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Bonsai shops in Melbourne

Posted: January 8th, 2009, 9:52 am
by Marc
Hi Jon, I can't find it now, but I read a comment of yours a few weeks ago about your unhappy service at a bonsai shop here when you wanted to buy an olive...

It got me thinking, I wanted to say a few things to have you want to come back to the Melbourne shops again one day.

There are about 5 I go to on a regular basis, not to buy, god forbid the prices, but to browse and get motivation. I find it very lucky we love an art form that allows us free entry every time to look at our passion.

the shop in Hawthorn you mentioned is run by a husband and wife. I find the man a little eccentric, but his wife is a nice lady, not sure who you got that day, but sometimes I go for a browse and chat with her a little. She can enjoy a chat about this plant or that etc. The man i find hard to talk to, not sure why, maybe he's too busy with other thoughts somehow.

There are 4 other great shops specialising in bonsai that I know, i presume there are others but only look at these that I know.

There is another on Mahoneys Rd in Campbelfield, a Chinese couple run it. Quite OK, they can be nice, but it is run out of their house and it is probably the most amaturish of the shops I visit. I think it's called oriental Bonsai Nursery. However, a bonsai fan will always enjoy.

In Huntingdale rd Oakleigh is another called Williams Nursery. The man there Ted is an enlderly gentleman, very well respected and has a nice small yard FULL to the brim of inspiration, he and his wife can be up for a chat too. They have a few incredible ones on display too, some amazing specimens.

Then on Old Dandenong Road, Bonsai Art Nursery, a brilliant place for more inspiration and stock and display. I love it. Only had a few very short conversations with the people there, they are polite and friendly, but seem busy. Quite a large place too with a lot of pre-bonsai, large and small, and a lot of mature stock, great place.

Then the best place of all, my Bonsai Mecca, Gardenworld, Springvale road Springvale. What a place! lots on display, lots of small, medium and large, great great great!!! Prices can be unfavourable sometimes, but every now and then you can get something where "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" and grab a bargain. Not to meniton the entire complex here is very large, a big cafe is always used as it takes time to wander around and anjoy.

I'm not sure exactly if I am allowed to spruik specific shops here, however I wanted to say next time you are down, try these places if you get a chance. I thoroughly enjoy wnadering around these places given half a chance. Again, how lucky are we that we enjoy an art that has free exhibitions every day of the week!

Re: Bonsai shops in Melbourne

Posted: January 8th, 2009, 10:57 am
by Jon Chown
Hi Marc,

I think that your post is fantastic and yes you can make these sorts of comments on Businesses that you have received good service from.

The shop in question is run by a well known identity in the Bonsai World and I found him fine to talk to, although we have had more than a few talks on the forums in the past and he new of me. The real point in question which rankled my ire was when I asked for a cardboard box to pack the tree in to take on the plane – the wife was too interested in the conversation that she was having on her phone to be interested in assisting a potential customer – equals lost sale plus bad publicity and perhaps loss of future business as well.

Marc, I am really pleased that you bought this up; as I believe that there is an excellent parallel from this story to how we should treat people we meet on the forums but don’t really know. If they rub us the wrong way the first time we are apt to not give them a second chance or at worst, we bag them at every opportunity.

Just recently there was an event on this site which resulted in the loss of a member, who in my opinion had so much to offer the members of this forum. I am not privy to the previous events that resulted in this outcome, nor do I really want to know, but suffice to say the damage has been done – much like my result in the above example, I miss out on a good Olive tree and the Shop Owner misses out on a sale and income. No one wins!!!

I hope that people who take the time to read this post can understand the frustration that I feel when I see this happen on the forums (as it so often does). We must learn to accept criticism in the spirit that it is given and if we don’t like it, we must learn to ignore it and not react to it to the detriment of others who may be learning something from the discussion.

The people on this forum are just like a family – while there are lots of people in the family there are really only 15 who maintain contact on a regular basis there rest drop in from time to time and say hello. The fifteen regulars do most of the talking so it is understandable that sometimes we might say something that puts one of our brothers or sisters noses out of joint and sometimes they pack their bags and leave – it is only then that we miss them and wish that we had kept our thoughts to ourselves and our big mouths shut.

No one wins!!!

Jon

Re: Bonsai shops in Melbourne

Posted: January 8th, 2009, 11:09 am
by Steven
Great post and reviews Marc!
Thanks for taking the time to let us know about the bonsai scene in Melbourne.

Jon, wise words mate.

