Shears 2013

30th January 2013 : The warmer weather, and a sunny morning, got me tidying up all my pruning stuff. This is the current shears line-up for  the 2013 season.  The two on the left are on trial from Kanenori.   Read More

Back of a van

25th January 2013 : A customer came to visit today, and I caught a glimpse of the inside of his van - strangely lacking in Niwaki tools, which is something we soon put right - but rather fantastic nevertheless.   Read More

There's never been a better time to buy a spade

25th January 2013 : Yep, buy a Golden Spade before the end of the month and we chuck in pair of the fab little Okatsune Snips for free. We've even had a swanky box made up especially. Be quick though - we're running low on snips!   Retweet, Share, and Forward at will! Read More

Just near the revolving sushi restaurant Kurazushi

23rd January 2013 : Just near the revolving sushi restaurant Kurazushi (that's revolving, not revolting)in Kawachinagano lies this cracker of a front yard. They don't have snow in Osaka at the moment, but they make up for it with an extra helping of overhead cables. Read More

Tripod Ladders in the US

22nd January 2013 : More than a little bit pleased with ourselves: we've finally got Tripod Ladders back into the US. Check them out here https://www.niwaki.com/store/japanese-tripod-ladder/and come and see us at the 2013 Landscape Industry Show in LA next month.   Read More

Mt Fuji in the snow

21st January 2013 : (photo and artwork by Keiko)   Read More

Something for the weekend

18th January 2013 : Continuing the yew theme, here's a rather impressive yew trunk at Middle Chinnock church. In 1997 it ( actaully she) had a girth of 490 cm at 130cm high. That's over 16'. Check out the Ancient Yew Group for info. Read More

The Yew Wood

16th January 2013 : A quick winter recce yesterday to the yew wood on Hambledon Hill in Dorset. Not quite as imposing as Kingley Vale in Sussex, but extraordinary nevertheless. This next one is a panorama shot from my phone. Read More

Left Handed Tobisho Secateurs

14th January 2013 : Calling all left handers - we managed to persuade Tobisho to knock out a few left handed versions of their secateurs. They cost a bit more (and feel decidedly odd if you ask me) and are available here: https://www.niwaki.com/store/tobisho-secateurs-pruners/   Compare the two, the left ones are on… Read More

Japanese Hillside Nursey

13th January 2013 : Japanese tree nurseries come in all shape and form - the main common factor being that trees are always field grown. It's not unusual to find an empty house lot in a village given over to pine trees, or neatly divided paddy fields interrupted by a field of Podocarpus macrophyllus. The Furukawa… Read More

Short Ars Loppers

9th January 2013 : Pretty sure there's a joke in there somewhere.  We’ve just got our mitts on some cracking new loppers from ARS - perfect for winter pruning, and, right now they come with a free pair of snips!  Choose between the biggies for all out war, or the short ones for more restrained, hand-to-hand stuff… Read More

CBeebies: the tree pruner's bible

6th January 2013 : CBeebies, channel 71 on Freeview, never ceases to impress me with its rendering of trees in the landscapes of shows like Baby Jake, Mike the Knight, and Roary the Racing Car (actually that's on another channel, not sure which, possibly 5). In the introduction to my book Niwaki, I urged readers to… Read More

Nice Beech/Yew combo

5th January 2013 : A350. On the way back from an afternoon walk on Hambledon Hill.  Read More

Pines and Palms

4th January 2013 : Moroto Gardens, Kuwana. Japan. Could do with some of that sun. Read More

Squeezing more from our autumnal exploration of Nara

3rd January 2013 : Mention Nara and most people think the big buddha at Todai-ji, the park, the deer, Kasuga Taisha, and if they're into gardens, perhaps places like Yoshikien and Isuien, all in Nara city. Very few people get the chance to explore the rest of Nara - Nara prefecture, which is a shame as it's loaded… Read More

3 x 3 = 9

1st January 2013 : Just got this great pic from Claudia Arlinghaus, of one of the pines at Korakuen in Okayama, post-prune. Thanks Claudia. (it's dated 21st September, btw.) photo © Heinrich Arlinghaus Reminded me of this one I saw on our last visit. Read More