Bonsai_Bubba
Yamadori
Also, figure you guys might like to see my Japanese Maple from Marc.
Marc Torppa / Marc Torpa / Mark Torppa / Mark Torpa @ the Growing Grounds - AVOID
- Thread starter jersanct
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5th element
Mame
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Also, figure you guys might like to see my Japanese Maple from Marc.
I like, I will be looking to get some more stuff from him in the spring.
Jester217300
Shohin
Hey guys, wanted to post about a second experience I had with Marc Torpa. I've got two three foot tall bonsai that I was boarding at Q-bonsai's greenhouse. First off, Q took very good care of my trees, didn't charge me at all for it and even offered me very good prices for the trees if coming back to get them was too much trouble for me. Q is a very talented bonsai artist and my guess is that he'll be opening up his own nursery before too long. Dude's a shrewd businessman too!
Anyway, I was traveling back to meet Q and pick up my trees when Q told me that he had bought a bonsai from Marc, a relatively large trident maple with a prohibitive shipping cost. In thanks to Q for taking care of my trees, I told him it would be no trouble to go pick up the tree and be his personal bonsai trucking service.
I got to Marc's and Marc immediately asked me how my trees were doing. I told him that my Japanese Maple was doing fine, but due to my own incompetence the Trident Maple died last year. I was keeping it in the wrong climate and didn't know how to overwinter it properly. Mea culpa. I've always thought that bonsai were a buyer beware situation. You buy it, you don't know how to care for it and kill it, that's on you. Not with Marc.
Marc replaced my trident with two trees of at least equal value. Here are pictures as requested. I'll confess guys, I'm a bona fide Marc Torpa fan. Growing Grounds Groupie if you will. Marc's a great guy to deal with and I will certainly buy my next tree from him, not just because of the artistry and potential of his trees but because he's a superb guy to deal with. Am happy to post things to prove I'm not Marc as well.
Will also be happy to discuss my dealings with other nurseries. One things for sure though, I've never walked out of a bonsai nursery with two trees and a full wallet.
I wondered if you'd post here. Awesome material, again.
nathanbs
Omono
i hate to be paranoid and I have no dog in this fight but the last 2 out of 3 of you just joined this month with almost no posts and coincidentally you are both praising the GG and Marc Torppa
Bonsai_Bubba
Yamadori
Thanks 5th element! Named after the movie I assume? Great flick.
Hey jester, didn't know you were on here too! I'll take a poke around the forum and check out your trees!
Nathan, I understand the suspicion. Marc asked me to post an honest review of my experiences with him in this thread. I was more than happy to oblige- hell I'd sing his praises from the roof top if I didn't sound like a Gilbert Gottfried choking on a seagull.
I'm relatively new to bonsai but have a more extensive posting history on bonsaisite forums and reddit's r/bonsai. I don't have any agenda here except to repay Marc for the help he's given me.
Hey jester, didn't know you were on here too! I'll take a poke around the forum and check out your trees!
Nathan, I understand the suspicion. Marc asked me to post an honest review of my experiences with him in this thread. I was more than happy to oblige- hell I'd sing his praises from the roof top if I didn't sound like a Gilbert Gottfried choking on a seagull.
I'm relatively new to bonsai but have a more extensive posting history on bonsaisite forums and reddit's r/bonsai. I don't have any agenda here except to repay Marc for the help he's given me.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
I don't wish to heap crap on praise but this just goes to show you what happens when you do people wrong. No less than a few members here have had some serious problems with GG and Mr. Torppa. It is going to take a long time for this man and his business to re-establish a good reputation with the bonsai community.
Those of you who have been playing Gunga Din to this bonsai business do not have a good deal of credibility. It is difficult to get beyond the suspicion that you do indeed have a vested interest in promoting this guy and his business.
Jester217300
Shohin
I hardly praised Growing Grounds or Marc. I simply said "hi" to someone I recognized from another forum.
I didn't mean to confirm conspiracy theorists by being new. This is a new hobby for me and I'm trying to learn. I post when I feel like I can contribute.