Regards,
Steven

Re: Bonsai shops in Melbourne

Posted: May 31st, 2009, 6:12 pm
by Macros
Hey Guys,
Great thread, I didn;t know there were a few bonsai plases in the southern region of Melbourne.
Another great couple of places are almost next door to each other in Monbulk. The first is A-Z Bonsai on Monbulk-Silvan Rd. Tim & Jane are the owners and are very approachable. Lots of stock of everything and the prices are great!!
The second is a couple of hundred meters down the road called Sashi-Eda Bonsai. They are great as well, the quality of stock is great, but the prices can be a little high some times, but like Garden World, you can pick up a bargain.
In the Dandenongs region, its a great day out looking at nurseries in the area, and plenty of small cafe style places to get a quick snack, or devinshire tea. (mmmmmmmmmmmmm)

I hope this helps? :D
Macros (cameron)

Re: Bonsai shops in Melbourne

Posted: May 31st, 2009, 6:51 pm
by daiviet_nguyen
Hi Marc,

I missed this one. The couple in Hawthorn is Mr. and Mrs. Lindsay Farr.
15 or so years ago, they used to be in Mt. Dandenong -- Bonsai Farm then.

This is the profile on Mr. Farr:

http://artofbonsai.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=1489

I must say I have found they very friendly and helpful. When I first visitted
him in Bonsai Farm, back in 1991 or so, he took me around the place. I was
very touched by the reception.

Best regards.

Re: Bonsai shops in Melbourne

Posted: June 3rd, 2009, 10:40 am
by Marc
Gents, yeah, I found the Farrs to be maybe a touch eccentric, however quite nice. Shame Jon didn't get that feedback, but that's life I guess.

Again, I must reiterate, how good is it to love an art where the art galleries are free!!!

However, I always try to buy a little something, without the shops and the professionals we'd be in trouble.

Re: Bonsai shops in Melbourne

Posted: June 3rd, 2009, 7:11 pm
by John Henry
Hi Macros, I have been visiting and buying bonsai from Sashi -Eda for many years including some of Pauls trees (previous owner) the quality of stock there now is extreamely poor, there are a few trees left there that go back to Paul Sweenys day which i consider are now beyond help , i would have loved to have them a few years ago but are now almost beyond saving but still have a price tag of $2000-$3000 it is a same to see a nursery go down hill so quickly

Re: Bonsai shops in Melbourne

Posted: June 3rd, 2009, 7:43 pm
by Elias
john m wrote:Hi Macros, I have been visiting and buying bonsai from Sashi -Eda for many years including some of Pauls trees (previous owner) the quality of stock there now is extreamely poor, there are a few trees left there that go back to Paul Sweenys day which i consider are now beyond help , i would have loved to have them a few years ago but are now almost beyond saving but still have a price tag of $2000-$3000 it is a same to see a nursery go down hill so quickly
I don't know how long Sashi-Eda will continue as they are going, I struggled to find anything there that was worthwhile, I heard it could be up for sale soon...

Re: Bonsai shops in Melbourne

Posted: June 3rd, 2009, 8:26 pm
by Macros
Hey Guys,
Thats indeed a shame, Sashi-eda was a nice place under Paul's rein, I havn't been there in over 12 months, but last time I was there, it seemed a bit different, but I put it down to poor quality pot stock.
I certainly hope that if it does get sold again, that it will be bought by some one that can give it the same dedication and zeal that Paul did. He did have a cranky manner at times, but his technique was special, and his attitude was often reprisented in his Bonsai.
I have a feeling that the Bunnings Empire might hhave something to do with the slow demise?

Thanks,
Mac.

Re: Bonsai shops in Melbourne

Posted: June 7th, 2009, 7:16 pm
by Marc
dudes, where is Sashi-eda?

Re: Bonsai shops in Melbourne

Posted: June 7th, 2009, 7:33 pm
by Kelv
Hey there Marc

I believe Sashi-Eda is located at Monbulk
(Monbulk-Silvan Road if I recall correctly)
And that would be in the Dandenongs, love that area to bits.

And a website: http://www.sashieda.com.au/

Sashi-Eda was the first bonsai nursery I had visited ^^ I remember Paul Sweeney giving me advice for my first Juniperus Squamata a few years back...
*Is nostalgic*

Re: Bonsai shops in Melbourne

Posted: June 7th, 2009, 7:42 pm
by EricB
Marc, here is the address:

413 Monbulk-Silvan Road, Monbulk

Phone 03 9756 7995

Re: Bonsai shops in Melbourne

Posted: June 9th, 2009, 9:58 pm
by Marc
Rippa, thanks guys.

Re: Bonsai shops in Melbourne

Posted: August 27th, 2009, 6:25 pm
by paddles
I stopped by both a-z and the imagination tree a mth or so ago, both have minimal stock andd what they have is very poor. Water restrictions have done A-z in so hopefully in the future things will improve. the imagination tree had fairly sick looking stock, with large price tags, that's the way some things go I guess.
I'm hoping to go for a look again within the mth, but I must have a look and see about the one that someone said was on old dandenong rd.....

sometimes, i think the location of bonsai nurseries must be a national secret, so hard to find... :roll:

Re: Bonsai shops in Melbourne

Posted: August 27th, 2009, 7:14 pm
by Jarrod
It's call bonsai art. Well worth a visit!