CHRISTCHURCH

Whether he is cloud pruning native trees or designing gardens, it’s about honouring the needs and character of those involved.

- The landscaper cloud pruning native and exotic trees.

Space is limited in Japan, and cloud pruning is a practical solution that allows people to have trees in small gardens. “Often in Japan we can see windswept and bent tree trunks in the mountains, on sea cliffs and in other harsh natural environments as we do in New Zealand,” says Masa. “I have a love of the mountains and the natural landscape here in New Zealand. When I am in these environments, I notice the finer natural details and I guess this carries over to the time I spend in creating cloud trees.”

Masa studied landscape design at university in Japan, and was then apprenticed to a traditional Japanese gardening company. As well as learning from experienced gardeners, he gained insight and inspiration from the plants. “When I was an apprentice, I saw and maintained many old trees, some of them 400 years old. Of course I was inspired and had a great respect for the old trees. However I have also been inspired by the people who have looked after those trees. Even if I do not know them by name, I can clearly see their magnificent work. I’m still learning from those people and their vast knowledge and experience of trees.”

As a rock climber, he’s inspired by plants growing high in the mountains. Even on a nearly vertical rock wall, he says, you can see the strength and vitality of plants there.

With 20 years’ experience behind him, Masa works in Christchurch, designing and maintaining gardens for clients. He uses cloud pruning in his work and says many native New Zealand species lend themselves to this technique, including both tōtara and akeake.

“Some trees are easier than others and you will get a different impression. It does not create very dense clouds, but I like to work on beech trees as well.”

For Masa, finding the character of each tree and bringing out its characteristics is one of the fun parts of pruning. “Pruning is for everyone. A big part of working on trees is thinking and imagining what they will look like in the next growing season and years later. So keep thinking and trying, even if it takes time. Don’t give up!”

Gardens are personal spaces and he advises following your heart, thinking about what you hope to achieve, and planting what you love so long as you know that it can grow there. “Every plant has a unique character. Fruit trees and plants fill me up and the taste provides another depth of connection to the trees rather than just the way they look.”

Masa spends time with clients and makes several site visits in the process of his work. “One client wanted something special for their family home. I picked up on what they are passionate about and what they enjoy. The design theme was memories and the future. If I made a Japanese garden, it would look nice but there wouldn’t be any connection for them,” he explains. “The challenge was minimal planting to match the architectural design and maximising the effect to trigger their memory. The garden I created reminds them of their exciting times in nature – while living in the city – and it inspires them for their next adventure.”

Another client had moved from Auckland, where she had spent more than two decades making a hillside garden. “She moved into a more comfortable house here in Christchurch with an easy-care compact garden with an artificial lawn. Her new flat and straight garden did not inspire her at all. She missed her previous garden, so I looked at photos of her old garden and asked what she particularly liked about it. I used locally sourced volcanic stones to create elevation and curves to break the straight lines. I planted a few large feature trees and left as much as possible unplanted so she can spend her time planting flowers and groundcovers to add more colour and texture with her creativity.”

The humble pine tree is one of Masa’s personal favourites. “In Japan it is used in the garden, as well as being a popular tree for bonsai. If you look at the details very closely, such as the needle-like foliage and thick corky bark, it has very unique characteristics. On hot summery days, the scent from pine trees reminds me of my childhood.”

Masa grew up in a countryside village. “My family home is surrounded by fields where rice, edamame and other crops are grown. The neighbouring families did not mind having the local children running around their land. After school, I would use the stepping stones as hopscotch, rock climb on big feature stones in dry stone gardens and climb up old cloud trees as though they were a terraced treehouse. Those gardens were perfect places for me. Now those physical memories help me to make gardens.”

Masa Sato draws on the wilderness for inspiration in his gardens, underpinned by his formal training in niwaki, the art of pruning trees into cloud-like shapes.