Even the most aesthetic pruner cannot make every garden great. However, a garden cannot be great without one.

Dr. David M. Brearey,
Certified aesthetic pruner
Merritt Horticultural School
Oakland, California

Pruning is both a practical approach to plant health and the art of enhancing the essential beauty of a tree or shrub. Good pruning is one of the least appreciated and least practiced arts in the garden.

The best efforts of lighting a tree well cannot be fully realized without the accompaniment of good pruning. When dealing with focal trees, be they ornamental Japanese maples or a towering oak, proper pruning allows night lighting to show the structure and character of the tree. We are indeed showing of the essence of some of our gardens greatest characters. Pruning lower limbs allows the light access to reach up into the structure of the tree and remove hotspots, which come from being too close to the light source. By raising the branch structure, it allows use to truly see the trunk, which in turn gives the tree (and the garden) a sense of establishment, of age. Both lighting and pruning play to trees strength, plays with shadows and volume. Anyone who knows the art of bonsai knows that empty space can be as powerful as space filled. It is the spaces between that define the layers of a tree and the structure of the branches. I consider aesthetic pruning, the art of bonsai for garden trees. I think of focal trees as actors on a stage. With proper pruning, we allow the tree to play out its role. With uplighting, the tree comes alive at night. With downlighting (for trees which are large enough), we create the stage for the play to take place. Think of a large red Japanese maple. When all we see are the beauty of its leaves, it is wonderful but static. When the tree has been opened up, when there are layers separated by space, suddenly we have a view inside and suddenly we see the strength and character of its branching structure. We can follow its flow from its trunk to the finery of its smallest branches. We have also opened the inside to sunlight and air.

In terms of landscape lighting, we are asked to create a lighting composition that creates nighttime magic for our clients. We are given the trees and plants that come with the garden. Pruning is often essential in turning an ordinary object into something special that demands its place in the nighttime composition. I would say to anyone embarking on lighting a garden, pruning- if not you- who?

The best teacher is practice and patience. Without them, mistakes can be made. Overcoming the fear of the cut is within your reach. Armed with a few practical pieces of knowledge, a couple of good resource books, a certain amount of fearlessness and the ever-necessary ability to “see” the essence of a tree, you can embolden yourself and your abilities to proceed. Remember, we are talking not simply about a skill; we are talking about an art!

I plan to update this portion of my website from time to time, adding tips and providing my perspective on the nature and necessity of aesthetic pruning.