Find a Pruner

To be considered for inclusion in our Directory of Aesthetic Pruners of Ornamental Trees and Shrubs, a pruner must:

  • have completed most of the Aesthetic Pruning series of classes offered at Merritt College (or equivalent training)

  • have the recommendation of 3 experienced pruners who are either aesthetic pruning instructors, Pruning Club event leaders, or APA Certified Aesthetic Pruners (CAPs)

  • be accepting new pruning clients

  • participate in 2 or more Pruning Club activities per year

Apply for listing

For more information on becoming an APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner® (CAP) please visit: www.aestheticprunersassociation.org

Listings are alphabetical by first name.

  • Ananda Wiegand

    Aesthetic Pruner, ISA Certified Arborist
    and Permaculture Designer

    Email

    Work area: Primarily the East Bay, but open to national and international gardens/landscapes.

    Interest area: Ananda balances the practical with the artistic within your landscape. Her Aesthetic Pruning reveals and compliments all of your edible, native and ornamental garden specimens. She also provides consulting and coaching, ecological planting and design services, with an emphasis on connecting people with nature while restoring our relationship with a changing environment. Ananda integrates a scientific background in Conservation Biology and Ecology with applied horticultural and Permaculture Design experience.

  • Bill Castellon

    APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner
    DBA: Bill Castellon Landscapes

    (510) 569-8003 | Email

    Interest area: Japanese aesthetics in garden design, construction and maintenance. Specializing in stone placement, pruning and bonsai. Aesthetic pruning and stone placement instructor at Merritt College. Lectures and workshops on related topics. Gold Medals, 2000 San Francisco Garden Show and seen on HGTV.

  • Brad Bain

    (916) 396-8571 | Email | Website

    Work area: Sacramento but will travel to Northern and Central California and the Foothills.

    Interest area: Japanese Aesthetic Style Pruning of ornamental trees, plants and shrubs. Creating focal point trees and bringing out the essence of the tree or plant while maintaining its natural look and showing the structure of the tree. Specializing in Japanese Maples, Black Pines and Japanese style gardens.

    I also prune other trees and plants such as Crepe Myrtle, Dogwood, Redbud, Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar, Flowering Cherry, Mugo Pine, Camellia, Azalea, Gardenia, Boxwood, Bottlebrush, Rhododendron, along with container trees and plants.

  • Bruce Thompson

    APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner

    (510) 428-4964 | Email

    Work area: Bay Area, especially the East Bay.

    Interest area: Combining art and science in the care of your trees. I work with trees to develop and enhance their natural beauty in a way that suits your individual style and elevates the look of your entire garden. My current focus is on developing the high art of pruning. I can prune a single tree or be the pruner and aesthetic eye for your entire garden. Over ten years experience. Private and public speaking and hands on pruning instruction available. Specialties: Japanese Gardens, Japanese maples, conifers, deciduous trees, focal point pruning, and fruit trees. Bonsai and container trees too. Vice President Aesthetic Pruner’s Association.

  • Christopher Ingram

    APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner
    ISA Certified Arborist #WE7743A
    DBA: Mr. Prune Tree Service

    (415) 786-5725 | Email

    Work area: wide range, including Marin, Peninsula, as well as Humboldt County/Eureka area. Open to national and international opportunities.

    Interest area: Aesthetic and functional pruning of ornamental, exotic, fruit and native trees and shrubs to fifteen feet. Japanese Maples and Black Pines. Specializing in rehabilitation of damaged/neglected trees. Tree health consultation. Planting, early training and pruning instruction/consultation. Orchard background. Experienced Public Speaker for presentations in Tree biology, Arboricluture, Aesthetic pruning principles and practices and related topics at garden clubs, nurseries, schools, expos, etc. Aesthetic Pruning instructor at Merritt College in Oakland, CA, Spanish fluent.

  • Curtis Counts

    APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner

    (805) 610-8044 | Fax: (805) 434-1763 | Email

    Work area: San Luis Obispo County, Monterey County, and Santa Barbara County.

    Interest area: Pruning specimen evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs, Japanese maples, pines and conifers.

  • Dahlia Elizabeth Wist

    ISA Certified Arborist #WE8655A

    (408) 623-0272 | Email

    Work area: Ontario County, Upstate New York. Open to travel.

    Interest area: Aesthetic pruning of trees and shrubs twelve feet or less. Available to teach pruning classes and coach home owners. Aesthetic Pruning Award recipient.

  • David Phillips

    (415) 665-2155

    Work area: San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo counties and willing to travel.

    Interest area: Aesthetic pruning of ornamental trees and shrubs. Specializing in Japanese maples, pines and conifers. Working in the field over twenty years.

  • Diane Bloomberg

    APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner

    (925) 382-3516 | Email

    Work area: Primarily east of the Caldecott Tunnel; Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, Walnut Creek, Moraga, Lafayette. Flexible depending on job scope.

