Nigel saunders bonsai zone [unpopular opinion]

[Bravura Bonsai]

I hate nigel because i started watching his videos and thought i had found a normal guy just doing normal bonsai diy at home. Even his hair is homely like he doesnt care.

But hes a fake. He may even be doing his hair like that just to get views and create the perception that he is an average joe. Lately his videos are just clickbait, long for no reason, not bonsai related. He does buidling projects and works on his greenhouse and little models for his plants but he actually never takes care if the plants.

I saw a video where he recently pruned an apple tree that was long overdue. It was too overgrown and he didnt eveb style it. Just cut it back. For the 10th time. He doesn't design or do bonsai he just cuts the trees and talks a big talk about the future of the tree, which will obviously never come. Its funny to see how clever he thinks he is. Today he updated a video on cedar clumps. He didnt even do anything to the tree. He did though show us a pine and a group of maples which were so pot bound he had no choice but to deal with it. He clearly doesnt care about those trees anymore and i feel bad for the trees.

Mostly i feel bad for myself for thinking he was not part of the youtube system that only cares about making videos to play us those ads. I have no doubt in my mind that within the next month nigel will upload a non bonsai related video. I unsubscribed a long time ago and i click through his videos. Its such a shame. A senseless waste for a man to have such a large following and be wasting peoples time instead of using his platform to show us some cool trees.

Tl;dr: sick of nigel saunders bonsai zone for neglecting his trees and wasting my time

 

[sorce]

You just like his hair!

Welcome to Crazy!

I don't believe Nigel is that evil.

Sorce

 

[Cadillactaste]

I'm not a huge fan of his...but finding the old me again. I hate seeing bad in people. I feel he feeds a certain audience..just as Mallsai brings ones into the hobby. We were given "free will"... so, what we have here is you've outgrown him and you find him shockingly less ideal. That also isn't a bad thing. So...that means, you just don't tune into his YouTube channel. You've outgrown it. Look at it as the growing part of your journey.

 

[badatusernames]

I said this about Peter Chan and I’ll say it here, I think it was useful to watch Nigel as I was getting off the ground as he does talk about the horticulture a bit, as well as how a plant can grow after it’s been pruned. Heck, sometimes I’ll still flip through - you definitely learn what happens when things are cut!

Helped it seem less scary and it’s a high level look at some stuff that seems common sense to folks who already know.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Rather than say Nigel is bad at what he does, I would rather say that what he does is not for me. I happen to enjoy Ryan Neil. There are some people who don't like him as much, though I don't think that anyone would suggest that he doesn't have the experience. Rather they don't like his style, or personality, or the way he presents concepts - which is exactly why I like him!

Nigel has a lot of followers because he is very approachable. I think sometimes people just enjoy hanging out on YouTube and watching an approachable person go about their lives - doing random stuff. It gives them a break from everyday stress and drama. After all, no one is forcing you to watch his videos

 

[Crazy Diamond]

I hate nigel because i started watching his videos and thought i had found a normal guy just doing normal bonsai diy at home. Even his hair is homely like he doesnt care.

But hes a fake. He may even be doing his hair like that just to get views and create the perception that he is an average joe. Lately his videos are just clickbait, long for no reason, not bonsai related. He does buidling projects and works on his greenhouse and little models for his plants but he actually never takes care if the plants.

I saw a video where he recently pruned an apple tree that was long overdue. It was too overgrown and he didnt eveb style it. Just cut it back. For the 10th time. He doesn't design or do bonsai he just cuts the trees and talks a big talk about the future of the tree, which will obviously never come. Its funny to see how clever he thinks he is. Today he updated a video on cedar clumps. He didnt even do anything to the tree. He did though show us a pine and a group of maples which were so pot bound he had no choice but to deal with it. He clearly doesnt care about those trees anymore and i feel bad for the trees.

Mostly i feel bad for myself for thinking he was not part of the youtube system that only cares about making videos to play us those ads. I have no doubt in my mind that within the next month nigel will upload a non bonsai related video. I unsubscribed a long time ago and i click through his videos. Its such a shame. A senseless waste for a man to have such a large following and be wasting peoples time instead of using his platform to show us some cool trees.

Tl;dr: sick of nigel saunders bonsai zone for neglecting his trees and wasting my time

So, where are your trees? where are your yt chanel? I guess they are way better than this right? You are just a troll a keyboard bonsai master. By the way those are old photos the trees have developed really nice over the years as you can see in his videos

 

[IsaM]

Think that’s very harsh. He might not be for you but lots and lots of people clearly enjoy what he does, to call him a fake and imply his videos are all click bait isn’t fair. “Hate” is such a strong word. It amazes me that you can muster up hate for someone doing something so inoffensive on YouTube. Maybe just switch off and calm yourself down?

 

[Forrestford]

Hate is a strong word there, guy. I do admit his new “vlog” style videos arnt for me so I don’t watch them. Every now and then I’ll click through to see how some of his trees are. He’s got good progress videos through out the year. His trees and style make him happy what’s wrong, with that? I don’t think he’s fake like you said. Just a quirky guy who loves his tress.

 

[Bnana]

If you don't like his clips, just stop watching them.

 

[Snorlax99]

I like his content, and I like that he posts what he wants to post. If I don't like a video or channel, I just stop watching it. Maybe do that instead of lambasting someone you don't know?

