Another Mirai Tree Sale in a few days

[Scorpius]

Its a bonsai tree forum after all. I would hope that if someone saw something cool that one could learn from, that they'd share it. If you've learnt something new and it would help or inspire others then youd be so enthused about it, that youd share it. here's to hoping hey

If you just spent $3000 on a top quality tree, i'd also hope youd want to show off that tree, I know I would. if youre a forum member, an active one,i'd love for you to show us that tree. many folk have really great trees, but never show them, fair enough maybe thats not their thing, but i think its a shame.

Showing off expensive trees invites theft, hence why I don't share my collection. Age we live in now.

 

[BobbyLane]

Showing off expensive trees invites theft, hence why I don't share my collection. Age we live in now.

maybe dont share your address when you post these 'trees'

its ironic you say that, but on the other hand, a large number commenting on this thread would like mirai to be a walk in garden, free and open to every tom dick n harry lol

 

[BobbyLane]

Ive sold off a lot of cool trees to people who dont use bonsai forums, dont go to shows, dont use social media. I'll likely never see them again, they'll likely never be shown much to anyone ever again and to me thats a shame.

 

[IzzyG]

Its a bonsai tree forum after all. I would hope that if someone saw something cool that one could learn from, that they'd share it. If you've learnt something new and it would help or inspire others then youd be so enthused about it, that youd share it. here's to hoping hey

If you just spent $3000 on a top quality tree, i'd also hope youd want to show off that tree, I know I would. if youre a forum member, an active one,i'd love for you to show us that tree. many folk have really great trees, but never show them, fair enough maybe thats not their thing, but i think its a shame.

Personally I come to a forum(or most enthusiast groups) with that same assumption; that we are here to share the passion, interest, collections etc. with others. Often times though, the judgement or negative assumptions (that is probably unavoidable once you hit a certain member size) just deters me from being too active. I’m sure I’m not alone.

 

[Shogun610]

Personally I come to a forum(or most enthusiast groups) with that same assumption; that we are here to share the passion, interest, collections etc. with others. Often times though, the judgement or negative assumptions (that is probably unavoidable once you hit a certain member size) just deters me from being too active. I’m sure I’m not alone.

Hmm but you purchased very expensive trees some with provenance , and you’re deterred from being active ? So you got those trees , and obviously can handle them since you bought them , so why not share ? That’s my only critique, like I have some good material thanks to the opportunity I have outside of my day job and that I hustle and have connections now… but damn … see that , that annoys me more than anything that you wouldn’t share your progress on those trees .

 

[Shogun610]

Showing off expensive trees invites theft, hence why I don't share my collection. Age we live in now.

You ought to , then we wouldn’t have to be just debating on here and could focus on your trees.

 

[leatherback]

I see what they did there. Wood fired eh?

View attachment 465174

I do not see what you mean. Can you explain for the dull people in the room?

 

[JesusFreak]

I wonder what @Walter Pall charges to visit his garden. I took my family up to Nashville to visit Bjorn’s garden for my birthday last year. It was $15 for the whole group and he was there in person. We ended up spending over $200 on trees, wire, and soil. Very nice time.

 

[Walter Pall]

I wonder what @Walter Pall charges to visit his garden. I took my family up to Nashville to visit Bjorn’s garden for my birthday last year. It was $15 for the whole group and he was there in person. We ended up spending over $200 on trees, wire, and soil. Very nice time.

Nothing, of course! What an outlandish idea to charge for seeing your garden!

 

[Shogun610]

I wonder what @Walter Pall charges to visit his garden. I took my family up to Nashville to visit Bjorn’s garden for my birthday last year. It was $15 for the whole group and he was there in person. We ended up spending over $200 on trees, wire, and soil. Very nice time.

Sounds like a nice family outing

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Personally I come to a forum(or most enthusiast groups) with that same assumption; that we are here to share the passion, interest, collections etc. with others. Often times though, the judgement or negative assumptions (that is probably unavoidable once you hit a certain member size) just deters me from being too active. I’m sure I’m not alone.

There is no such thing as a group of people that completely get along. That includes large families However I have to say that ALL of the people I have met through this site have been amazing people. And when you meet people in real life, they tend to be on better behavior than their online personas might otherwise suggest. You can't change other people so you just try to have a thicker skin. I tend to be pretty open about talking about other peoples' trees - because I tend to be very critical about my own trees. However it might rub people the wrong way - even if it isn't intended to. Always remember - they are YOUR trees. Do whatever you want! And if you like them, but other people don't, consider the source, and decide if they see something that you may not.

