AusBonsai

Browsed thro Gumtree today and noticed that Padre Pio in Annangrove is advertising a massive clearance. How massive is it? Anyone been there for the clearance?
Clearance or not, more importantly, are the trees priced? or is it still 'ask one by one and negotiate'?

Last time i was there, about 10 months ago, it was still ask for price
Doubt that will change.

Ken

Last time I was there (middle of winter) it was still an ask and negotiate basis. I doubt much has changed since then.

Saw this earlier.

At least you have some prices to go off now and it's not the chocolate wheel system....

Sent from my SM-G925I using Tapatalk

He is a great guy to chat with though. I know there is the whole non-talking between the 2 Nescis, but I think the last time I was there I talked to him for about an hour and he let my son come in and play with his family while we talked manly stuff.... like trees.... and .... pots and man stuff.

I never, ever had a bad price quoted to me, ... his prices were always very fair I thought. I just found him and his partner to be very nice and an enjoyable day to browse around and chat. Though I have the same thoughts on all the bonsai nurserymen as I have often stated previously. It is like most - once you get to know them - the visits will become very enjoyable.

Look at if from a positive. You wouldn't usually walk into Bonsai South or Ray Nesci or Megumi's and say, instead of $25 for this, would you take $20

That is true, very nice guy.
Unfortunately, I can't determine which tree I interested in when there is no price stated. You have to ask one by one. So much easier with price tag. I would not be interested in a tree with a $1000 tag when I got $200 in my pocket. I can just admire it with tears in my eyes
On the other hand, if there are priced, no need for clearance then. They will be selling quick. So many nice trees there.

Rory wrote: Look at if from a positive. You wouldn't usually walk into Bonsai South or Ray Nesci or Megumi's and say, instead of $25 for this, would you take $20

Yeah true.... and I agree, he is a really nice guy.....

Reece wrote:

Rory wrote: Look at if from a positive. You wouldn't usually walk into Bonsai South or Ray Nesci or Megumi's and say, instead of $25 for this, would you take $20

That is true. But bargaining is tiring and sometimes mentally intense. Esp when there are so many trees you like in this nursery. Been there before and found the experience physically and mentally draining.
When you are looking for starters, no problem. How expensive can that be? Get one, ask how much and pay.
For more advanced stocks, the unpredictability and uncertainty of the price is really annoying. How can you determine whether you interested in a tree when you don't know the price? I am not interested in a Bentley coupe as I can't afford it. More interested in a Mazda 3 instead. Price is the factor. Walking around with pots in your hands asking for prices is really exhausting.

May be he tag the trees with price now? Anyone had a recent visit? Don't want to drive 2 hours and spend all energy bargaining then drive 2 hours home.

I found him to be really very friendly and quite fair...

I pulled a ROR trident out of a group that had price tags on them. They had clearly been recently re-priced and he had blatantly missed the tree that I picked up. When he came over I could see that he realised he hadn't seen it when he did the re-pricing and was a little disappointed when he saw the price tag on my choice. However, without hesitation he said "I will honour that price", taking $325 for a tree that was equal to others he had priced in the $1200 range

I bought some other, smaller specimens that day that weren't priced but I thought the quotes were fair. His stock is really pretty fantastic and worth a visit. I will probably head over if I make it to the show at Ray's on the weekend.

I have no idea about the relationship between the Nesci's but find them all to be generous and likable. I would probably go to their nurseries for different things, as I would Bonsai South for other items and trees. I'm not endorsing these nurseries nor degrading other nurseries in the Sydney area, these just happen to be the 3 I visit most.

Anyway. those are my thoughts.

Cheers guys,

Ces.

True, nice trees and nice guy.
It is the price asking and negotiations that annoys me.
For his look of disappointment, don't worry. It happened to me once too when I agreed to pay what he asked without bargaining. The logic may be when you don't bargain, he thought he asked the price too low.
So remember to bargain to keep him happy.

