The next thing I noticed was a trellis built specifically for Wisteria to grow on. Unlike our trellises, which are designed for people to walk under and often mark an entrance, these trellises are designed to show off the Wisteria to best advantage. So they are much shorter, to allow people to see the blooms on top.
The frame above was the first I saw. It had a number of Wisteria trunks growing up to it and then the plants were displayed along the top. They were just beginning to green up. I was to see more of these in this garden and throughout Japan.
Another interesting garden technique is cloud-pruning. I saw several trees at Hama-rikyu that had been beautifully pruned. It turned out that cloud-pruning is normal in Japan and I saw many more fine examples.
Cloud pruning - a little more unusual because it is not a conifer.
A third technique that I have already touched upon, but which was new to me until coming to Japan, was the widespread use of wooden supports for trees. This is needed, in part I suppose, because of the techniques of training the trees horizontally, particularly over the edges of ponds. The supports are beautifully made and do not detract from the tree in any way.
This tree was obviously not doing so well, but the supports holding up that horizontal limb demonstrate the technique well. And below is a good view from underneath one of the supports.