I tell this story all the time, but one of the things I enjoyed about our study group members in SoCal was that we would often talk about very different approaches to the same tree. I might not always do what other people suggest, but I would usually start looking at my tree with a slightly different perspective.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Nothing, of course! What an outlandish idea to charge for seeing your garden!

I was staying in Garmisch-Partenkirchen this summer and wanted desperately to reach out to see if I could arrange a visit. But my wife said if we spent our vacation looking at bonsai trees she would be very upset

 

[Walter Pall]

I was staying in Garmisch-Partenkirchen this summer and wanted desperately to reach out to see if I could arrange a visit. But my wife said if we spent our vacation looking at bonsai trees she would be very upset

You should have given it a try.

In 1989 I spent two weeks in LA for business. I had all the adresses and telphone numbers of bonsai folks in the area. Certailnly I had details how to get to John Naka's place. I had the time, I had a car, but I just did not dare to disturb such a legendary man with my mundane wish to see his garden. I did NOT call him and went home after two weeks.

How silly!

 

[IzzyG]

There is no such thing as a group of people that completely get along. That includes large families However I have to say that ALL of the people I have met through this site have been amazing people. And when you meet people in real life, they tend to be on better behavior than their online personas might otherwise suggest. You can't change other people so you just try to have a thicker skin. I tend to be pretty open about talking about other peoples' trees - because I tend to be very critical about my own trees. However it might rub people the wrong way - even if it isn't intended to. Always remember - they are YOUR trees. Do whatever you want! And if you like them, but other people don't, consider the source, and decide if they see something that you may not.

I tell this story all the time, but one of the things I enjoyed about our study group members in SoCal was that we would often talk about very different approaches to the same tree. I might not always do what other people suggest, but I would usually start looking at my tree with a slightly different perspective.

I've met a handful of people through this forum and what you've said holds true(even with other online forums); behavior always improves after meeting people in person. Other times however, it's just not worth the aggravation(ROI of time/effort) and I just keep those opportunities in person or during one-on-one conversations.

Hmm but you purchased very expensive trees some with provenance , and you’re deterred from being active ? So you got those trees , and obviously can handle them since you bought them , so why not share ? That’s my only critique, like I have some good material thanks to the opportunity I have outside of my day job and that I hustle and have connections now… but damn … see that , that annoys me more than anything that you wouldn’t share your progress on those trees .

When I first started acquiring trees for my collection, I did share them here. However I stopped after a couple posts were met with having to justify or defend my worthiness/abilities of the trees’ acquisition. Or being told that I am obligated to share progress of an acquired tree.

Bear in mind, this isn’t about being thin skinned but frankly more so not seeing the ROI to deal with such responses when the initial goal was just to share amazing trees. There are other platforms where I’ve not seen such responses and I’ve continually shared my trees there(and obviously in person).

 

[Sansokuu]

I do not see what you mean. Can you explain for the dull people in the room?

In short, someone must be smoking something to a) charge that price and b) buy it. You can buy several very excellent exhibition worthy pots by Nakano Yukizyou of the Gyouzan kiln for that kind of money.

A wonderful blog post on a Gyouzan visit by Jonas Dupuich: https://bonsaitonight.com/2017/05/12/visit-gyouzan-kiln-the-creative-containers-of-yukizyou-nakano/

And Nakano’s own website: https://gyozan-nakano-pot-store.myshopify.com/en I see his $15,000 hand made pot has sold! It was listed online last year and was still available then. Hint, to calculate U.S. prices subtract two zeros. He is Japan’s best unglazed potter and lives in the Tokoname region.
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420
/ˌfôrˈtwen(t)ē/

noun
INFORMAL•US

1. used to refer to marijuana or to the act of smoking marijuana.
   "a 420-friendly hotel"
   • April 20th (4/20), considered as an occasion for smoking or celebrating the smoking of marijuana.
     "thousands of marijuana smokers converged on Hippie Hill for the annual 420 celebration"
     
     
     
     
     

 

[Shogun610]

I've met a handful of people through this forum and what you've said holds true(even with other online forums); behavior always improves after meeting people in person. Other times however, it's just not worth the aggravation(ROI of time/effort) and I just keep those opportunities in person or during one-on-one conversations.

