Trim & terrific Be inspired by Japanese pruning techniques

BREAK OUT THE CLIPPERS AND TRY THESE BRILLIANT JAPANESE PRUNING TRICKS IN YOUR GARDEN

When you enter a Japanese strolling garden like this lovely landscape in Cowra, NSW, you’re enveloped by a sense of serenity. But there’s more to this garden style than the illusion of endless gently rolling hills or the soft sound of streams gliding to gentle waterfalls. There’s also the architecture of the plants, which have been clipped and pruned, pushed and persuaded into extraordinary shapes. The aim is to ‘find the way of the tree’ and expose its innate grace and elegance, and to create harmony within nature in a contrived space with their soft shapes draped over strong silhouettes. Here’s how it’s done.

•THE AIM OF A JAPANESE GARDEN IS TO CREATE A PEACEFUL AMBIENCE

SNIP WITH STYLE You can trim shrubs, such as box or rhododendrons, into mounds so they represent the rolling hills of Japan. If you can, look at the gardens around you and see what you can ‘borrow’ to include in your design, as the Japanese do.

above Any Japanese garden has water, representing streams running into lakes, then the ocean. You can make a small pond or use a large container. TOP RIGHT Sculpting shrubs and trees creates harmony between other elements in the garden, such as rocks and water. right When available space is tight you can create a miniature garden using bonsai cultivation techniques, to end up with small trees growing in containers that mimic full-size trees.

Top Don’t forget to include rocks – in the water and on land. above left Plant crepe myrtles because the flowers look like Japanese spring blossoms but they come out in summer. Bonus! above RIGHT Niwaki pruning of a black pine, which can reach 30m, keeps its height down.

issues for . GO LOCAL! Don’t rip out your Australian gum trees – they look perfectly natural in a Japanese-style se ing.