Yamaguchi Bonsai Nursery — Attraction in Los Angeles

horrible service, went there a few weeks ago and talked to the owners nephew kyle and he was so rude, he told us he didnt like the fact we knew stuff about bonsai and it made him want to charge us more for all this items (who says things like that to a costumer??) we had tried asking about some pieces of dead wood that they had thrown into a pile in the back area which seemed to have no been touched in ages, we wanted to purchase one for a bonsai and he proceeds to say it would cost $200 for this dead piece of wood which is outrages! Flash forward to yesterday we had come back to grab some pots and a few plants and the workers (two older white ladies) has not seemed at all interested in their job, we tried asking a few questions about plants to make sure they would be okay to have around cats and they did not seem to want to help us at all, same with the owner of the place we had tried talking to her as she had just arrived so we figured it would be easier to ask her the questions as its her place but he was even worse to talk to! we would have to chase her down as she seemed to try avoid us and even while talking to her she would be unresponsive and even walk away as if she didnt care for us at all. Not the type of service you would seem to get for someone buying $400 worth of plants. I honestly dont think I would spend any of my money there anymore or want to go back because it has been such horrible service. We had showed up around 3:30pm they close at 5pm so we had tons of time to shop, it had been an hour so 4:30pm and the ladies kept yelling at everyone that they were closing. Like they kept following us around even though we still had 30mins left until they closed to shop and pay, we had been looking at a tree we wanted to purchase but with the lady yelling at us nonstop about them closing soon made us not want to end up purchasing it. One of the ladies even started yelling at this one customer who had been waiting near the exit for someone so they could leave, she yelled saying we are closed even though mind you it was 4:30pm while the dude was on the phone he ended up saying I know im just trying to call my partner so we can leave. Also we had seen a tree we liked and it had a price tag saying it was $30 so we went to ask a lady to make sure it was that price for her to end up being extremely rude saying it wasnt something they had priced and she wasnt going to sell it to us even though had found it next to other plants and also in a big group of the same trees. All the bonsai they sell are EXTREMELY OVER PRICED! I understand that bonsai are very hard to make and take care of but it does not justify the prices for the badly taken care of bonsai they have, i saw a japanese maple which looked to be around 6 years old cost almost $400 and it looked so over grown and barely shapened. Maybe of the bonsai for sell do not seem like they trim or try shaping them much and they just slap a high price on them in hope of someone who doesnt know anything about bonsai comes along to buy them. I feel that this place cares more about making money then the care and quality of their bonsai or any plants they...

This is a plant store I usually go to and I’ve purchased small to large plants/trees as well as pots there over several years. However, I was really not happy with how I was charged with delivery and repotting for one plant with my recent purchase.

I was charged $100 more by accident at the store which I later found out by adding up the numbers on my receipt again. The delivery fee was $120 which is a 5 mile drive. At the store, it was discussed that repotting would be another $50 which I thought would include everything without any more charge.

When the plants were delivered. I was asked if I had potting soil for the repotting. I was surprised because I thought the $50 extra fee would mean that I don’t need to prepare my own soil. Luckily I had some soil and it was almost enough and I was told there was soil in the delivery truck. Though the delivery and repotting process were very nice and we used all my own soil and some from an already opened bag of soil (not a full bag of soil) from the delivery truck. They left the soil with me and at the time I thought I was nice.

When it came to paying the delivery fee and repotting fee which was only accepted in cash. It was mentioned briefly that the soil was extra $20 which brought the total to 120+50+20 = $190. But remember we used most of my own soil and only a little of their soil. Even thought it was left with me it wasn’t a full bag from the beginning and let alone to mention the price before hand. Plus, I don’t need additional soil. I brought 2 $100 bill and was expecting a change of $30. And they kept mentioning the soil was extra $20 and they have no change to give back even though I can see cash in their wallet. So in the end I had to pay $200 for delivery 1 small tree, 1 plant, 2 pots and also was charged $100 more by mistake at the store.

Really disappointing and probably won’t go back. Be aware of the...

DISAPPOINTED!

I dropped my $100 (original cost) bonsai tree at Yamaguchi on 10/17/2019, for a root trimming and shaping if possible, with the understanding that if the cost exceeded $50 they were to call me before proceeding.

After a month I called them for a status (no call from them), they were very apologetic "there had been an oversight" and they had not touched my tree. We discussed the possibility of "shaping" the tree and they informed me that there was nothing that could be done with respect to shaping the tree, but they would trim the roots and replant in a new pot.

Almost another month passed (12/14/2019) without any contact so I called again. I was told my tree is ready, that the roots had been trimmed, soil changed, new pot, and branches had been trimmed at a cost of $126.00 (really), what happened to "if the cost exceeded $50.00 call me".

Frankly, I thought they would discount the price due to their embarrassing inefficiency, held the plant for two months without doing anything the first month.

Finally spoke with the owner, it took two phone calls. She explained that $50 covered the "root trimming" that the new pot, soil ($15.00-really for a cup of dirt) , and "shaping" ("which was cutting the branches that crossed') were attributable to the additional $76.00. She explained they put a great deal of time into the tree. Probably forgot that she told me a month ago that the tree had sat the prior month and they hadn't done anything with it.

I realize every business needs to make a profit, but Yamaguchi seems a little over priced. I may be ignorant to the "art" of Bonsai and maybe it is the "going price" and the inefficiency is attributable to it being an "art", I don't know.

What I do know is I am not happy with my experience at Yamaguchi Nursery, I probably won't be a "good" referral source for them, and I defiantly will go somewhere...