About
In the third decade of my career, I’m eager to reimagine what gardens steeped in traditions can be—to develop spaces of renewal that are responsive to the present and pave the way for an adaptive future.
We live in a world where density is inevitable. Our future lies in our ability to live together. We need to learn to recognize others, to be ourselves together, and to share and understand the boundaries that connect us.
Japan has a long history of creating beautiful, functional gardens in dense urban spaces. A history of dealing with limited resources has led to a culture of thoughtful respect for nature and our neighbors.
Some traditional design elements we can adopt include:
GAKI
Fences, and walls. Celebrating the shared spaces and boundaries, the transitions between the inner and outer experience.
TSUBONIWA
The gardens of enclosed spaces. Emphasis on elegant simplicity over extravagance, also functional as part of passive climate control.
SPECIMEN PLANTING
Focus on quality over quantity, telling a complex story with clarity, grace, and sincerity.
KARESANSUI
Dry gardens. Light and shadow as compositional elements. Highlights the simple beauty of unique natural materials.
FUZEI
Atmosphere, or mood. Composition with space, light, and shadow, room to explore complex thoughts and feelings.
Official Bio
Pete Putnicki (he/him) is a garden maker specializing in Japanese aesthetics and techniques. Currently the Senior Gardener at Seattle Japanese Garden, he has spent over thirty years working on residential and commercial garden installation and maintenance, with an increasing emphasis on design, construction, and arboriculture.
He was previously the estate garden lead, aesthetic pruning specialist, and project manager for D.M. Ohashi Landscapes, co-owner of Southern Exposure Landscapes, and an ISA Certified Arborist.
In addition to his skilled hands and keen eyes, Pete is sought out for his expert knowledge and professional training experience. He’s been the assistant instructor at Portland Japanese Garden’s pine pruning workshop and a presenter at the 2021 North American Japanese Garden Association’s National Conference. Pete has taught one of the most-requested Japanese gardening workshops at Plant Amnesty.
A history enthusiast, Pete enjoys speaking about the evolution of garden styles in Japan. He spends many hours every week learning about how people, culture, and the natural environments have interacted to shape our world.
Pete is based in Seattle, Washington, and enjoys traveling internationally.
Media appearances
KING5
EVENING NEWS
Leaf peep in the city at Seattle Japanese Garden Maple Festival, 2022
“It's a celebration or a recognition of the change of seasons,” said Senior Gardener Pete Putnicki. "It really is about recognizing that we are in a transition. That things are different. And to celebrate these changes as they occur.”
The garden bursts with color In the fall, 2019
“Peter Putnicki is responsible for assuring that the garden is always in tip-top shape. "Every little detail counts -- everything you're doing in here. Even if it's the smallest simple project."
The Kaleidoscope Project
Speaking & Teaching Events
North American Japanese Garden Association Panel Discussion on Tree Selection, 2023
The Point Defiance Flower and Garden Festival, May 2023
North American Japanese Garden Association Biannual Conference, November 2022
Plant Amnesty Advanced Japanese Gardening Techniques, 2011-2019
Articles
A Diary of My Japan Study Tour
Published in the Seattle. Japanese Garden. Blog, 2022
The original gardens at Ryogen-ji and Daisen-in (from the 1500s) became the examples for generations of garden builders and are still some of the best. We were also able to visit the garden at Oubai-in—only open a couple of times each year—to see some of the earliest tea-gardens and a truly spectacular dry garden.”
Honoring the Design Intent
Published in. the Arboretum Bulletin, 2020
“Adaptation was built into the Garden from day one: The ‘on-the-ground’ construction was adapted to the physical environment from the original concept drawings and plans. From the shape of the pond to the arrangement and layout of the plantings, decisions were made to take advantage of the reality of the Garden space.“
The Garden Refined: Perfecting the Vision Through Expert Pruning
Published in the Seattle Japanese Garden Blog, 2016
It is through the careful, regular application of these highly refined techniques, year after year, that a garden like this is built and maintained. The hours of painstakingly detailed work that separates a good Japanese Garden from a collection of plants. As Garden designer Juki Iida said, “It is easier to build a Garden than to maintain one.”
