What's the most you have ever spent on a single tree? (finished or pre-bonsai or yamadori or raw stock)

[BrianBay9]

My philosophy has become, "spend more, save time". More important the older I get.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

How I see it is there are collectors that are caretakers then there is artists that create.
Nothing wrong with admiring others vision just don't call it yours.

I agree with your point... but bonsai is an interesting exception, because it is always changing. Even if you try 100% to maintain a tree "exactly" as you bought it... it is going to change. I have enjoyed, in the past, reading Bonsai Today articles that trace the provenance of a tree back through decades... and how it looked at major shows, etc. The articles were always titled something like "Rebirth of a Masterpiece" or something similar.

I was thinking earlier today about how bonsai is very different from buying fine art, for example. If you buy an oil painting, you hang it on a wall, and perhaps in 40 years you say - I have enjoyed this but now I will sell to someone else to enjoy. With bonsai the relationship is much more intimate. There are ebbs and flows... days when the trees look their best, and days when they are not at their peak. And you can walk away from an oil painting to go on a vacation in Europe without wondering what you will return to

 

[Bonsai Nut]

My philosophy has become, "spend more, save time". More important the older I get.

My kind of man! I'm a fast driver. Do you need a chauffeur?

 

[Weta]

I agree with your point... but bonsai is an interesting exception, because it is always changing. Even if you try 100% to maintain a tree "exactly" as you bought it... it is going to change. I have enjoyed, in the past, reading Bonsai Today articles that trace the provenance of a tree back through decades... and how it looked at major shows, etc. The articles were always titled something like "Rebirth of a Masterpiece" or something similar.

I was thinking earlier today about how bonsai is very different from buying fine art, for example. If you buy an oil painting, you hang it on a wall, and perhaps in 40 years you say - I have enjoyed this but now I will sell to someone else to enjoy. With bonsai the relationship is much more intimate. There are ebbs and flows... days when the trees look their best, and days when they are not at their peak. And you can walk away from an oil painting to go on a vacation in Europe without wondering what you will return to

I agree, it's a living growing changing form of art.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I agree, it's a living growing changing form of art.

I actually know what this image is referring to. The first time I saw it I laughed and laughed... and then I thought perhaps I should be crying. But then I laughed again. The human condition

 

[ZombieNick]

Personally, I don't understand the attitude of “I’m all about doing it myself” as a rejection of nicer stock. There’s so much to do already on a nice piece of stock, and it is likely impossible to cultivate a great collection without great stock.

I completely agree. There is a misconception that paying higher prices means you are buying more finished trees, which is not always the case. Good material is expensive. You are really just buying time. How much "bonsai" are you practicing watching a trunk grow for a decade?

 

[Cadillactaste]

Personally, I don't understand the attitude of “I’m all about doing it myself” as a rejection of nicer stock. There’s so much to do already on a nice piece of stock, and it is likely impossible to cultivate a great collection without great stock.

I think it has to do with there are different avenues of the hobby per say. Some people thrive on growing from seed. Some want good bones to build on. Some like to change nursery stock into more.

At the end of the day...if what you do brings you joy. Then...it's enough. I don't try and focus on what I pay. Because...though the Hawthorn was my higher end expense. I don't see a price tag with it. I see the joy it brings me when I look at it. End of the day...that joy we find...isn't wrong. Just a different path of doing things for different people.

 

[Scorpius]

So all you people saving money by not buying expensive trees are you planning on taking it with you when you pass away?

 

[badatusernames]

I agree with your point... but bonsai is an interesting exception, because it is always changing. Even if you try 100% to maintain a tree "exactly" as you bought it... it is going to change. I have enjoyed, in the past, reading Bonsai Today articles that trace the provenance of a tree back through decades... and how it looked at major shows, etc. The articles were always titled something like "Rebirth of a Masterpiece" or something similar.

I agree with this... building bonsai and maintaining bonsai are two different skills. And growing bonsai material from scratch is an entirely different skill. But even just "maintaining" a bonsai is a process of re-imagination, they still evolve, it's its own stage of the art.

 

[Weta]

So all you people saving money by not buying expensive trees are you planning on taking it with you when you pass away?

Nup il save that money to pay the bill for passing away.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Nup il save that money to pay the bill for passing away.

And that can be expensive.

 

[Mikecheck123]

Where's the guy who bought Bjorn's trees and keeps them right next to his Ferrari and McLaren?

Cuz I wanna be that guy.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

I've bought a few $500 dollars ones. Mainly because I fell in love with them. I also paid off my car and quit smoking cigs two years ago, and I save my money. $400 a month extra with no car payment, and $250 on quitting cigs = extra $650 a month.

Nothing spectacular & way more advanced than most of mine, here's a $500 noob Larch. They probably saw me coming. Lighter is just for pics now.





Pics are from last year & it was only inside for the pics.

 

[pandacular]

I just remembered that there will be vendors tomorrow at the Shohin School seminar…stay tuned, I may have an update to come.

 

[BrightsideB]

I just remembered that there will be vendors tomorrow at the Shohin School seminar…stay tuned, I may have an update to come.

Sounds dangerous!

 

[IzzyG]

I’ve

Where's the guy who bought Bjorn's trees and keeps them right next to his Ferrari and McLaren?

Cuz I wanna be that guy.

You should come out for this Spring’s event: Boost and Bonsai. Will be pairing trees and cars. There might even be a custom built roof rack carrying a tree on top

 

[Wulfskaar]

I think if it's worth it to make you happy and you have the money, then go for it. I'm not judging anyone who wants to have a beautiful collection of show-worthy trees. I would love to have that one day.

Some of us enjoy the journey of development over long periods of time, and some of us are forced to enjoy the journey of development over long periods of time.

I wonder if anyone had done some kind of "one red paperclip" type of thing where they start off with seeds and end up with some nice trees simply through growing, improving, and trading.

 

[chicago1980]

Now let's do this for pots!

Now that would be interesting with photos.

 

[pandacular]

I’ve


You should come out for this Spring’s event: Boost and Bonsai. Will be pairing trees and cars. There might even be a custom built roof rack carrying a tree on top

This sounds awesome, and reminds of the guy who kept putting ski boxes on supercars.

Screw windswept style, I wanna see dragster swept trees!

 

[IzzyG]

This sounds awesome, and reminds of the guy who kept putting ski boxes on supercars.

Screw windswept style, I wanna see dragster swept trees!

Yea, Jon’s an actual professional skiier and a legitimate car fanatic with some awesome builds. I’m hoping we can pair up some trees and cars that share some sort of characteristic or quality to them at the event. Gonna attempt to pull the enthusiasm of the young car groups towards the Bonsai practice.