Finding Stock/Raw Material In UK

Valerie · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 11:25 pm Post subject: Finding Stock/Raw Material In UK

Hi there. I was wondering if anyone in the UK especially around the Plymouth, Devon are knew where the best place is to find good working material trees. I'm more interested in trees that are now ready for training.
Many thanks.
Take care.
Val

freezingcold

Hi Val

Garden centers would be easiest I guess for raw material especially the none chain outlets. Our none chain centers tend to have more suitable plants than the others.

I know there is bonsai place over near Newquay but I have not visited it so cannot comment.
There are also a couple further up this way near Bristol.

PS welcome to the forum

or you could try
Plymouth Bonsai Society Tel: 01752 881237
Meetings: Trinity United Reformed Church Hall, Torr Lane, Mannamead.
1st Thursday in month. 7.30 p.m.

imholte

Well you might have to wait a year or two, but collecting from the wild always provides much more raw stock in my mind. Already styled by nature and has characteristics that you cannot create from a seed.

Valerie

Thanks for the replies, your help is really appreciated.
I'll have to try and find some non chain nurseries as I'm disabled and can't walk very far. As much as I'd love to go looking in the wild for trees, unfortunately I'm unable to.

RossDas · White Belt Joined: 09 Mar 2008 Posts: 24

Neglected gardens can be a great place to find new stock.
Most will be newly germinated seedlings but I found a Flowering Cherry, a Mountain Ash, and a Cotoneaster, all of which were a few years old and nearly ready to be trained.

imholte

One of the local fast food burger joints in town just tore out all their landscaping, which included some massive junipers that would have made great bonsai if I had known. I have heard of people asking places like this if they can remove their plants as long as they replace them with smaller types.

don · Yellow Belt Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 167 Location: Devon

Have you tried Otter nurseries on the Elburton road? I'd be more than happy to drive you there as i live in Woolwell

yamadorinige

Good recommendation Don, I have been to Otter Nurseries many times. It has some good stock at reasonable prices