Frustrated and need advice

Jay

The holidays are several weeks past and I still am having difficulty with one of my gifts. First let me say that I was EXTREMELY touched by my brother-in-law’s and sister-in-law’s thought. We do not exchange gifts with this couple even though we are very close to them, so I had no choice but to thank them and show my appreciation… and with the idea that it is the thought that counts this was one wonderful thought…. The problem? The gift!

They sent me a bonsai from Jackson and Perkins Company “America’s Gardening Experts for over 130 Years” or so they say. The plant was a Pyracantha or a ‘Berry Bonsai’ as they call it. It came in garden soil and a bonsai pot that is not even close to being right for this tree… even I can tell this. The tree is far far from being a bonsai and is very immature although they claim it to be trained for three years. Going to their site and checking gifts will show you what I mean…they do show a good example of what you get.

My problem is should I just let this go, or, should I take the time to write the company and let them know that they are creating a lot of ‘bad will’ for themselves? I have such a bad taste in my mouth from this that I will never order from this company.

Thank you for reading and perhaps learning from my case. I of course can never let on to the family directly about this…….J and P got a good ‘scam’ going…they know we cannot tell the giver what they really gave…..

Yeah this was a bit of a rant…thanks all
Jay

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A Bonsai student living with his trees at N 44.37 W 77.49...
Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing

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pootsie

"Thank you, I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of your gift!"
(with a smile!)

I have taken it upon myself to inform my loved ones that it is not a good idea to get me a bonsai-related gift unless I specify it, be it plant book tool or pot. While some have expressed dismay at this, they seem to understand.

In the mean time, make the best of it you can. Who knows, in 3-5 years you might make a nice mame of it.

And the nasty pots come in handy when re-gifting to friends who want to get into the hobby and don't yet know better.

No point in griping to mallsai.com, they make money and won't care what you think. But at least mallsai is an inroad into true bonsai for many, including yours truly!

pootsie

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p.s. My cat is a bonsaiTALK Master.
Columbus Bonsai Society

Jay

Pootsie you got it....that could be mine but for the fact that in mine the first branch is thicker than the trunk and the berries that came with mine were artificial.

Your right, the company could care less, they are making the money but...just but.... if we were to stop buying there real products, in this case Roses, and let them know why, maybe they would stop doing mallsai?

I guess I'm not really over this yet....

Jay

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A Bonsai student living with his trees at N 44.37 W 77.49...
Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing

rockm

In the habit of looking gift horses in the mouth? . Value the thought behind the gift, rather than the gift itself. This is one of those hobbies (arts, etc.) where you sometimes get less than opitmal trees from loved ones trying to accommodate your obsession. At least someone has noted your interest and is genuinely trying to get you a gift you'll like. At least it ain't socks or a tie...As for writing or calling the company, forget it. They don't care. They are probably selling scads of these things. Rest assured they are being supplied in huge quantities by large nurseries to meet what's probably a largish demand.

You can't stop mallsai .

Will_Heath

Besides if it wasn't for mallsai, we wouldn't get this flood of new members every year after Christmas.


Will

Bart Thomas(deceased)

That's so you won't complain that they don't last!

vance hanna

In a way I'm gald that they got this gift. Unfortuantly it was for you (already a novitiate).

Jack Wikle, a well know master of mame and the past president of ABS (and a friend of mine) once said to me: "Vance if it was not for the hobbist who spends just under $40 a year on this, we would not be here". He was referring to our clubs, symposiums, National Bonsai foundation, etc.

I know it's an insult to bonsai, but just as the others have said: "Heck this is how I got here..." (well in my case it was well before mallsai and such..but you ain't gonna get that date outta me!)

As others have said: "let it go".

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vance hanna
fine bonsai take time

Newt

Honestly the newbies like the mallsia best (beleive it or not)! I have a few that were given as gifts and I don't know how many times people comment on the braided trunked money tree in the plastic pot with the plastic mudmen. They really love the baby junipers with no training (or very little) too (I have heard "this is what bonzai should look like").

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I personally feel that people need to be less quick to judge everything and just accept that the word is made up of all kinds of people/things and there is room for everone/thing!!!!

Mallsia brought most of us here, allong with the will to learn. It is the flint that sparks our interest so to speak.

Newt

Vance Wood

Jay: I agree with the sentiment of letting it go. After all, somone took the time to get you a gift they thought you would appreciate and Pyracantha do make good bonsai. They could have bought you a Chia Pet. Do something with the tree and make your family happy, nothing wounds the heart more than having a gift given with thought,----and then rejected. That's really kind of shallow when you think about it.

As to the Mallsai, I agree they are abomniable but they do have one thing appealing. Those who don't know a great deal about bonsai can understand their crude simplicity as something they might be able to do. Having not read Yoshimura, Naka or the last 92 issues of Bonsai Today they don't have a clue as to what a proper bonsai is supposed to look like, neither do they understand the issue we have with the Mallsai bombsai merchants.