I recently attended a pruning class called Finding the Essence of a Tree, taught by Michael Alliger. The class is part of the Aesthetic Pruning series that is held on the Merritt College campus. Aesthetic pruning has two goals:
- Enhance the natural form of the tree.
- Enhance the function of the tree in the garden design.
According to Alliger, pruning is more than removing what is bad; it is also about revealing what is good. This includes revealing the tree as a representative of its genera, species, or cultivar, and revealing its individual characteristics. The goal is to make each aspect of the tree or bush readable. Readable elements include the root crown, trunk, branches, foliage, and the flowers and fruit. Alliger advocates studying trees in books and in their natural setting, to see how they grow without interference; and to study Bonsai forms, which emulate the natural form of a tree in miniature. Then prune to liberate the tree's essence.
 |
| A Madrone in nature, with its beautiful bark, leaves, and distinctive berries. |
To find out about the series of classes see: http://www.aestheticpruning.org/AP/Classes.aspx. The series lasts for a year, but you can attend classes in any order, over a period of several years.
No comments:
Post a Comment