too. Sometimes I want to knock on their door and tell them about when I had my tree stolen which is why I bought a fence and keep everything in the backyard now. They are the aunt and uncle of a former student of mine, he lives with them, he had learning disabilities and doesn't speak English all that well so I'm very hesitant to knock, I think it could get awkward quick.

The other one's collection was behind a privacy fence that hasn't been repaired since the hurricane. It is on the route I jog and walk frequently I keep thinking eventually I will see someone out there working on them and maybe just stop and start talking but I haven't see anyone yet.
 
SWfloirda said:
Here in South Florida people can be more than just a little different. When I delivered pizza I went to the wrong door one evening and the guy answered with a gun in his hand, it wasn't even late at night, heck there were still kids playing in the street. Not too far from me someone shot a door to door meat salesman when I first moved here.
Click to expand...
Fortunately, we don't get much of this kind of different in the city. at least not with people with permanent homes...

It's more like the socially awkward, freeze up when they meet people kind of different.
 
pandacular said:
it's silly, but I almost wanted to wait to say hi until I was more proud of my trees. Which actually has happened, but not because they're better, just because I've seen how much work they are just to look okay.

If I still lived in the Midwest, I would 100% knock on his door, but people are a little different out here. I might still get up the nerve to do it, but I think a note leaves the ball more in their court, so to say.
Click to expand...

I felt the same way when @Colorado came over to my garden a month ago! I was worried up and down about how my collection would look, especially because I admire his trees a good deal. And even though mine are unremarkable, he was super enthusiastic and polite the whole time and seemed to enjoy visiting the garden.

Granted, we had known eachother for a few months at that point, so it wasn't like slipping a note on someones bench...

I will say, that a note left discreetly could be taken as evasive and impersonal, whereas a knock on the door is direct and personal.
 
Alright, I've got it, I'm going to head over with my copy of Principles of Bonsai Design and ask if they've heard the good news.

August said:
I will say, that a note left discreetly could be taken as evasive and impersonal, whereas a knock on the door is direct and personal.
Click to expand...
What if it's a note thrown on a cool paper air-crane?
August said:
I was worried up and down about how my collection would look
Click to expand...
Honestly, I would say I've gotten over this concern entirely. Everyone starts somewhere, and if someone wouldn't understand that... well, I have enough friends.
 
pandacular said:
On a walk in my neighborhood, I happened upon a little patio garden with quite a few bonsai. I wasn't trying to creep on this person's home but...well it got me excited! They have a really awesome pair of trees--a lovely broad Japanese maple and a nice formal cascade juniper--on a balcony above their garage which showed me that I can learn a thing or two from them. As I live about a 3 minute walk from this place, I'd love to reach out and make a local bonsai friend.

How would you feel if someone slipped a note onto one of your benches saying "hi"? Should I send a letter in the actual post? Knock on their door? I've been over-thinking this for a few months now, but I'm kind of leaning towards the note on the bench approach (they're easily accessible and visible from an alley that we both live off of)
Click to expand...

I say go for it and knock on their door! You never know, you might end up with a new friend 😃
 
August said:
I felt the same way when @Colorado came over to my garden a month ago! I was worried up and down about how my collection would look, especially because I admire his trees a good deal. And even though mine are unremarkable, he was super enthusiastic and polite the whole time and seemed to enjoy visiting the garden.

Granted, we had known eachother for a few months at that point, so it wasn't like slipping a note on someones bench...

I will say, that a note left discreetly could be taken as evasive and impersonal, whereas a knock on the door is direct and personal.
Click to expand...

I had a great time visiting your garden! And it confirmed what I already suspected, which is that you are very talented and skilled with bonsai and plants. I look forward to future visits :)

Bonsai is great in itself, but it is even better when you have great friends to share it with 😃
 
I had a neighbour like this. They had a good 20-30 nice bonsai in the yard, and I would walk my dogs by and peer at the trees over the fence, hoping to one day bump into them working in the yard … then suddenly they were just gone (the house was a rental) and I so regret not meeting them!
 
pandacular said:
It's more like the socially awkward, freeze up when they meet people kind of different.
Click to expand...
I'm glad you mentioned that. In my experience, people on this side of the coast aren't used to people who are actually interested in us. More often then not, if someone approaches me out of the blue they are trying to get something out of me (good or bad).

I would say the best approach is to talk to them directly. Something along the lines of "I noticed your trees, would you like to tell me about them?"

If I found a note in my garden, I'd feel a little creeped out at first and would probably not attempt to reach out
 
Kievnstavick said:
If I found a note in my garden, I'd feel a little creeped out at first and would probably not attempt to reach out
Click to expand...
Yeah I think that's probably not the right move. It's not quite as creepy as it sounds, as their trees are right on the side of the alley, which gets a lot of traffic, but still it would be odd.

Alright, one of these days I'll get up the nerve to knock on their door.
 
pandacular said:
On a walk in my neighborhood, I happened upon a little patio garden with quite a few bonsai. I wasn't trying to creep on this person's home but...well it got me excited! They have a really awesome pair of trees--a lovely broad Japanese maple and a nice formal cascade juniper--on a balcony above their garage which showed me that I can learn a thing or two from them. As I live about a 3 minute walk from this place, I'd love to reach out and make a local bonsai friend.

How would you feel if someone slipped a note onto one of your benches saying "hi"? Should I send a letter in the actual post? Knock on their door? I've been over-thinking this for a few months now, but I'm kind of leaning towards the note on the bench approach (they're easily accessible and visible from an alley that we both live off of)
Click to expand...
The best approach is knocking on the door and being upfront lol It’s faster and easier that way.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Oddly_Aude
There's a bonsai club meeting on Monday I'm attending. First time going. Super nervous.
Replies
14
Views
363
Oddly_Aude
Oddly_Aude
D
Sergio Cuan - Zoom Meeting - Bonsai Professional and advice on aesthetic and design
Replies
1
Views
1K
MACH5
MACH5
CasAH
Owen Reich Demo at Midwest Bonsai Society Meeting
Replies
0
Views
718
CasAH
CasAH
T
Attended my 1st bonsai society meeting tonight...
Replies
1
Views
794
bonsaibp
bonsaibp
James H
Fort Worth Bonsai Society Meeting with Peter Tea
Replies
0
Views
689
James H
James H
Back
Top Bottom