Join certified aesthetic pruner Michael Alliger for a hands-on look at the basics of aesthetic pruning for woody shrubs and trees. If you’ve struggled with pruning your coveted plants to look their best, this class will give you the knowledge you need to be more confident and successful. Michael will explain the philosophical and technical approaches to aesthetic pruning, including when and where to prune. He’ll review the basic pruning cuts, have you practice on your own, and answer all your questions.  A light lunch and a guided tour of the garden’s pruned trees is included.

Sliding scale: $40-$80, includes light lunch and guided garden tour of pruned trees.

Instructor Bio: Michael Alliger completed a six-year apprenticeship with master pruner Dennis Makishima at Merritt College before forming his own freelance Fine Pruning business in the 1980s. Michael has taught aesthetic pruning at Merritt College, Santa Rosa Junior College, Master Gardeners of Marin County, and the International Maple Society. He is a recurring presenter at the National Japanese Garden Association. Among his local clients, Michael has been implementing the pruning design of Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary in Freestone since 1993.