Like cambridgerose said best to get Expert advice spend the £500.00 on someone who really "knows" and take advice and ask lots of questions . I've seen T.V Gardening programmes about 'Japanese Gardens" and being an ex-librarian read many books on Gardening. Please keep us posted on your next step it's an amazing garden nothing like what we have in Wales.
Agree with B3 £10 per week isn't a lot, don't know what that is in yen but those trees are priceless they must be years old and certainly worth expert care.
I can really recommend buying/reading the book 'Niwaki' by Jake Hobson, an English horticulturalist who trained in Japan. Read about the philosophy and reasoning behind the different types of pruning. Then if you can afford it hire a good gardener at the right time, take the day off, make notes as @Cambridgerose12 suggests, and you'll be in a better position to judge what you might want to and be able to do yourself.
I volunteer at Capel manor , a land based college in N London. I have had the privilege of working with one of their senior gardeners D, he has worked and trained in Japan. I can confirm this is very specialised work and takes years to learn. Even the chap I work with says he is a long way from being a Master like they have in Japan. I agree with many of the comments already posted. As well as learning the techniques you have to have the "eye for it". I have seen D cut a bucket full of prunings off a shrub and it looks great but I defy you to know where he has cut. You really need to save up and pay the professional, explain you want to learn but it will take several seasons to even learn the basics.
Thanks for the tip about the book micearguers. I will definitely try and get hold of that. Very interesting points Allotment Boy. Very convincing. Thanks a lot, too.
Thanks again to everyone. Great advice. I can confirm we are definitely going ahead with the gardener. What I’ve learnt here has helped to decide that so I’m very glad I joined.
I will keep you updated with how things go. I will also try and add a few photos of the different trees as I hope that might be of interest.
Seconded @Dovefromabove! @chris.elsdon I forgot to say that the garden looks to have some fabulous landscaping and specimen trees, would be great to see updates.
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You really need to save up and pay the professional, explain you want to learn but it will take several seasons to even learn the basics.
Chris
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
(Just been watching Jake Hobson on YouTube. Fascinating). Cheers, again.