hi mate
we talking harrow london ish lol
its a bit of a journey but ken leaver has windybank bonsai... great prices for top quality- depends on what you are looking for to be honest. but he is a lovely guy, very helpful and hugely knowledgasble- speaks fluent japanese i seem to remember.
http://www.windybankbonsai.co.uk/RR. i think there is a definate element of spirituality towards bonsai- it is said you can acheive a zen medititive state whilst tending your trees.
bonsai was originally penjing- monks from china took little trees with them on their travels to remind them of their homeland and to keep in touch with nature as they travelled so it was spread from china as most things in this world have been.
(-off topic slightly anyone read "1812 the year china discovered the world"??? amazing book china actually discovered and trans covered the globe before anyone else and soooo much more info... a definate reead-will blow your mind)
and every asian culture took to it in their own way.
japan and esp the samurai developed it to the structured art it is today.
the ying and yang- they were a violent race so they needed some softness so many were poets artisits garedners and particualarly bonsai-ists.
there are sevral trees in japans historical gardens that were created by samurai many hundreds of years ago and are still very much alive and thriving today=passed through family generations as heirlooms and are worth millions!
big japanese businesses buy bonsai trees-famous trees as corporations in europe might "invest " in a picasso for example.
oops gotta get back to work hahahahahah
matsu