Category Archives: Exotic and Interesting Trees

Toru Tanaka’s Sasebo Japanese Garden in Albuquerque

This video is not only a tour of Albuquerque’s Japanese garden, but an interview with its head gardener and a behind the scenes look at this unique garden, how it was designed and what it takes to maintain it. At the end of the video, the head gardener talks about the unique challenge of pruning the garden’s pine trees.

Pruning a 125-150 Year Old Derelict Lace Leaf Maple

In 40 years of aesthetic pruning of thousands of Japanese maples, this was by far the oldest and largest lace leaf maple I have ever pruned. It had not been pruned in decades! It looked like a giant mop head, but after five hours of expert aesthetic pruning, the hidden beauty of this queen of ornamental shrubs was amazingly revealed as you will see in this video. Please enjoy!

The Rome, Italy Japanese Garden—A Tour

Believe it or not, Rome, Italy, has a Japanese Garden designed by a renown Japanese landscape architect and professor. I know, because I was there, and now want to share with you this quiet oasis and precious Japanese gem in the middle of one of Europe’s busiest and noisiest cities. Please join me on this fascinating tour as east meets west in the Japanese Garden of Rome.

A Tour of the Amazing Rome, Italy Botanical Garden

The Rome, Italy, Botanical Garden is perhaps Europe’s oldest with the original garden planted in the 1200s. For five Euros admission, one can experience more than a dozen gardens and plant collections in one site including a Japanese garden, a butterfly garden, cactus gardens and greenhouses, a French greenhouse, a conifer garden, a fern garden, a bamboo garden, a rose garden, a Mediterranean garden, an herb garden, a flower garden, a palm tree collection, a grape vine collection, a tropical greenhouse plus numerous fountains and other features dating back to the 1700s. Also see perhaps the largest palm tree in Europe. For plant lovers, this garden is a must-see attraction and is a welcome and quiet oasis in an otherwise busy and noisy city. We ended our five day visit to Rome in this garden—a high point of our trip to this amazing city. Check it out!

Nathan’s Private Japanese Garden in the Winter

A well-done Japanese garden is spectacular anytime of the year. Each season has its own glory and charm.

For example, the skeletal structures of the deciduous trees and shrubs present themselves for all to see only in the winter. In my garden this includes the Japanese and vine maples, the ginkgo tree and Japanese stewartia among other things. For example, take a look at the bright reddish pink trunk and branches of the sango-kaku coral bark maple against the dark green backdrop of the arborvitae hedge, or the red berry clusters on the nandina domesticas or heavenly bamboo plants. The bright colors of these plants pop as if to say, “Here I am, look at me!”

I am pleased to be able to share my garden with you for your viewing pleasure.

Our tree service, can prune the shrubs in your garden as well in a way that will delight all those who see it.

Showcasing the Tropical Trees of Honduras

Honduras is tropical wonderland of exotic trees like cinnamon, coffee, mango, cashew, almond, cannon ball, and fruit loops trees to name a few. Plus living in those trees are exotic birds, monkeys and giant lizards. Take a quick trip with the Treevangelist as he explores the amazing tropical trees of Honduras in Central America.

Plant Life in the Arctic Circle of Alaska

Ever wondered what it was like way up north…in the northern half of Alaska—IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE? What does it look like? What kinds of trees and plants grow there? Is it flat or mountainous? Is there snow and ice? What does tundra and permafrost look like? How big are the trees, if there are even any? Watch this video to discover answers to these questions and learn more with Adventures in Trees with Nathan the Treevangelist.

Plant Life in the Arctic Circle of Alaska

Touring the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland, Oregon

The Lan Su Chinese Garden in downtown Portland, Oregon is one of only nine Chinese gardens in America, and one of only two of its kind. It’s a whole other world in a one square city block garden oasis in the midst of a concrete and steel urban jungle. This garden will transform you and carry you to some place else—somewhere better. I was totally shocked and surprised when I first visited it. I never knew such a treasure existed in this somewhat infamous city.