
About me
Bertrand — Finistère, Brittany
Bonsai enthusiast · Former pilot · Developer
Passion first
My first bonsai died within a few weeks. The second one too. A few trees bought at a supermarket, an immediate fascination for this ancient art — but not yet the patience it demands. Life had other plans for me.
A long detour
For nearly ten years, I flew across Europe and Africa at the controls of business aircraft. Captain, instructor, a year in Chad, a decade of taking off and landing at dozens of different airports — a career I loved deeply, but one that isn't compatible with keeping a bonsai on the balcony.
In 2020, I decided to turn the page and start a professional retraining. I trained in application development — and for the first time in a very long time, I found myself settled back home in Brittany.
Back to roots — literally
2023. Garden, spade and shears. First specimens collected from the garden — maples, oaks, chestnuts, hazels, cotoneasters — and starting with cuttings: rosemaries, fuchsias… A collection that grew fast, faster than I had anticipated. And with it, an obvious need: a tool to track their evolution over time.
I looked for apps that matched my needs, but didn't find one — nothing truly designed to track a tree's journey over several years, compare before and after, centralise photos and notes in a structured way.
I had the passion, the skills, and a precise need. MyBonsaiHub was born from that combination.
Why a subscription?
Honestly? I wasn't a fan at first. Like many of you, I long preferred to pay for software once and own it outright. But while building MyBonsaiHub, the reality of costs made itself clear: hosting, database, photo storage, emails, ongoing updates... A living piece of software has monthly costs. The subscription isn't an arbitrary choice — it's what allows me to maintain the service, keep improving it, and still be here in five years to support your trees over the long haul.
Why a web app and not a classic desktop app?
Because in 2026, building a "classic" application actually means building five: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. A web application accessible from any browser is a single codebase that works everywhere — on the desktop computer, the tablet in the garden, the phone between waterings. It's a technical no-brainer that lets me focus energy on what matters: the features.
One project, one person
MyBonsaiHub is developed and maintained by a single person. That has its limits — delays, the occasional lingering bug — but also its advantages: every decision is made by someone who actually uses the tool themselves, who understands what it means to follow a tree over ten years, and who has no board of directors to convince before adding a feature that makes sense.
And if you have an idea, a suggestion, or simply want to talk about your trees — write to me. I read every message.