 

[Eckhoffw]

I watch just to see what 3D printed things he’ll be showing us. Also like his pet squirrel.
Nigel, Peter, Ryan, Bjorn, and etc. are all interesting in their own way. IMO.
I enJoy personalities, and pick up different things from each.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I like Nigel..

I LOVE Nigel’s hair!

i used to watch much more... it was more he was a digital friend, and I liked checking in on him and his trees... I realized, very early on, that he didn’t PUSH the “bonsai technique” too far and was mostly Lin-nan without directional wiring...and my technique “dives” would soon surpass his “comfort zone”

Now I have different “digital friends” with trees I like to “check in on”..

And you guys talk BACK.

 

[badatusernames]

Rather than say Nigel is bad at what he does, I would rather say that what he does is not for me. I happen to enjoy Ryan Neil. There are some people who don't like him as much, though I don't think that anyone would suggest that he doesn't have the experience. Rather they don't like his style, or personality, or the way he presents concepts - which is exactly why I like him!

Nigel has a lot of followers because he is very approachable. I think sometimes people just enjoy hanging out on YouTube and watching an approachable person go about their lives - doing random stuff. It gives them a break from everyday stress and drama. After all, no one is forcing you to watch his videos

Yeah. Great example. I moved on to Neil / Bjorn once I discovered them after Nigel, and had a better foundation to understand what them was talking about at all because of Nigel.

Now I'm at the point where I feel like Neil goes a little too far into the weeds - which is great, we need that, but I feel like the way he looks at it and the way he looks at challenges isn't for me, at least for now. I lean more Bjorn, I feel like it's less science and more soul if that makes sense (though I'm sure that turn of phrase would irritate people, I don't mean it as severe as it sounds).

I remember one night after singing up for Mirai I had been all excited to settle in for a talk on bonsai pots, to look at bonsai pots, just a pretty, interesting, in depth look at the history and art, how to think about shapes and colors and how they go with different trees with lots of visual examples. Dude gets up and is like "ok, we're going to spend two hours grinding in front of a white board" and I was like "no we aren't" *click*

 

[HorseloverFat]

Yeah. Great example. I moved on to Neil / Bjorn once I discovered them after Nigel, and had a better foundation to understand what them was talking about at all because of Nigel.

Now I'm at the point where I feel like Neil goes a little too far into the weeds - which is great, we need that, but I feel like the way he looks at it and the way he looks at challenges isn't for me, at least for now. I lean more Bjorn, I feel like it's less science and more soul if that makes sense (though I'm sure that turn of phrase would irritate people, I don't mean it as severe as it sounds).

I remember one night after singing up for Mirai I had been all excited to settle in for a talk on bonsai pots, to look at bonsai pots, just a pretty, interesting, in depth look at the history and art, how to think about shapes and colors and how they go with different trees with lots of visual examples. Dude gets up and is like "ok, we're going to spend two hours grinding in front of a white board" and I was like "no we aren't" *click*

Yes!

And see, me, conversely... I LOVE “lecture-style”.,

Aaand I can also understand where you’re coming from with the “Bjorn” “Soul” comment...

Everyone is different.. and for SOME, whiteboard-style-stuff IS “passionate” and “soul”

For some, spending time getting to know the plant’s energies and personality, very.. “organically”.. is “the way to go”...

Personally... I love it all...

Room... for..... ALL!

 

[IsaM]

Yeah. Great example. I moved on to Neil / Bjorn once I discovered them after Nigel, and had a better foundation to understand what them was talking about at all because of Nigel.

Now I'm at the point where I feel like Neil goes a little too far into the weeds - which is great, we need that, but I feel like the way he looks at it and the way he looks at challenges isn't for me, at least for now. I lean more Bjorn, I feel like it's less science and more soul if that makes sense (though I'm sure that turn of phrase would irritate people, I don't mean it as severe as it sounds).

I remember one night after singing up for Mirai I had been all excited to settle in for a talk on bonsai pots, to look at bonsai pots, just a pretty, interesting, in depth look at the history and art, how to think about shapes and colors and how they go with different trees with lots of visual examples. Dude gets up and is like "ok, we're going to spend two hours grinding in front of a white board" and I was like "no we aren't" *click*

Haha, this cracked me up. Have also been on the journey from Peter Cham/Nigel Saunders to Mirai.

Am relatively new in my bonsai journey so some of the Mirai videos on the basics like wiring and design by species have been invaluable. My heart does sink a bit when I click on a video and the whiteboard pops up

 

[HorseloverFat]

The martian soil experiments are extraordinary, also.

 

[leatherback]

Ah well, opinion are like A-holes..

I never liked the work Nigel does. Too wishiwashi for me. But then again, I find him better than the sphagnum moss guy.

 

[Njyamadori]

I’m a beginner and I prefer to watch Peter Chan , Bjorn , or Ryan Neil over him because I feel like Nigel just has boring content and doesn’t really teach that good .

 

[leatherback]

Ah well, opinion are like A-holes..

I never liked the work Nigel does. Too wishiwashi for me. But then again, I find him better than the sphagnum moss guy.

before people ask..

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkU2IZloBHhpCTmLzONpdwQ/videos

e.g.,

 

[Flowerhouse]

I've never watched a Nigel video, but gotta say I love the guy. The hair is great. Also, once in a while I see him making positive and supportive comments on the non-bonsai youtube content I follow. Whether you like his methods or not, he's a good guy.