Members who look closely enough this month will notice something extra special at the Garden.

For the first time in recent memory, the gardening staff at Portland Japanese Garden “touched every single pine in the Garden during pine pruning season.”

It is also the earliest the team has ever finished pruning at Portland Japanese Garden.

“We put nearly 500 hours into pine pruning this season. By my count, there are 82 pine trees and another 31 mugos (pine shrubs) that were worked on, that’s something to be proud of.” – Adam Hart, Senior Gardener.

Ready for warm spring weather

The eight full-time gardeners credit mild weather and additional staff which helped move the process along smoothly. Pine pruning is no easy task. It takes years to learn and requires meticulous care. Pine pruning workshops taught by the gardeners last up to six hours. Given the the care, time, and skill required, the completion of all the Garden’s pines marks a significant achievement this year for the team of gardeners.