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22. Trees, venerable above all
Shading the moss, painting a reflection, serving as a backdrop, trees add a further dimension to a Japanese garden.
They, too, are pruned regularly, with extreme finesse.
The Japanese have infinite respect for trees, and do everything they can to prolong their lives.
After all, are trees not the longest-lived members of the plant kingdom?
Pine trees, maple trees, fruit trees... like shrubs, trees are selected for their symbolic, aesthetic and seasonal value.
But the way they are planted has its own significance, too.
A grouping of three pines next to an upright rock suddenly becomes a mountain emerging from the clouds.
Trees are often planted on an angle so as to cast shimmering reflections in the water or caress strollers with their shade.
But if an aged tree is in danger of toppling over, the gardener will support it with one or more stakes-cedar posts or strong bamboo poles arranged in rows or in a complex pattern.
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