Lewocks Tree Studio Newsletter

Design, Curiosity and Wonder

Last year I wrote a newsletter all about the Winter Silhouette. It is impossible to talk about the winter silhouette without talking about the aesthetic pruning concept of Coarse to Fine. “Coarse to fine begins where the trunk emerges from the earth and flows up through the tree to the fine tips ...

by Maryann Lewis — Feb 12, 2026 coarse to fine winter silhouette

New Year, New Us?

I have been informed by my teenager this is a common phrase used this time of year for couples who have broken up and are wondering if they should get back together again in the new year. Has this always been a thing? I think its fascinating since the new year’s action plan I am familiar with usu...

by Maryann Lewis — Jan 14, 2026 aesthetic pruning design new year new us? prune with design intent

More Inspiring Connections

Every two years the North American Japanese Garden Association organizes an international conference. This year it was hosted by the Missouri Botanical Garden highlighting their Japanese garden Seiwa-en. There were presentations for private garden owners, volunteers, garden leadership and admini...

by Maryann Lewis — Dec 13, 2025 how to prune japanese gardens najga

Inspiring Connections

My brain is overflowing with information from all of the events I attended in October. The PNW ISA conference in Portland was informative and a chance for me to connect with new people and the NAJGA International conference was one of the best ones yet. I topped off the month with a presentation ...

by Maryann Lewis — Nov 25, 2025 how to prune pruning workshops

Five Year Plan

There are so many wonderful concepts within aesthetic pruning but the concept that ties it all together for me is the idea of a five year plan. It feels like pruning is thought of as a singular seasonal task, not one that is in perpetual refinement. The idea of a multi year plan is also missing f...

by Maryann Lewis — Sep 23, 2025 aesthetic pruning pruning with design intent

Transitions

By the time August rolls around I am soooo ready for autumn to arrive. Im not sure why so I blame it on my love of fall color and cool/warm temperature and… my birthday in November. Most likely it is because August is a transition month. The plants are already transitioning to fall even if its no...

by Maryann Lewis — Aug 03, 2025 phenology pruning pines pruning with design intent

Conifer Spring

By the end of April and into May, my Japanese black pines (Pinus thunbergii) are full of pollen and the little baby cones are waving around on the top. Some candles have only one or the other, some have both pollen and seed cones. The baby cones on top look like little snail ante...

by Maryann Lewis — May 02, 2025 pine cones pruning conifers

Do You Use a Pruning Language?

Have you ever read a book about pruning that told you to Find the Good? Im not sure that I have. Most education about pruning small trees and shrubs in the garden focus on the techniques of how to make a good cut, what kinds of branches to remove or answer questions about timing. All of this is i...

by Maryann Lewis — Apr 16, 2025 aesthetic pruning find the good how to prune

Tips for Trees - Patience

In the Northwest, March is one of those months that reminds me to go with the flow. There can be heat, rain, hail or snow in an unpredictable buffet of weather. It is a moment in time where everything is taking a breath in preparation for a spring explosion. It is also the time of year when I gi...

by Maryann Lewis — Mar 19, 2025 aesthetic pruning tips for trees when not to prune

Winter Silhouette

As a child of Montana, I grew up with plenty of winter experiences, but I had not heard of Winter Silhouette until I moved to Oakland California in my 20’s. I believe it hails from the world of Bonsai but my aesthetic pruning teachers also used it for trees in the landscape. Living in a Mediterra...

by Maryann Lewis — Feb 20, 2025 aesthetic pruning winter silhouette

Officially Winter

We are on the flip side of winter solstice and January definitely feels as wintery as winter gets. This year in Portland, Oregon it feels like its been raining non stop. The ground is soggy and the moss is plump and bright. It use to be common to hear that winter is the best time to prune trees ...

by Maryann Lewis — Jan 14, 2025 pruning cuts pruning with design intent winter pruning

The alluring scent of Pinus monophylla

If I could make a scented candle it would smell like the broken needle of a Pinus monophylla, the single-leaf pinyon pine. My friend Doug Wilson introduced it to me on my first visit to the Oregon Garden in Silverton in 2015. The Willamette Valley is not a very friendly place for Pinus monophyll...

by Maryann Lewis — Dec 30, 2024 aesthetic pruning how to prune pine tree scent pinus monophylla pruning with design intent

1 2