Bonsai article in The Age 14th March 2012

[paddles]

I like the comment at the bottom about insurance.. i mean, if the tree dies, and is insured for say... $1000- How many people would declare the tree stolen???

[Greth]

Just a journo looking for a different slant on possible art investment. I would prefer Picassos, they arent likely to drop dead if someone forgets them in a heatwave.
If you want to see more realistic and truthful writing about bonsai in the media, then take a pen in one hand, paper in the other... Even then, face it, how often do we get complete consensus on any topic in this forum without ifs buts and maybes?

[pasquale]

I've never met Thor but I have been to his nursery a few times and I would recommend it for a visit. They have some beautiful, well maintained trees, including natives. His style is a little different, for instance, I think he mainly uses clip and grow and avoids wire. His style reminds me of the Koreshoff's and it is probably significant that like Vita Koreshoff, he was first introduced to bonsai as a European child in China. Being located in Woollahra, his shop is targeted at a high end clientelle so there are a lot of finished or nearly finished trees. It's not a place to go for inexpensive starters. Thor seems to be expert at self promotion, he probably gets more mainstream media coverage than any bonsai grower in Australia. It was he who was going to creat the first bonsai with a Wollemi pine - that 'event' has been discussed here in another thread.
I agree, the article was pretty silly but there are people out there who will pay big bucks for bonsai that are created by others. The article was also in the Sydney Morning Herald and in the print version the tree actually was a JBP.

[Bretts]

Ye all need to sit back, relax and take a toke off the ole peace pipe.

Thor is casual and this article wouldn't even make it onto media watch

[Bretts]

Here is a bonsai article worth getting ya knickers in a knot over.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2 ... intcmp=122

[Scott Martin]

Yep, short term gains at a massive cost. Yamadori collection really does have it's issues. Don't get me wrong some of the best trees (and most valuable) i have seen have been collected trees but as one of the very senior members of my club mentioned to me, how many get collected that don't survive?

That's why there's rules and regulations, which may appear strict, in Australia that are definitely there for a reason. Just like our importation of trees, sure would be great to have a lovely tree from overseas in the collection, but do you want to be the one to introduce a 'nasty' into our great country?

[daiviet_nguyen]

Here is a bonsai article worth getting ya knickers in a knot over.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2 ... intcmp=122

In regard to environmental destruction in Vietnam -- the author has got it just right!

Everything in Vietnam in the verge of extinction. Except off course for the 3 million VC x#$%heads!

The new rich over there they want big trees, the bigger the better; I have seen some of those trees on some of the Vietnamese forums!

Some people over there still live off the garbage dumps, yet some of the elder high ranking commies or rich bought coffins made out of precious timber such as ebony!

The Cúc Phương National Park in the central province of Ninh Bình, home of some of biggest and oldest trees still survived managed by a German national! Funded by funds that raised from European countries! And no doubt Australia!

Nothing good come from the communist. They should be eradicated and exterminated!

[simonvallone]

Let's just hope he hasn't received to much hate mail if anything he makes Thor sound bad. Selling bonsai for $10 000 I havnt come across any that expensive the most iv seen is for $5000 and well it wasn't selling. That white pine that sold for 1.2 million if it was mine I dont know if i could of let it go being in the family for so long it would of been priceless but then they might of needed the money and I suppose we all have our price but i wouldn't be able to sleep at night worring that its being neglected

[Mojo Moyogi]

Serious about the theft issue...

Funny article though....

Cookie cutter journalism?

Cheers,
Mojo