HI
I am Italian born and lived more than half of my life in Switzerland

The main problem is that most of Italians speak poorly foreign languages mostly
german or spanish
and English is not very much pushed in school even if programs are excellent ( by
personal experience)
I follow the Italian Bonsai NG as well here, and I was wondering who were these
3 compatriots or maby 2 as I coudl be one of the3 posting here..
I know very little of the Italian Bonsai scene.
In Switzerland Bonsai craze is almost over most of garden centers that had
some nice stuff few years ago moved to mallsai sales but still at fairly hight
price for their quality . and very little as variety .. they have mainly
carmonas of Ficus or some japanese maples but just coming out of the growing
fields nice trunks sometimes but all has to be built up and will be 10 years
before having something nice! ( can show picture of one I just bought and that had
borers ) prices mine in a garden center sort of supermaklet chain was 150$ the
same in an better garden center same size. varietey . and round pot color , an
soil ( pozzolana ) was
350$ up to 500$


20 years ago when I started with Bonsai I run into some selling points in Milano
and I was really astounded by the high quality and perfection of the goods they
were selling .. & teh size of them .. stuff ranging from 5-6-8 k us$
Few years ago I was again in Milano at Parabiago the only amazing things were
high prices for small stuff
a GoyoMatsu pentaphilla in a 5 gallon plastic container about 4-5 ft tall was
800 us .....
I could have bought a cape gardenia I found near Penny Station in a small
bonsai shop in NY for 55$ and the same in Parabiago was over 250$ few months
later .. & same size
I never have been to shows and so on ,there are so many but I have heard that the
Italian Bonsai scene is quite of quality.. but I wish to see with my eyes before
agree.
In the last 7 years, the quality sunk, what is offered in different selling
points today is in my opinion the best of what might have been considered the
worse only 7 years ago ..
Actually I buy stock from garden centers for 25 -35 us $ and is quite
reasonable but for instance a Desojojo maple in a gallon contaner a real mess
just good for the plain soil garden as bushy goes 120 -150 us$ for 4-5 ft
size

Theo


Iris Cohen wrote:

Italy which probably is the no 1 bonsai country
in Europe at the moment has only three members.

As far as I know, there are bonsai newsgroups in Italian, French, and Spanish.
Probably others we don't hear about. Also, I believe there is at least one UK
newsgroup, which would make sense, because their climate conditions, plant
availability, & other considerations are quite different from ours. And believe
it or not, the language is not the same. I thought I was losing it a few years
ago when some Europeans in another newsgroup insisted on calling Alcis alcis an
elk instead of a moose. When I protested that an elk is Cervis elephas, they
said no. I forget what they call it over there.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

--

* Think like an Alien &discovery your own planet*