A Bonsai Side Quest

After another long gap between episodes, Hugh and Jarryd sit down for a much-needed catch-up. They talk about Jarryd’s studio build-out, Hugh’s ongoing garden excavation, recent gallery events and collaborations, and what’s been happening in their bonsai gardens.
The conversation wanders through good rocks and stone stacking, DIY projects, fertilising routines, and the parallels between building garden infrastructure and building bonsai. Along the way they share a few garden mistakes, compare notes on pacing and routine, and reflect on the ongoing experience of committing to bonsai.Hugh's Dr Green Thumb -  https://treemakers.com.au/store-all/p/greenspace-liquid-fertiliser 
Love the podcast? You can support us here and 'buy us a coffee' https://buymeacoffee.com/bonsaisidequest
Hugh Grant - Tree Makers https://treemakers.com.au/
Jarryd Bailey - Montane Bonsai https://www.montanebonsai.com/ 
Eve Sczechowski - Yves Media https://www.yvesfilm.com/ 

In this outdoor, in-the-wild recording of A Bonsai Side Quest, Hugh and Jarryd come to you perched from a sandstone outcrop in the Blue Mountains, with beer cans in hand. They discuss the views and the species you can't see (become a Bonsai Side-Quester to view: https://buymeacoffee.com/bonsaisidequest), being in the wild to seek bonsai inspiration, and embracing one's micro environment locality in their practice. 
Love the podcast? You can support us here and 'buy us a coffee' https://buymeacoffee.com/bonsaisidequest
Hugh Grant - Tree Makers https://treemakers.com.au/
Jarryd Bailey - Montane Bonsai https://www.montanebonsai.com/ 
Eve Sczechowski - Yves Media https://www.yvesfilm.com/ 
 

For this episode, Jarryd visits Hugh at Tree Makers Bonsai Studio in the Blue Mountains after completing some BSA events in Sydney. They catch up on their activities of the past month and discuss Jarryd's demo Nothofagus styling (with some bloodshed), collecting trips, the opening of the Tondoon Botanic Gardens Bonsai collection, weather updates, the seasonal challenges, hardscaping maintenance, and wire materials. 
Love the podcast? You can support us here and 'buy us a coffee' https://buymeacoffee.com/bonsaisidequest
Hugh Grant - Tree Makers https://treemakers.com.au/
Jarryd Bailey - Montane Bonsai https://www.montanebonsai.com/ 
Eve Sczechowski - Yves Media https://www.yvesfilm.com/ 

After a long hiatus, we return and apologise for our absence!  
Winter has kept Hugh and Jarryd busy behind the scenes: learning, refining, and evolving as their practices and businesses grow.
Jarryd’s been deep in the work, tending the Niwaki pines at MONA, surviving spider attacks, pencil pine forest cleanups, and travelling for the GAB event in Western Australia.
Hugh’s been also immersed in Niwaki pruning, teaching an intensive rock planting course, creating with students, including a long anticipated forest planting, and making a trip to the U.S., including a visit to Mirai and the Oregon Coast.
 
Love the podcast? You can support us here and 'buy us a coffee' https://buymeacoffee.com/bonsaisidequest
Hugh Grant - Tree Makers https://treemakers.com.au/
Jarryd Bailey - Montane Bonsai https://www.montanebonsai.com/ 
Eve Sczechowski - Yves Media https://www.yvesfilm.com/ 

In this episode, Hugh and Jarryd share their upcoming repotting season anticipation, preparation work, and woes from mistakes past. They dig into the nitty-gritty of soil substrates, chopsticks, moss, and much more. 
 
