That's the only sain atitude, Ron!
Since you have a shop, I hope you don't mind me asking a question.
2 Months ago I was at Algarve on a weekend with my wife driving along the "Serra de Tavira" when I stumbled into a sign that said "Bonsai Garden". Knowing how bored and desperate she get's when I go inside a garden center, I drove trough...
But something kept itching, so a few minutes and a "OK, stop wining, let's go back!" later, I was turning back to take a peek.
I'm glad I did turn back because this guy Mathïs(?) Ybes(?) (I'm sorry I forgot his name, I have his card at home) had a wonderful place, with some great trees, tools, material, soil comp., pots, everything at around 1/3 to 1/2 the price I get them at LusoBonsai here in Lisbon.
To make a long story short, I think he's a dutch ex-pat who settled in Portugal about 7 years ago and . When he brought his collection, within 6 months all but a handfull of trees had died. He found out too late that the water from the well he had digged had lot of lime and a seriously wrong pH. Talk about learning lessons the hard way
.
I don't even want to take a wild guess at how much he lost, put the sentimental value aside...
What I'm geting at is this:
People like him (and you too Ron) insure their trees?