Bonsai_Bubba
Yamadori
Not trying to play Gunga Din or argue anyone's experience is invalid, just sharing my own. If someone doesn't believe me, well, fair enough. I have stated everything as truthfully and completely as I am able. :]
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
Bubba, just to make sure I've got this right - you picked up the trees in person at Growing Grounds, right? Most of the people who have had problems with GG have had the trees shipped to them and the issues involve poor packaging, damage, etc. Picking up a tree is obviously a different experience and most agree that he does have nice trees.
Chris
Chris
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
You must be very personable...free boarding...and free trees from two sources. You say Mark asked you to come personally and post on this thread though?
I find it odd...someone in business would send a buyer to a site that blatantly has negative comments. To post about how great he is...though it explains the free trees. You must knew him to some extent...because I can't see how a post from this site would come up in every day chatting about trees.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
I did not mean specifically to suggest otherwise. I only wished to point out how the bad experiences of some early on has led to this string of dubious authenticity. Once trust is lost it is almost impossible to regain it.
cascade
Shohin
Marc Torppa
I guess it is time for me to chime in on Marc:
I have bought several very large junipers from Marc and numerous Shimpaku material, all demo and workshop material for a BSF Convention. I stopped there in 2005, on the way back from the World Bonsai Convention. I had previously exchanged emails with Marc and was eager to buy material from him, so we canceled our flights back from Washington D.C., rented a van and drove all the way to NC and back to Florida.
I was totally surprised to see that much excellent material in the ground and in pots. The maples and Red Pines were one of the best pre stuff I had seen. Marc was very knowledable about everything related to bonsai. All trees were very well taken care of.
I also came to know "Sugarsnout", the biggest pig/hog I can think of. She loved donuts!
So once I chose the trees Marc did not ask for full payment at that time. I either made a downpayment and payed the balance prior to pick up, or I did not pay anything right away. I do not recall. Next year I went back up there and picked up the trees. Oh and I also brought Sugarsnout some donuts. Marc was rambling it was too good of stuff for her..
In talking to Mark it transpired that he had not always make good experiences - with forums and - bonsai folks in general, and so he stopped being a vendor at bigger events. I understand his late father was well known in the bonsai community. Mark had gone through quite some health issues. And I mean quite some.
I noticed the pic with the maple in front of the red bricked house wall. Mark's house was built somewhen in the 1940's. Those bricks look much newer. Just my thoughts.
If you ask me, would I do business with Marc again? Absolutely. Would I order trees to be shipped? No. Too stressful for the trees and myself..
Best,
Dorothy
I guess it is time for me to chime in on Marc:
I have bought several very large junipers from Marc and numerous Shimpaku material, all demo and workshop material for a BSF Convention. I stopped there in 2005, on the way back from the World Bonsai Convention. I had previously exchanged emails with Marc and was eager to buy material from him, so we canceled our flights back from Washington D.C., rented a van and drove all the way to NC and back to Florida.
I was totally surprised to see that much excellent material in the ground and in pots. The maples and Red Pines were one of the best pre stuff I had seen. Marc was very knowledable about everything related to bonsai. All trees were very well taken care of.
I also came to know "Sugarsnout", the biggest pig/hog I can think of. She loved donuts!
So once I chose the trees Marc did not ask for full payment at that time. I either made a downpayment and payed the balance prior to pick up, or I did not pay anything right away. I do not recall. Next year I went back up there and picked up the trees. Oh and I also brought Sugarsnout some donuts. Marc was rambling it was too good of stuff for her..
In talking to Mark it transpired that he had not always make good experiences - with forums and - bonsai folks in general, and so he stopped being a vendor at bigger events. I understand his late father was well known in the bonsai community. Mark had gone through quite some health issues. And I mean quite some.
I noticed the pic with the maple in front of the red bricked house wall. Mark's house was built somewhen in the 1940's. Those bricks look much newer. Just my thoughts.
If you ask me, would I do business with Marc again? Absolutely. Would I order trees to be shipped? No. Too stressful for the trees and myself..
Best,
Dorothy
Poink88
Imperial Masterpiece
Thanks for sharing your experience Dorothy. 
Bonsai_Bubba
Yamadori
Yes, that's right. I can not speak to Marc's shipping or packaging.
I try to be nice and polite. :]
Q and I belonged to the same bonsai club and I had to move quite suddenly for personal reasons. He really helped me out, as I only have a small sedan and had to transport my bonsai in two batches.
