G'day Rockm,
Fool'n around aside, I know we think we live on the same planet, but someone has to at long last come up with the facts, we don't.
Holland is well worth the visit, is a tiny pocket country, would fit into a corner of any Australian farm worthy of the name and not even be noticed.
Holland is awash with trees, let's go so far as to say of almost every species available, on this planet at least. While to you $200 appears to be a pittance over here it's close to be nearer to being BIG BUCKS. Sure ya hears of trees that run into the many 1000s of euros, but these are the EXCEPTION and not the rule of thumb.
While you can pick up neat little Japanese imports, eg., A Tamarix 12cm high for a 170 euro, but at the same time you can go to almost any garden center here and pick up a respectable Tamarix starter for about 20 euro, so it appears to me that you don't seem to know the difference between our two lands, and then again over here [well at least for me, personally] I always get huge reductions added on as well.
Only this last week I was taken to two bonsai dealers, A was Chinese, B was Dutch, A was selling LARGE Chinese Bonsai Junipers for 100 euros, while B was selling the same/similar between 2000 to 4000 euro, so who can figure that one out.
Cutting trees down in nurseries is the norm' over here, so almost everybody goes about with a pair of secateurs in his pocket, and why not and why are you so surprised.
The bonsai planet is, so it seems, is split into two halves, #1. the American way, and #2. the rest of the world....so go figure dude.
Much respect, and friendly greetings,
Nigel
