Potential Collecting Trip

[Sn0W]

So a friend sent me this image today.

He said one of his neighbours is having his garden done and wants to sell these trees. He has no idea what they are and he's about 2 hours away. Not sure how set he is on prices but he was asking £40 - £50. I'm thinking if I can haggle him down a lot (preferably free) as I'll have to dig them out myself then it may be worth a trip.

What do you guys think?

 

[CWTurner]

40-50 for the lot? Might be worth it to lock up the collecting rights. Raised bed should make the collecting easier.
I say go for it! ( that's American for "I think that you should proceed")
CW

 

[rockm]

I'd take a closer look at what is there. I see only three or four plants that might be worth the effort and the money. Looks like a fair number of hinoki cypress, Alberta spruce and leggy junipers that will be nothing but a head ache...A pic of the bases of the trees would be better to make a judgment on their potential. IF the person simply wants $100 for you to remove all that, then I'd pass. He should be paying YOU to remove them, since you're paying for a pig in a poke at this point. I've found that a lot of people overvalue their landscape trees. This guy is looking to make money on something he should be paying to have done...

 

[sorce]

Score.

Just kill the no good ones.

Slow.

Sorce

 

[Dav4]

Every conifer there won't have any foliage even remotely close to the trunk because they've been hedged for years. Unless it's a yew, that means years and years of trying to get buds to pop where you need them (even a yew would take more then a few years to get there) verses grafting.... and that assumes the base and lower trunk is worth the cost plus the dig. I'd probably pass unless you want them planted in your yard...

 

[AutumnWolf13]

If it were me and I really wanted them, I would offer to dig them up and haul them off without charging him anything, but I wouldn't pay for them.

 

[Giga]

2 hours away is pretty far, there might be gold in there, but might not. I'd pass

 

[augustine]

I am with the naysayers on this one. From this view there's nothing there for bonsai. RockM is right the foliage will be very far from the trunks and correction would take years, if it could be done at all.

Nice specimens for landscape except that transplanting success is not certain. Save your money for something else.

 

[Sn0W]

Thanks for all the input. I decided against a visit. Like you said, too far for no real guarantees.