Dura Stone Co

Information may not be reliable

Many of the bonsai on this web site are being offered from Jim's private collection for the first time. These are one-of-a-kind bonsai to be sold individually or in groups
Jim was born in Evansville, Indiana in 1925; in 1950 after reading about bonsai in garden magazines he ordered a book entitled "How to Grow Living Miniature Ming Trees at home" by John Kiktavi and four packets of seeds form National Nursery Supply in Inglewood, California. The seeds germinated but none of them ever became a bonsai but it did start a "love affair" with bonsai. At this time the only book available to Jim was a book by Norio Kobayshi published in 1950 by the Japan travel bureau and later a book by Yuji Yoshimura these were his teachers. Since then he has become an accomplished bonsai artist recognized around the world. In 1956 he and his wife Billie moved their family of four boys to Vero Beach, Florida, where he discovered tropical bonsai. Jim has studied under some of the most accomplished bonsai teachers in America (Yuji Yoshimura, John Naka, Tosh Saburamura to name a few). He has written many articles for bonsai publications and pictures of his bonsai can be seen in books published around the world
In 1979 he and his son Doug started the Dura-Stone Nursery and has been providing quality bonsai and pre-bonsai to his wholesale customers. The Nursery is open to the public from 8-5 on weekdays or by appointment. Jim is patient with all bonsai enthusiasts and freely gives advise derived from his years of experience in bonsai.
As can be seen, a few of these bonsai on this site have been in training almost 40 years, they have all been growing outdoors in Vero, Beach Florida. When growing in colder climates they will need to be protected from temperatures below 40 degrees F and given sufficient light and other horticultural requirements to maintain their health. These trees are his "babies" and he is proud to make them available for purchase. With over 50 years experience, Jim is a unique individual in the world of bonsai. He has concentrated on tropical bonsai and the photographs of his trees show that he has developed quite a number of masterpieces. He is one of the leading artists in his field. Enjoy the photographs and select one of the masterpieces for your bonsai collection. These trees provide a link to the early beginnings bonsai in America. - Jim VanLandingham