Thank you William Valavanis!

Brian Van Fleet

Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Messages
13,959
Reaction score
45,886
Location
B’ham, AL
USDA Zone
8A
I have been an off-and-on subscriber of International BONSAI, and regularly go back to the issues I have. Last week, I ordered plants from William Valavanis for the first time and I was pleasantly surprised by what arrived today. I ordered Stewartia described as 6”-15” bare-root seedlings; to stick in the ground and forget about for a few years. The trees that I received were much bigger than expected, and I wanted to say thanks Bill! I’m very much looking forward to growing these on and sharing photos along the way.
 

milehigh_7

Mister 500,000
Messages
4,920
Reaction score
6,096
Location
Somewhere South of Phoenix
USDA Zone
Hot
I have been an off-and-on subscriber of International BONSAI, and regularly go back to the issues I have. Last week, I ordered plants from William Valavanis for the first time and I was pleasantly surprised by what arrived today. I ordered Stewartia described as 6”-15” bare-root seedlings; to stick in the ground and forget about for a few years. The trees that I received were much bigger than expected, and I wanted to say thanks Bill! I’m very much looking forward to growing these on and sharing photos along the way.

I would like to pile on and express my thanks for the quality of plants that I got from Bill and also the privilege of speaking with Diane Valavanis on the phone and over email. What a pleasure to do business with these fine people.

I ordered 10 prunus mume from them and they are very nice. I will post pictures tomorrow.
 

milehigh_7

Mister 500,000
Messages
4,920
Reaction score
6,096
Location
Somewhere South of Phoenix
USDA Zone
Hot
As Promised here are some pics. Not the best quality as they were taken with my phone.

The first set is like the excitement of Christmas morning!!!

5 prunus Mume 'Bonita' and 5 prunus Mume 'Hokkai Bungo', are those buds? I think so!!! :D
 

Attachments

  • bvZ5h.jpg
    bvZ5h.jpg
    63.3 KB · Views: 126
  • IMG_20110202_200840.jpg
    IMG_20110202_200840.jpg
    39.7 KB · Views: 110
  • iScUf.jpg
    iScUf.jpg
    70 KB · Views: 111
  • YofMY.jpg
    YofMY.jpg
    76 KB · Views: 98

milehigh_7

Mister 500,000
Messages
4,920
Reaction score
6,096
Location
Somewhere South of Phoenix
USDA Zone
Hot
p. mume all settled in

Here there are in there new homes and looks like I may have a few ume flowers this year! Those little guys in the background are my helpers Jack and Caleb.
 

Attachments

  • 70Wup.jpg
    70Wup.jpg
    177.5 KB · Views: 116
  • vZqnw.jpg
    vZqnw.jpg
    101.6 KB · Views: 103
  • PQnOT.jpg
    PQnOT.jpg
    98.3 KB · Views: 111

Bill S

Masterpiece
Messages
2,494
Reaction score
28
Location
Western Massachusetts
USDA Zone
5a
Bills rep is great for the seedlings he sells, the stewartias are pretty cool trees for bonsai.

He is usually at MABS with a good selection of stock, and more advanced trees as well, those magazines too.
 

namnhi

Masterpiece
Messages
2,595
Reaction score
4,550
Location
Houston TX
USDA Zone
8b
I also very happy with the plants I received from Bill last week. Emails are responded very quickly.
NamNhi
 

jquast

Chumono
Messages
521
Reaction score
374
Location
San Jose, CA
Flowering Cherry

Here are some photos of the Prunus Serrulata "Kwanzan" cuttings that I received from Bill about two weeks ago.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0655.jpg
    IMG_0655.jpg
    195.8 KB · Views: 80
  • IMG_0656.jpg
    IMG_0656.jpg
    187.8 KB · Views: 79

bonsaiTOM

Mame
Messages
210
Reaction score
1
Location
Cedarville, NY, USA
USDA Zone
4
Did anyone get any of Bill's Japanese Red Pine yet? I ordered mine for late March delivery. But now I'm getting so anxious - I can't stand it !!! :D
 

bonsaiTOM

Mame
Messages
210
Reaction score
1
Location
Cedarville, NY, USA
USDA Zone
4
Trevor, Are your trees getting thru this wild upstate winter OK? Snowbound? or happy, but frozen, in the garage?
 

Brian Van Fleet

Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Messages
13,959
Reaction score
45,886
Location
B’ham, AL
USDA Zone
8A
"You're welcome"
"Glad you like the plants"
"Thanks for supporting"
"Appreciate the shout-out"

Just a few potential responses...?
 

Mark

Mame
Messages
150
Reaction score
166
Bill left for Japan and the Kokufu-ten earlier this week and was very busy with the magazine and also arranging teaching trips including one to South Africa and another to Australia. I know he appreciates his friends and customers and I am sure you will hear from him when he returns.

Mark
 
Messages
584
Reaction score
3,244
Location
Rochester, NY USA
USDA Zone
5-6
Hi Brian,

Thanks for ordering the plants and am so pleased you liked them, and potted them correctly too. It was kind to show others what kind of plants we offer, many are sold out now too.

It was kind of difficult for me to respond to your post since I was "somewhere in the Friendly Skys of United" over the US and Pacific. My small bonsai tour and I just landed in Tokyo where we will attend the opening ceremony for the 85th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition (National Bonsai Exhibition) on Sunday morning.

Good luck with your new bonsai starter plants, keep up the good work!

Bill
 

yenling83

Omono
Messages
1,047
Reaction score
1,426
Location
Nipomo, CA
Hi Brian,

My small bonsai tour and I just landed in Tokyo where we will attend the opening ceremony for the 85th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition (National Bonsai Exhibition) on Sunday morning.



Bill


AHHHHHH!!!!!!! Wish I was there so badly. Next year I'm there. Have fun Bill! I got some ume cuttings from you and they were great as well. thanks
 

Bill S

Masterpiece
Messages
2,494
Reaction score
28
Location
Western Massachusetts
USDA Zone
5a
Ok where is the drooling icon hiding?:D

One of these days Alice, one of these days, I going on one of those tours. :cool:
 

Brian Van Fleet

Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Messages
13,959
Reaction score
45,886
Location
B’ham, AL
USDA Zone
8A
Bill, thanks for saying something, good customer service means a lot to me. You've done more for the bonsai community than I'll ever hope to, and I respect that as well. Maybe one day, I'll be sending one of those Stewartia back to Rochester for a Bonsai National Exhibition!

Have a great time at Kokufu.

Regards,
Brian
 

Mojosan

Mame
Messages
240
Reaction score
3
Location
Northern Idaho
USDA Zone
6
Has anyone received any pre-bonsai pines from Bill this year? I ordered one in January, and thought it would have shipped by now. I did not know that Bill left the country ( explains lack of email response).
 
Top Bottom