Have been to Padre Pio previously and as others have confirmed "Mick" is a really nice guy and it's easy to strike conversation of anything bonsai related. He has some fantastic stock especially his Root Over Rock specimens. Although I understand the dilemma of those on a budget and arriving to find no price tags...$$$... Hard to know what to purchase and is a real headache having to negotiate on price... For me... No offence to the fans but somehow having to negotiate on price really just seems to take away that feeling of relaxed enjoyment when going to a bonsai nursery to purchase a tree and take it home. Hopefully Mick has added price tags recently... and then maybe we can negotiate from there.....
Just my personal experience my favourite pick of Nurserys would have to be Ray's hands down.... Great selection... Great prices... & always an enjoyable relaxing experience. Ray' and Clinton are always forthcoming with information & I always appreciate having a chat. I'm definetly happy with all of the trees that I've purchased from him....

Bonsaiforest wrote:Have been to Padre Pio previously and as others have confirmed "Mick" is a really nice guy and it's easy to strike conversation of anything bonsai related. He has some fantastic stock especially his Root Over Rock specimens. Although I understand the dilemma of those on a budget and arriving to find no price tags...$$$... Hard to know what to purchase and is a real headache having to negotiate on price... For me... No offence to the fans but somehow having to negotiate on price really just seems to take away that feeling of relaxed enjoyment when going to a bonsai nursery to purchase a tree and take it home. Hopefully Mick has added price tags recently... and then maybe we can negotiate from there.....
Just my personal experience my favourite pick of Nurserys would have to be Ray's hands down.... Great selection... Great prices... & always an enjoyable relaxing experience. Ray' and Clinton are always forthcoming with information & I always appreciate having a chat. I'm definetly happy with all of the trees that I've purchased from him....

Who is not on a budget? Remember there is a wife at home with all kinds of tortures ready.

Agree. A visit to Ray Nesci is always the most relaxing experience. One can concentrate on the trees about it species, potential, health status, and styling plan for the next few years or so, because you know the price already.

In Padre Pio, most of the time I have to figure out which tree to ask for the price as there are so many good ones. Then design a proper facial expression, speech tones when asking, then decide to bargain or not, then the strategy of bargaining. Then may be putting it back and starts the next one.

I am a fan . This guy loves trees and he has some great stock . To me half the fun of buying a tree is talking about the individual tree ,whether I can afford it or not doesn't stop me from admiring that tree . I actually find it amazing to get such personal service as to have the nurseryman spend time with me pricing the trees I had picked out . My expierance was that he left me to take my time to wander through his collection ( did I mention he has some great stock ) and then he was accommodating to talk about not just prices but his trees and stuff . After working in wholesale nurseries for most of my youth I can appreciate his efforts . I haven't been to all the bonsai nurseries but I have been to quite a few , if you haven't been here it's definitely worth a look . The bugger is ,he is only open from memory ,Tuesday and Saturday .
Cheers Sno

Sno wrote:I am a fan . This guy loves trees and he has some great stock . To me half the fun of buying a tree is talking about the individual tree ,whether I can afford it or not doesn't stop me from admiring that tree . I actually find it amazing to get such personal service as to have the nurseryman spend time with me pricing the trees I had picked out . My expierance was that he left me to take my time to wander through his collection ( did I mention he has some great stock ) and then he was accommodating to talk about not just prices but his trees and stuff . After working in wholesale nurseries for most of my youth I can appreciate his efforts . I haven't been to all the bonsai nurseries but I have been to quite a few , if you haven't been here it's definitely worth a look . The bugger is ,he is only open from memory ,Tuesday and Saturday .
Cheers Sno

Your 'half of the fun' won't be affected if his trees are tagged with price. Actually with clear pricing, you will gain the other half of fun.
I agree that if you are not intending to buy, just to admire and talk, this is the top place to go to for Bonsai enthusiasts.
The problem only starts when you finally think of buying, which is purpose of the business and the customers' visits, isn't it?
As a fan, why not convince him to put prices on his trees, then he won't need to host a massive clearance as his trees will be selling like crazy.

Hi Bonbon . The last time I went I bought 2 of the the 6 trees I enquired about and another one he is going to dig up for me next winter was a bargain . I didn't bother haggling because from what I have seen on the Australian bonsai market they were all fair prices even on the ones I didn't buy . And for me yes it is fun having the anticipation . Each to there own I guess . Did I mention he has some great stock .
Cheers Sno