Asian maples such as the full moon
maple (Acer japonicum) form one of
the Garden’s core collections.
(Photo by Chie Iida)
Pines and other trees are expertly thinned and
shaped each year to perfect the vision of the
Garden. (Photo by Michael Lee)
needed to fit into and contribute to the overall
quality of the Garden.
After the initial round of refinements, the
focus shifted to the conifer canopy. Trees that
were crowding the composition—or were out
of scale or disconnecting the Garden from the
borrowed scenery of its surroundings—were
assessed for removal. An oversized cryptomeria
in the Tea Garden and Alaska cedars (Cupressus
nootkatensis) by the East Gate are examples of the
removals from this era.
At the same time, pruning to emphasize
the structures of smaller trees was stepped up,
helping to create a feeling of depth not dependent
on volume. The thoughtful restoration of
negative space helped to make the Garden feel
larger, rather than sparser. (Note: The removal
of large trees from such a carefully curated space
presents a series of technical challenges for our
crews and contractors. A great deal of thought,
planning, and highly skilled execution goes into
all of our decisions around the large tree collection
here.)
Ground covers were also changed, moss was
encouraged, and the negative space between the
ground plane and the tree branches added to the
feelings of depth.
As the first decade of the 2000s came to
end, the addition of the gatehouse, Tateuchi
Community Room, and new entrance plantings
added to the growing narrative of the Garden.
Hakone grass (Hakonechloa) and mondo grass
(Ophiopogon planiscapus, as well as O. japonicum
‘Nana’), added texture outside the gate and tied
the landscape to the architecture.
NEW AND FUTURE PLANTINGS
Nowadays, we select plants for their holistic
contribution to the Garden. Recent additions
include upright varieties of maples (such as
Acer palmatum ‘Aconitifolium’), which connect
the upper and lower stories and soften the
dark, dense appearance of the conifer canopy.
They also include osmanthus, such as
Osmanthus fragrans, to supplement azaleas as
low, textural evergreen foundational plantings
or replace azaleas growing unhappily in wet,
heavy soils.
Conditions in the garden are not static. The
removal of some large trees has changed patterns
of light and rainfall, as well as the absorption and
translocation of groundwater. On a larger scale,
weather patterns are changing in ways that are
difficult to predict: Groundwater and air quality
are affected as our environment becomes more
urbanized, and as more and more pests and
diseases are being introduced.
Adaptation is a key factor in the selection of
new plants. Some species are showing increased
susceptibility to pests and diseases (for example,
shore pine and flowering cherries), while other
species are not thriving in current conditions. As
we look for replacements—or for enhancement
planting material—we are seeking species for
the future.
Summer 2020 v 15