The Nursery
The Past
While operating a plant and tree business in 1981, Dave and Diane Hall became interested in bonsai trees. Over time they transitioned from growing plants for landscapes to just growing bonsai. They have been guest speakers at various garden clubs, displayed trees at the New Jersey Flower Show, and given bonsai workshops at local schools, as well as here at Allshapes Bonsai.
The Present
Today there are multiple greenhouses filled with bonsai and pre-bonsai. We keep adding additional display benches and making various improvements. And gradually we're getting our inventory listed for sale online with quantities updated in real-time.
- We carry just about everything related to bonsai. You'll find a wide variety of bonsai, pre-bonsai & starters, bonsai pottery, bonsai tools, books, soil, and more.
- Additionally, we offer classes to get you started, bonsai for events such as weddings.
- Going to be away? We’ll keep your trees healthy and growing in one of our greenhouses until you get back.
- And if you have things that you no longer want, we purchase bonsai-related items and collections.
If you're in the area we encourage you to come visit!
There's over 6000 square feet of greenhouses filled with hundreds of bonsai in the winter, and many outdoor display benches for you to view in the warm weather as well. Please bring your trees if you have any questions about them!
We're open year-round. There's no need to call ahead or to schedule an appointment. You'll find us as the end of a long driveway on Everitt Road in Ringoes, NJ.
Please Note: We're just past Sunflower Lane.
Many peoples' GPS take them down Sunflower Lane by mistake.
Here's what you'll see when you arrive:
Outdoor Benches
There are many of outdoor benches for you to view during the growing season. We added a lot of outdoor benches in 2016 and even more in 2017.
When there's no more danger of frost, we bring as many bonsai outdoors onto the display benches as we can. The most cold-hardy plants are the first to be brought outside for the year and the last to be brought in. During the warm weather we bring as many bonsai outdoors as we can.
The hardy plants are moved to their winter protection gradually, and by Thanksgiving the outdoor displays are empty.
View Photos On Facebook
Tropical House
The tropical house was built in 2015 after the old one was damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Here you'll find plants that don't require a cold dormancy, including ones that are suitable for indoor growing. This is also where you'll often find us working at our workbench!
In the early spring the plants begin to grow again. The days are warm but the nights tend to be cold, so we keep the plants in the greenhouse for now.
In the summer the sides of this greenhouse get rolled up, the doors are open, and a shade cloth is put over the plastic to lower the temperature. Some plants are kept inside, but many bonsai are moved outside for the summer. We start bringing the tropicals back into the greenhouse by September.
In the winter this house is heated to 55°F. Still, during the day it's not uncommon to have to open the doors to prevent the greenhouse from becoming too hot! Even in the greenhouse, the plants stop growing in the middle of winter due to lack of light.
View Photos On Facebook
Pottery House
As the name implies, this is where we keep pottery, tools, and other supplies for sale. This is also where you can checkout when you're done shopping.
This is also where classes are held from January through May.
View Photos On Facebook
Pond House
This house was named after the goldfish pond in the middle of it. Plants can begin growing in here as early as March, with some of the more cold-hardy plants flowering even earlier than that. As the weather warms up, we begin opening the doors to keep it from over-heating. We may even cut holes in the plastic if it won't be reused the following year!
Most of the hardy bonsai are moved outside for the summer months. There are still some bonsai and a lot of hardy pre-bonsai in here during the summer, but the plastic gets replaced with a shade cloth.
During the winter this greenhouse is heated to 25°F.
View Photos On Facebook
Little House
The purpose of the little house varies. Sometimes it's used for taking cuttings, equiped with misting nozzles. Other times it's just used as another place where plants can receive some relief in the shade.
It's always filled with something year-round.
View Photos On Facebook
Long House
Situated behind the other greenhouses, the long house is filled with hardy pre-bonsai year-round.
While the plastic gets replaced with shade-cloth, there are always plants growing in here. And they stay on the ground year-round.
This house is completely unheated.
View Photos On Facebook