About Scout

 

Hello,

My name is Scout, and I am the Bonsai Artist behind Next Day Bonsai Nursery. My passion for trees and the art of Bonsai began back in 1999. It started with collecting and caring for a variety of plants, until I discovered my true love—Bonsai Trees.

In 2010, I was ready to take my Bonsai journey to the next level. I visited 'Kim's Bonsai Nursery' to purchase my next tree, and that’s where my passion truly ignited. Seeing Kim’s sprawling 10-acre nursery made me dream of one day owning a nursery of that caliber.

Kim, a South Korean native with over 50 years of experience, is what we call a Bonsai Master. What I witnessed in 2010 was an incredible opportunity to learn from one of the best. The only problem was, Kim wasn’t looking for help. Despite this, I returned to the nursery repeatedly, offering my assistance, but he always declined. Finally, I decided to show up one day with 20 contractor bags to help clean up. I raked leaves and flowers from the ground, eventually filling all 20 bags. Maintaining 20 acres of Bonsai trees is no small task, and I figured the least I could do was lend a hand. I continued visiting, always offering my help without asking for anything in return, because the experience itself was enough reward for me.

One day, I decided to gift Kim a Juniper Bonsai tree I had been working on. He accepted the gift, and we sat together while he wired it, which was a truly amazing moment for me. That day marked a turning point in our relationship. Kim saw that we shared the same deep passion for Bonsai, and from that point on, things changed for the better. Eventually, Kim allowed me to wire and trim trees at his nursery—an opportunity that felt like a dream come true. He recognized that my help would benefit the nursery, especially since he was around 80 years old, and managing 20 acres was a lot for one person.

Over the 10 years we spent together, Kim became my mentor. Learning to wire, trim, and care for trees under the guidance of such a Bonsai Master is something I now consider a privilege. He even gave me a nickname, "Sumo," because of my ability to move large trees and pots, and called my trimming technique "Speed Trimming" because of how quickly I could get through acres of Bonsai.

My time with Kim at his nursery was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The knowledge I gained from him helped me build my own nursery over the years. Now, 25 years later, I’m following in Kim’s footsteps, bringing to life the vision I had back then. And that vision has become a reality—Next Day Bonsai.

Thank you for being a part of this journey with me and please check out my personal instagram @bonsai_______evolution