Love the podcast? You can support us here and 'buy us a coffee' https://buymeacoffee.com/bonsaisidequestAre you stocked up on soils for the repotting season? See our premium substrates from Tree Makers - https://treemakers.com.au/store-all/substrates
Hugh Grant - Tree Makers https://treemakers.com.au/
Jarryd Bailey - Montane Bonsai https://www.montanebonsai.com/ 
Eve Sczechowski - Yves Media https://www.yvesfilm.com/ 

Hugh is back from a client trip 'across the ditch', making trees in some of New Zealand’s top bonsai garages, and Jarryd is deep in proud dad bonsai mode, with students studying at his garden. In this episode full of catch-ups and predictable detours, the two reflect on a surprising truth: bonsai isn't as patient as it's made out to be; it’s actually quite busy. After several rounds of beer, the conversation finally lands on the key question: what defines a tree as having "soul"?
Love the podcast? You can support us here and 'buy us a coffee' https://buymeacoffee.com/bonsaisidequest
Hugh Grant - Tree Makers https://treemakers.com.au/
Jarryd Bailey - Montane Bonsai https://www.montanebonsai.com/ 
Eve Sczechowski - Yves Media https://www.yvesfilm.com/ 

In this episode, Jarryd and Hugh finally accomplish the long-awaited finale of the top 20 Australian native species for bonsai. Sample side quests include: life updates, snow, and hot tips on paperbark species bark removal. Hugh's picks - Banksia Integrifolia, Melaleuca Nodosa
Jarryd's picks - Melaleuca Virens, runner up - Sassafras 
 
Love the podcast? You can support us here and 'buy us a coffee' https://buymeacoffee.com/bonsaisidequest
Hugh Grant - Tree Makers https://treemakers.com.au/
Jarryd Bailey - Montane Bonsai https://www.montanebonsai.com/ 
Eve Sczechowski - Yves Media https://www.yvesfilm.com/ 

This week on A Bonsai Side-Quest, Hugh and Jarryd battle the sniffles and post-convention burnout as they hunker down at home, firewood chopped and fireplaces burning in the changing season. Still recovering from what they dub “convention COVID,” the duo digs into all things Canberra 2025 AABC—covering standout trees, winning displays, demonstrations, and display conventions. It’s a cosy, congested, and comprehensive recap you won’t want to miss.
 
2026 AABC Convention - https://aabcconvention2026.square.site/
Love the podcast? You can support us here and 'buy us a coffee' https://buymeacoffee.com/bonsaisidequest
Hugh Grant - Tree Makers https://treemakers.com.au/
Jarryd Bailey - Montane Bonsai https://www.montanebonsai.com/ 
Eve Sczechowski - Yves Media https://www.yvesfilm.com/ 
 

In this episode of A Bonsai Side-Quest, Jarryd and Hugh welcome Harry Lush—a passionate advocate for Australian native species and a dedicated bonsai enthusiast. Together, the guys all take a deep dive into the Nothofagus genus, exploring its ecological significance, traits, and aesthetics.
Additionally, Harry introduces his non-profit organisation 'The Gondwana Project', which aims to conduct research, bio-banking, education, and conservation projects, all aiming to understand, protect, and spread awareness about precious relic forests.
 
The Gondwana Project https://thegondwanaproject.org/
 
Love the podcast? You can support us here and 'buy us a coffee' https://buymeacoffee.com/bonsaisidequest
Hugh Grant - Tree Makers https://treemakers.com.au/
Jarryd Bailey - Montane Bonsai https://www.montanebonsai.com/ 
Eve Sczechowski - Yves Media https://www.yvesfilm.com/ 

In continuation of the much-loved and never-ending series of "Australia's Top 20 Native Species" the boys come back to cover all of 2 epic species this round. Of course, they start with a delightful side-quest of bird watching and a recent Nothofagus Cunninghamii styling demo.
Hugh's pick - Banksia marginata Jarryd's pick - Podocarpus lawrencei
Love the podcast? You can support us here and 'buy us a coffee' https://buymeacoffee.com/bonsaisidequest
Hugh Grant - Tree Makers https://treemakers.com.au/
Jarryd Bailey - Montane Bonsai https://www.montanebonsai.com/ 
Eve Sczechowski - Yves Media https://www.yvesfilm.com/