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I have a laser, but it's fairly useless for a hedge like the one shown above that needs to somewhat follow a grade that drops and rises.

Some parts I can estimate, then stand back and see if more needs removal. What I'm doing on that lower section is driving skinny 4 FOOT survey stakes on the opposite side of the hedge about 1 inch out from it. Then I'm stringing a line, and adjusting the line by sight looking at a couple of...

Thanks Bermy. Like 25 years ago, I was enthusiastic about shearing and shaping, but it got tedious and I felt the technique was so time consuming it could hurt average budgets for most residences. So I quit starting any shaping, and often dodged the work if that's mostly what someone wanted...

Some of the features were inspired by a certain few things near L.A.. The fountain was inspired by a Mulholland fountain, named after a man who worked with LA's water system many years ago. I haven't seen it at night or with all the water spouts going.

Are you referring to the ripple shadows? The pool water is almost crystal clear.

The lower farmhouse has some nice old trees too, including the Douglas fir with a 5.6 ft. diameter trunk. Today's main task was the arborvitae hedge. Everybody pruning it so far has only sheared the top and pool side. Since the back side isn't in view except facing some forest, I gutted the...

On something like this, or even shorter 12 foot tall hedges, I point the ladder's top toward the plant. The legs were planted solid, but I like this positioning because the plants limbs inches away to grab for stability. The twig in this one was only 2 lbs.. Had it been 10 lbs., I probably would...

This is the largest of the four houses, all within a minute or two of each other. Among other pruning like Japanese maple and more shearing. I started to tackle the few wild hairs on the Italian Cypress. I'm on the orchard ladder for scale, cutting the twig about 20 feet over my head.

This was the day before yesterday when I tested a pair to see if they would bend enough, and without breaking. I did use manilla rope, 1/2 inch. Since these won't be grafted, I figured a rope that eventually rots, and then thread a few more strands every couple years is the way to go. I used two...

This is a Koi Pond water feature. And I think it will look more adapted when it is fixed, planted around, and running. I noticed some stairs going into the Earth yesterday and asked. There is a small room beneath the foreground, with an underground window to view swimming Koi. During parties...

The front entry has two white Sphinx-like statues, one on each side. Same situation, the dead Arbs will be replaced. I recommended digging a trench and doubling the planting for a more solid hedge. Whichever person was shearing before, missed one aspect or another when cutting. If they kept...

These are the taller Italian Cypress. They only need minor pruning for a few tweaked twigs. The top of the huge golden statue is about 25 feet above the pool deck. At night, flames rise from the pan or dish held in the hands. The pool is also rigged to pump it's 80,000 gallons for firefighting...

In the first photo I posted, an amphitheater can be seen on the hill. It probably seats 150 to 200 people. Here is a closer look. The only thing I may do around this feature is design consultation or planting on the hill to the side for some color or character.

The back corner of the pool area has two Sphinx on marble base. I decided to made the boxwood hedge on the pool side of each one dip lower for a short stretch to add some character and show more of the Sphinx and the base top.

The pool area has some very nice 40 foot Italian Cypress, but the ones by this walk were a bit scraggly and small. The homeowner asked if I could shape them into an arch, which I tested yesterday on a single pair. It worked, so I did the other 5 pairs this afternoon and did a phase-one...

The Wisteria grew so low, it almost took ducking, so I raised it just a little for headroom. More can be cut later, this is just a start. There are 5 such arbors supporting Wisteria around the house. As soon as the foliage was raised, the excellent views from the driveway became more apparent.

Unusual House - Rogue Valley - Pruning and Odds & Ends A couple months ago, I did pruning in Jacksonville, Oregon for someone. Last week they asked me to come to their other Rogue Valley house. I am not taking over maintenance, but am helping redesign shapes, pruning and consultation for...