A Bonsai Side Quest

TreeMakers & Montane Bonsai•bonsaisidequest.podbean.com

Hugh R. Grant of TreeMakers Design and Jarryd Bailey of Montane Bonsai have long been best friends, brought together by a shared passion for bonsai and the wilderness, AKA the bush. With a lens of self-humor, the two reflect on Australian bonsai and what it means to be bonsai professionals… sorta.

Last refreshed: June 30th, 2025 at 9:30 PM ⓘ

Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.

Follow on

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

RSS

Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app

Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

10. Ric Roberts - Commander Curly Ric

Jarryd and Hugh interview Australian bonsai legend Ric Roberts, who is now 88 and likely practicing bonsai for over 60 years. Ric shares stories from his long practice since the 1960s and his role in the ever-evolving bonsai culture in the Sydney region. Ric is now creating a garden on the Central Coast called Unryu-En. Here he is building a space to share and preserve the legacy of his collection. Supporter Jason Pomfret also joins in as he helps to usher in the new era of Ric's work through Un...

May 25, 2024•53 min•Ep. 10

9. Cracking Open the Open

At Jarryd's house in Tasmania, Jarryd and Hugh are no longer in the podcast recording time machine - we are all caught up to the present day with reflections on the recent Bonsai Open in the Central Coast!

May 18, 2024•1 hr 45 min•Ep. 9

8. Campfire of Tree Bones

After sharing a haunted American hotel experience, Jarryd and Hugh drift into conversations about tree tourism in the US, New Zealand, and Chile. Coming to the end of the hot summer, they reflect on a work-life balance... that is more asymmetrical than symmetric. They share a beckoning to nature through camping, campfires, and the idea of genetic memory from ancestry being tied to geography.

May 11, 2024•48 min•Ep. 8

7. Eucalypts on the Loose

As Jarryd and Hugh end the growth season in late January 2024, they talk about geographic flora boundaries and the vast physical differences between Southern and Northern hemisphere species affecting the approach to bonsai worldwide. Digging into native Australian species, broadleaf-evergreen physiology is explored, and the validity of shrubs in the bonsai form.

May 04, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 7

6. Small Trees Big Dreams

It's December 31 of 2023 and Hugh and Jarryd reflect on their year and share future aspirations for their bonsai, hikes, garden design, and overall business approach as two professional bonsai practitioners. As with any art form that becomes employment, they struggle with the fine line between delivering their art, but also the commodifying and consumer end of the work. Coffee and beer usher in the new year!

Apr 27, 2024•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 6

5. Dead Trees are Trees Too

In this throwback episode recorded in late 2023, Hugh and Jarryd share the exhaustion of the growth ramping up in the early summer season. They talk growth management of pines and eucalyptus, and the simultaneous battle against grass and weed growth. They also share some of their favorite tree personalities, tanuki dreams, and the trials of dreaded bark borers.

Apr 20, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 5

4. 50 Shades of Green

Hugh and Jarryd stumble through the wonders of podcast technical difficulties recording from their respective homes in the Blue Mountains and Tasmania. They chat about collected pine aftercare, the signs of a tree's declining health post-collection, South African akadama's advantages and disadvantages, and growth patterns after repotting.

Apr 13, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 4

3. Indestructable Ficus - the OG Australian Yamadori

Visiting one another in the Blue Mountains, Jarryd and Hugh reflag on the inspiring native lower canopy for kusamono design, breaking norms and misconceptions about the art form. They then delve into some history of yamadori collecting of native species in Australia, in particular Ficus . Visiting trees in nature naturally brings them to sharing stories of tree climbing and the thrill of the unknown while sticking your hands into nooks to continue the climb. Lastly, they share some stories of th...

Apr 03, 2024•50 min•Ep. 3

2. Displaying my Dead Privet

In this episode, Jarryd and Hugh chat about hikes in the bush and the Australian native species they encounter. They also highlight the importance of your local club and the critiques they share, even if it means facing some failures to be able to learn and grow. They also discuss tree exhibitions and the opportunities for the approach to display in these public spaces.

Apr 03, 2024•2 hr 14 min•Ep. 2

1. Frozen Socks Hiking in the Cheyne Range

Jarryd and Hugh initiate their first podcast recording after a 4-day brutally cold yet stunning backpacking trip in the Tasmanian Wilderness. Buggered yet gleefully giddy on beers, the two reflect on their trip and the renewed bonsai inspiration to come from it.

Mar 29, 2024•46 min•Ep. 1

← Prev

For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android