Well, I'm in Georgia, Boon is in California. 2000 miles away. I go there 3 times a year.
I've bought several trees either from Boon, or other members of his club there in the SanFrancisco area. These are generally not small trees that are easily shipped. I have brought shohin trees back with me on the plane.
Some trees are rather highly refined. You don't want to pack those and have them shipped by FedEx or UPS. They would have to be crated.
So... It's easier to leave them at Boon's. I'm there at the time of year they need to be worked, and Boon is there for additional guideance.
I have been thinking about how I'm going to get them home...
Marie, when you take the Intensives at Boon's you work on Boon's trees. Or sometimes, you work on trees of Boon's clients if the client had granted Boon permission to use them. Boon, of course uses his judgment about assigning a student to the tree.
I remember when I was first assigned the job of decandling and needle pulling and thinning one of John Kirby's trees. I was honored that Boon had decided I now had the skills to do it without messing up the tree, and I also felt the stress of responsibility of working on someone else's fine bonsai! It was quite the rite of passage!
When I was there last time, he gave another student the task of working on one of my trees! It was kinda fun for me to see the look in his face as as I'm sure he felt the same stress as I had felt! He did a fine job, by the way! And I thanked him for the job well done!
After I had completed the first year of the three year program, and I knew I wanted to continue, I felt it just made sense to aquire some trees to keep at Boon's to use in my classes. So, over the years, I've bought a few.
I am bringing 3 nice trees home this fall. One of my trees is going in the National Show in Rochester. Several trees from Boon's garden will be going, so we've arranged for a truck to take those trees from California to Conneticut a couple weeks before the show, then on to Rochester for the show. I'll take advantage of the truck to bring two other trees home at that time. I'll drive up to Rochester, and bring my trees home from there. The other California trees will be returning after the show.