When I first started acquiring trees for my collection, I did share them here. However I stopped after a couple posts were met with having to justify or defend my worthiness/abilities of the trees’ acquisition. Or being told that I am obligated to share progress of an acquired tree.

Bear in mind, this isn’t about being thin skinned but frankly more so not seeing the ROI to deal with such responses when the initial goal was just to share amazing trees. There are other platforms where I’ve not seen such responses and I’ve continually shared my trees there(and obviously in person).

I think that’s a pretty weak excuse … you should post your trees . If you’re stuck people would offer their suggestions. I think it also plays into anything .. like as example getting a Ferrari as your first car when you don’t know how to drive vibe you get w a bonsai community especially ones that the greats have cared for.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Nothing negative to say about Ryan as a person. As I’ve said before I think he’s an innovator and an asset to the community. The $100 tour is just BS though. Either have it open sans (prohibitive) fee with trees and education being your product or just don’t open it to the public at all. If he doesn’t want to deal with people then he doesn’t need to make himself available. That’s understandable if your product is the classes you teach and the information you pass on. That fee though, is more elitist than anything I’ve ever heard the man say. There may be someone (or many people) who simply can’t afford that or it may be a choice between going to see wonderful trees or buying a nice piece of starter material. Those people don’t deserve entrance to the garden? If it were me I would hope to inspire everyone, not just the guy with an extra hundred bucks. I’d love to get to see Mirai but I wouldn’t throw down that kind of money unless I were there for a class and since I most likely can’t afford that I will most likely never see the inside of Mirai. Kind of a bummer.

Agreed. I subscribe to Mirai Live and have $100... but to pay to visit someone's garden takes the joy out of it. Perhaps if he doesn't want visitors, or if he is too busy, simply have limited open house days a couple of times per year(?) I hate the idea that if someone was starting out in bonsai and wanted to see something to aspire to that they have to shell out $100.

Often when I visit a garden I bring a gift. In some cases that gift is worth more than $100. But it is a gift, not a "fee", and as a gift, I expect nothing in return. I guess I just operate differently.

 

[BrianBay9]

I would hope that $100 gets credited toward any purchase made.

I always feel uncomfortable going to a "by appointment only" nursery as well. I feel some self-generated pressure to buy something to compensate for the owner's time, and typically they hover. Not a problem in a great place with known quality, but a crap-shoot for an unknown nursery.

 

[jandslegate]

There is no such thing as a group of people that completely get along. That includes large families However I have to say that ALL of the people I have met through this site have been amazing people. And when you meet people in real life, they tend to be on better behavior than their online personas might otherwise suggest. You can't change other people so you just try to have a thicker skin. I tend to be pretty open about talking about other peoples' trees - because I tend to be very critical about my own trees. However it might rub people the wrong way - even if it isn't intended to. Always remember - they are YOUR trees. Do whatever you want! And if you like them, but other people don't, consider the source, and decide if they see something that you may not.

I tell this story all the time, but one of the things I enjoyed about our study group members in SoCal was that we would often talk about very different approaches to the same tree. I might not always do what other people suggest, but I would usually start looking at my tree with a slightly different perspective.

That's what I've gained from being more active here. Other people see things I don't. Perspective matters immensely. Sometimes I may miss something because I just plain don't have it in my skill set. Other times, I may just be too focused on one detail that I miss another.

As far as the debate about charging to visit a garden; I don't have a problem with it. Bjorn doesn't charge as much but he also runs a much smaller operation as far as staffing goes. If charging more to visit the garden at Mirai helps keep it alive and kicking then it's fine with me. Personally, I still want to visit the PNW and Mirai someday. If it means I have to wait a bit longer and save a bit more then that which stands in the way becomes the way.

 

[jandslegate]

I would hope that $100 gets credited toward any purchase made.

I always feel uncomfortable going to a "by appointment only" nursery as well. I feel some self-generated pressure to buy something to compensate for the owner's time, and typically they hover. Not a problem in a great place with known quality, but a crap-shoot for an unknown nursery.

I felt that way at first when we visited
Eisei-en. As much as I would have loved to buy something it wasn't really an option at the time. Bjorn was super cool however and had no problem just chatting. I didn't even really ask too much about his trees mainly because I was so worried about asking a stupid question, lol. I suppose he is just one example and I'm sure not everyone is necessarily going to be the same.