The Grove

Five trees. Each one named, growing under our hands for the past two to five years. The slowest project we have.

This is the story we've been telling ourselves about what bonsai could be — and what it shouldn't pretend to be.

What's coming, and when

Y1 — Starter Tier ($89–$159). Opening 1 September.

Hand-selected starter bonsai from a specialist grower — pre-styled juniperus procumbens, Fukien tea, ficus, jade. The CA-safe species that survive an apartment, a forgetful watering schedule, and the first year of a new hobby.

These are the trees we recommend if you're starting. We won't sell you a $1,500 tree before you've kept a $120 one alive for six months. That's just being honest.

These trees are not grown by us, and we're not going to imply otherwise. They're hand-selected from a specialist grower, shipped directly from their greenhouse under our name, with our care card in the box. What we add is the selection — the CA-safe species that survive an apartment, a forgetful watering schedule and a first year of learning — and the guarantee behind it. Live arrival guaranteed: photo and email within 72 hours of delivery and we replace or refund, your choice, same as every other living thing we ship. The trees we grow ourselves are the five in the Specimen tier, and those aren't ready.

Y2–Y3 — Specimen Tier ($1,500–$12,000). Coming when they're ready.

Five trees, named, signed, numbered. Hand-grown by us (and a small number of pieces commissioned from independent bonsai artists we work with). Multi-year finished form, photographed quarterly so you can watch them become themselves.

Each one will be available individually — not in a collection. We'll open a waitlist when the first piece is ready. We're not promising a date. The trees decide.

The slow story

Bonsai isn't a product category. It's a relationship.

The trees we're growing now were repotted only when they asked, wired and rewired by hand, watered when the moss told us it was time. Sometimes a year passes and the only change is one new branch. We like that.

If you want to follow the grove — quarterly photo updates, commentary from Nick on what each tree is becoming — sign up for The Grove segment. We'll send the first update in October, once the drop has settled.

Starter Bonsai Kit (opening 1 September)

$179. One CA-safe starter bonsai (your choice of three species), pruning shears, concave cutter, root rake, wire, soil, and a first-year care guide. Designed for the person who's never had a bonsai and isn't sure what they need.

FAQ

Why CA-safe species only? California has phytosanitary restrictions on certain juniper varieties. We follow those rules to the letter. The starter species we offer are unrestricted.

Are these safe around pets? Not all of them. Jade is toxic to cats and dogs, and ficus can irritate. Juniper and Fukien tea are the safer picks if you have animals — tell us in the order notes and we'll steer you right. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control line is (888) 426-4435.

Are the specimen trees signed? Yes. Y2 specimen pieces will be hand-signed and numbered. Each one is unique.

Can I commission a custom tree? Y2–Y3 only. Commission slots will be limited (5–10 per year). Waitlist will open with the first specimen drop.

Why Year 2 for specimens? Because that's how long the trees take. We're not faking the timeline.

Slowly,
Nick + Gianna