A very old French prune tree graced a patio by the Dry River. Hand severely pruned the tree to dwarf it, weighted the branches with fishing weights, pinched back the newest shoots, until he achieved the effect he sought. Some years ago he wrote, “I am slowly recreating the contorted, aged beauty of this profoundly expressive tree.”

This tree finally died and has been replaced by a weeping Santa Rosa plum (Prunus salicina).