Aesthetic pruning provides a straight-forward and versatile method of addressing pruning issues that benefits all skill levels from beginner to enthusiast to professional. Its goal is to add harmony, interest and beauty to garden spaces through pruning. Aesthetic pruning synthesizes concepts from western arboriculture, Japanese garden pruning and bonsai into a group of core principles that are easily understood yet profound in application. It emphasizes pruning with design intent, that is to understand the visual impact of pruning choices on a plant and the garden as a whole.
This workshop will consist of a lecture and demonstrations out in the garden. Skills learned include reading a garden, recognizing and highlighting the good in plants and gardens, refining the structure of woody plants, achieving pruning goals while leaving plants appearing natural and ‘unpruned.’