    Interest area: Aesthetic, natural style pruning for plants/Trees fifteen feet and lower. Training: Certification from Merritt College Landscape, Horticulture and Design programs. Completion of Merritt College Aesthetic Pruning training program including course work and monthly pruning clinics.

  • Elizabeth Bear

    (650) 288-9656 | Email

    Work area: SF Peninsula, including SF

    Interest area: Aesthetic and structural pruning of small trees and ornamental shrubs, with a focus on long-term plant health and natural form. I especially enjoy working with fruit trees, California natives, camellias, and roses. I am a California Native Plant certified landscaper and qualified water efficient landscaper.

  • Evelyn Yang Borchert

    APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner
    President, Merritt College Pruning Club

    Email | Website

    Work Area: Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito, Kensington. Will travel for special projects.

    Interest area: Aesthetic pruning of small trees and shrubs up to 12’ tall. I especially love working with Japanese maples, pines, Mediterranean climate plants and fruit trees of all kinds. Specialties include training young trees, developing stylized forms such as espalier, and fruit tree grafting. I also offer pruning consultations and lessons to individuals and groups.

  • Fred Miyahara

    APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner

    (619) 286-8602 | Fax: (619) 286-8919 | Email

    Work area: San Diego, willing to travel to lead demos and workshops.

    Interest area: Bonsai pruning, wiring and design. Specialty: GRAFTING --15 years grafting Kishu Shimpaku to San Jose Junipers or Prostrata Junipers; also Cork Bark Pine, Mikawa, Banshoho & Kotobuki Black Pines onto Japanese Black Pine stock. Willing to travel throughout country to do demos or workshops. Aesthetic pruning landscape Japanese black pines (in San Diego area).

  • Jocelyn Cohen

    APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner
    ISA Certified Arborist #WE7063A
    DBA: Poetree Landscapes and Arboriculture

    (415) 335-3603 | Email | Website

    Work area: San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland and parts of the Peninsula.

    Interest area: Fine pruning of smaller trees up to 25’ and shrubs including focal point, crown restoration and bringing out the essence of the plant. Preservation reports, tree assessment and horticulture consulting.

  • Kerry Harvey

    FNGLA - FCHP - Florida Certified Horticulture Professional
    Certificate in Horticulture - Merritt College

    (727) 710-0845 | Email

    Work area: Florida - Tampa/St Pete area and greater Sarasota area.

    Interest area: Originally from Australia, trained and mentored in the Bay Area by Master Pruner Dennis Makishima. Passionate about enhancing specimen trees and shrubs for aesthetically pleasing results. Kerry especially loves to do reconstructive work both on trees/shrubs, and entire gardens that are not shining at their full potential. Worked as Curator/ Principal Gardener & Aesthetic Pruner at the Harland Hand Gardens in El Cerrito, Berkeley, and San Francisco. Intern at the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. Co-taught basic pruning techniques at Lotusland in Santa Barbara, CA. Currently based in St Petersburg, Florida and pursuing a Bachelors in Fine Arts.

  • Kristen Vetterlein

    415-407-1895 | Email

    Work area: East Bay

    Interest area: I prune evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs up to 15', depending on access. Fruit trees, Japanese Maples, Bottlebrush, Camellias, Crepe Myrtles, Dogwoods, Hollywood Junipers, Magnolias, Manzanitas, Pittosporum, Podocarpus, Wisteria vines. etc. I am happy to prune hedge rows in a natural but clean and structured form and I love renovating bigger trees and looking for the essence in all. Continuity is preferred.

  • Lary Huls

    APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner
    DBA: L Huls Designs

    (510) 393-9581 | Email

    Work area: San Leandro and/or East Bay.

    Interest area: Landscape design, construction and maintenance. Specializing in traditional stonework (patio, walkways, walls) and custom outdoor woodwork (gates, arbors, fences) as well as water-wise irrigation, lighting and aesthetic pruning. Instructor: Using Stone in the Garden at Merritt; Assistant instructor in pruning at Merritt; Bronze medal, San Francisco Flower and Garden show, 2005. CA Lic.# 912740. Quality Water-efficient Landscaper: EPA. Bay Friendly Qualified Designer.

  • Leslie Buck

    APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner

    Website

    Work area: East Bay

    Author: Check out my New York Times reviewed garden memoir, Cutting Back, an action adventure set in Kyoto.

    Interest Area: Accepting only new "Pruning Clients" with Native Gardens (or mixed habitat gardens) at this time. Accepting all new "Design Consultation Clients" where I spend a few hours advising you on how to create more beauty/health/habitat in your existing landscape. I specialize in improving view of garden from inside home, fire safety, water savings. I can teach an introductory natural pruning class for your organization near/far-see my website for details.