I do not know Marc personally, but I do not believe that he gave me these trees because of internet comments. I doubt my word carries enough weight to justify the expense of growing those trees. It certainly doesn't seem to have convinced anyone here!
I think he gave me the trees because he thought I was keen and wanted me to grow in bonsai, but maybe I'm naive. To be honest, I posted on another forum about how great he is after he trusted me to take the japanese maple back to Texas and send him the check later.
I'm having trouble remembering how the topic of the forum came up for the first time. Suffice it to say that both times I visited him, we spent a few hours chatting and shooting the breeze.
I understand that you may have had negative experiences with Marc, and, perhaps I'm misreading this, but there seems to be some hostility towards me and some doubts about my honesty. Again, I am being completely transparent and offering a review of his business based on my experience alone. A chap might take some of these remarks personally though!
Edit: Dorothy those bricks are my house not Marc's! Also, I asked about his father and Marc said he was still alive and fussing at him?
Last edited:
Ron Dennis
Shohin
Voice of Reason
Thanks for sharing your experiences. This makes me want to arrange a trip to check out the material for myself on my next visit to NC. From my own internet business experience, I do understand things can unintentionally become very complicated very quickly. We have lost customers online because of slower than expected responses, misunderstood responses and the list goes on.
I guess it is time for me to chime in on Marc:
I have bought several very large junipers from Marc and numerous Shimpaku material, all demo and workshop material for a BSF Convention. I stopped there in 2005, on the way back from the World Bonsai Convention. I had previously exchanged emails with Marc and was eager to buy material from him, so we canceled our flights back from Washington D.C., rented a van and drove all the way to NC and back to Florida.
I was totally surprised to see that much excellent material in the ground and in pots. The maples and Red Pines were one of the best pre stuff I had seen. Marc was very knowledable about everything related to bonsai. All trees were very well taken care of.
I also came to know "Sugarsnout", the biggest pig/hog I can think of. She loved donuts!
So once I chose the trees Marc did not ask for full payment at that time. I either made a downpayment and payed the balance prior to pick up, or I did not pay anything right away. I do not recall. Next year I went back up there and picked up the trees. Oh and I also brought Sugarsnout some donuts. Marc was rambling it was too good of stuff for her..
In talking to Mark it transpired that he had not always make good experiences - with forums and - bonsai folks in general, and so he stopped being a vendor at bigger events. I understand his late father was well known in the bonsai community. Mark had gone through quite some health issues. And I mean quite some.
I noticed the pic with the maple in front of the red bricked house wall. Mark's house was built somewhen in the 1940's. Those bricks look much newer. Just my thoughts.
If you ask me, would I do business with Marc again? Absolutely. Would I order trees to be shipped? No. Too stressful for the trees and myself..
Best,
Dorothy
Thanks for sharing your experiences. This makes me want to arrange a trip to check out the material for myself on my next visit to NC. From my own internet business experience, I do understand things can unintentionally become very complicated very quickly. We have lost customers online because of slower than expected responses, misunderstood responses and the list goes on.
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
No experience with him...but you sound like a personable person.
And...I had a great experience with another bonsai nursery...and they can be amazing folk. I know I was blown out of the water when I had spoken to the gentleman...and we talked price...then...learned of the tree he sent me was far larger than the one we had discussed. But...it matched what in my heart of hearts...what I was hoping for. He knew that...and gave it to me for the price of the younger smaller bonsai. Knowing it would be appreciated and cared for...and all he asked was that I send him a photo of said tree...Once I do style it. I think when you do talk trees...you become on another level with a person...I am not discrediting you...Just sounds like your an all around nice person. 
Welcome to the forum!5th element
Mame
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Ohh Noo!! so many positive posts about Marc
Equals less material for me
Equals less material for me
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
Ohh Noo!! so many positive posts about Marc
Equals less material for me
I swear this guy is bipolar...
Bonsai_Bubba
Yamadori
No experience with him...but you sound like a personable person.
Hey thanks! Sorry I was oversensitive. Would love to see your tree after you have styled it!
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
No worries...the thing with a forum...is one can't hear the tone in what one has typed.
That won't be until spring...when I get to a demo class...and then have him later meet up and help me with it at a later date possibly. Right now...I am satisfied with just owning it.
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