THE ART OF PLACING STONE
Jacob Knapp, design instructor
Saturday, October 3rd 10am – 1pm
Hoffman Wonder Garden
$50
Class size limited
Stone can be an astonishing element in a coastal garden. Akin to a well-pruned tree or an alluring planting, it has the power to evoke feelings, create atmosphere, quiet the mind.
Used poorly, stone can be distracting, even nonsensical, as when boulders erupt without context in front yards. (Yes, what IS that about!). But used with intention, stone can unlock the imagination and transform even the smallest outdoor space.
“I want stones to feel settled,” says garden designer Jacob Knapp, “and discovered passively, as part of a composition. Their beauty and presence are best when subdued.”
In his workshop, The Art of Placing Stone, Jacob Knapp will celebrate the many facets of stone itself and ways in which to integrate into a garden. Drawing on a career steeped in the principles and philosophies of Japanese gardening and as head gardener at Portland’s Japanese Garden, Jacob’s approach to choosing, designing and placing stone – carefully! – is suffused with respect and enormous care.
“Stone carries a deep sense of geological history’, he says, symbolizing resilience and permanence. Each stone has a face, a top, a root and often a direction that speaks to its placement and effect”.
Jacob’s class takes place in the Wonder Garden, where he’ll take students through the process of reworking the shape of an existing bed using existing stones, and learn how to choose and stack rock to create subtle, effective edging.
Students will have a chance to participate in a range of on-site experiences, particularly one close to the instructor’s heart: safety.
“Safety for us gardeners when handling stone is number one,” he says, “but safety for the stone itself is a close second!”
If you love rock but at a loss how to effectively use it, this class is for you.
Formerly senior gardener at the Portland Japanese Garden, Jacob Knapp is the owner of Pacific Pruning LLC. In his work, he blends technical horticultural expertise with a design approach rooted in observation, nature and spatial restraint. He can be reached at pacificpruningllc@gmail.com.