    Bio: Experienced. I've pruned in hundreds of landscapes/small gardens throughout the Bay Area, taught introductory pruning to dozens of organizations and given many lectures about my garden memoir "Cutting Back." I love mingling with plant people and native plant geeks! My home garden is on Bringing Back Native Garden Tour. See my garden or silly nature posts on Facebook/Instagram: Lesliebuckauthor.com

  • Lisa Carey

    (510) 847-2577 | Email | Website

    Work area: Bay Area, especially the East Bay

    Interest area: Gentle sculptor of trees and shrubs retaining natural form and beauty. Pruning for sustained health, well being and future. Landscape design, installation and cultivation. Garden staging including container plants. Work with contractors and clients on importance of early, ongoing pruning of established trees and shrubs, after installation, to maximize health, form, beauty and longevity of plants. Bay Friendly Landscape Maintenance Certified and a Green Certified Business.

  • Mark Mendell

    (510) 295-9395 | Email

    Work area: SF coastal East Bay plus Marin, Orinda, Moraga, Lafayette, and Walnut Creek (no charge for travel for first 30 minutes from El Cerrito)

    Interest area: I enjoy pruning all types of trees and shrubs up to about 12 ft tall, with special interests in Japanese maples and fruiting plants. I enjoy the challenge of pruning fruit trees aesthetically while also considering the specific needs of different types of fruit trees. I also enjoy restorative pruning with trees that have been mispruned. or left unpruned.

  • Matthew Taylor

    Aesthetic Pruner, ISA Certified Arborist

    (510) 871-3721 | Email | Website

    Work area: Based in Alameda, working all over SF Bay Area

    Interest area: Detailed aesthetic and structural pruning of ornamental trees and shrubs, with a deep respect for Japanese pruning traditions. Shaping your trees to enhance their natural form and beauty, highlighting the unique character of each plant while supporting long-term structure and health. Specializing in Japanese maples and pines. Fruit tree pruning and care. CA natives and all other types of trees carefully pruned and cared for. Tree health consultations and cultural care recommendations. Background of over 15 years in horticulture. Royal Horticulture Society (UK) Certificate in Horticulture, Merritt College Certificate in Aesthetic Pruning.

  • Melissa Hyams

    APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner

    (630) 346-9523 | Email

    Work area: East Bay

    Interest area: Pruning trees and shrubs up to 15 feet, specifically, California native trees and shrubs; Mediterranean trees and shrubs; Japanese maples; camellias; fruit trees; and conifers.

  • Mike Umehara

    DBA: Momiji Nursery

    (707) 528-2917 | Website

    Interest area: Our ONLY focus is Japanese maples, our lifetime labor of love. We seed, grow, propagate and prune. One, two, five, seven, fifteen, twenty & twenty four inch boxes. Come see us at 2765 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95407.

  • Nancy Brown

    (510) 227-9560 | Email

    Work area: Alameda and Contra Costa Counties

    Interest area: Professionally trained in Aesthetic Pruning at Merritt College. Recipient of the Aesthetic Pruning Award and a Landscape Horticulture Certificate. Formally educated as a painter with an eye toward balanced form and composition: Master of Fine Arts degree. Will work on all woody plant material under fifteen feet including maples, camellias, CA natives, and fruit trees. Especially drawn to giving new structure to overgrown trees. Continuity preferred. Happy to perform some garden maintenance.

  • Pete Churgel

    APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner #30
    ISA Certified Arborist #6700A

    (510) 843-1901 | Email

    Interest area: Aesthetic pruning of ornamental trees and shrubs. Specializing in Japanese maples, black pines and wisteria; Japanese garden pruning; container trees and bonsai. Pruning consultations, instruction and lectures/ demonstrations.

  • Peter Thomas Bowyer

    APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner #007
    CA Landscape Contractor License #712862 DBA: Garden Form & Composition

    (510) 658-4941 | Email

    Work area: San Francisco Bay Area

    Interest area: Specializing in the intersection of arboriculture and landscape design by pruning plants and arranging landscape features to work together. Shaping earth, water, stone and plants individually, and in a larger scheme. Collaborative communication by sketch drawings. Inspirations range from natural landscapes to cultural ones. Instructor. Leader of numerous projects in public gardens, including in Japan. Experienced (since 1981), well trained (6 certificates, diverse employment history) and well equipped.

    Specialties: The intersection of pruning and garden design. Trees up to 25 ft (three stories tall). Access by tree climbing, tall ladders and 21' pole tools. Arboricultural science. Plant health care. Interdisciplinary knowledge of landscape design, construction and curation.

    Other Certifications: Merritt College Certificates in Aesthetic Pruning, Advanced Landscape Design & Construction, Advanced Parks & Gardens Maintenance; University of California Santa Cruz Certificate in Biological Horticulture.

  • Russell Kanemasu

    APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner

    (916) 541-3222 | Email

    Work area: Sacramento and vicinity

    Interest area: Japanese aesthetic pruning of ornamental trees such as Japanese maples, pines, conifers, shrubs, etc. Specializing in focal point, natural style and Japanese gardens. Working in the aesthetic field for over twenty years. Experienced in bonsai and container plants and trees. Teach aesthetic pruning at my church.