Japanese Pine Pruning

Have you ever wondered how those characteristic pines in Japanese gardens get their unique shape? It’s through the 1000 year old art of Japanese pine pruning. The ideal Japanese Garden specimen tree will allow people to see the shape of its trunk by pruning its branches into finely-tuned pads. Timing, technique and an eye for aesthetics are essential in reaching the full effect. Learn about all three at our pine pruning workshop this year.

Garden Curator, Ben Schrepf, has trained in Japan and America as an apprentice of master Japanese pine pruner, John Powell. He is a highly sought after Japanese Gardener who has pruned pines in authentic Japanese Gardens throughout the country and time after time at our very own RoHoEn. Take this chance to learn a rarely taught, traditional art form passed down through the generations and draw from this fascinating technique to sculpt your own garden trees.

The workshop will begin with basic pine botany and horticultural care, followed by a pruning demonstration and hands-on pruning practice for workshop attendees. Appropriate pine varieties for our desert climate will also be discussed along with how to sit ornamental pines in a home or garden landscape.  Please join us!