Jon wrote:

We foolishly planted 3 potentially large trees very close to one
another on a little hill behind our water garden. They all look just
wonderful now, 5 years later.

But it's obvious that very soon they will be growing into one another
and dwarfing the pond and hill. If possible, I'd like to keep them
just the size they are, and would need to act this year before they
become too large to easily prune.

They a 1 Norway spruce, about 10 feet tall
1 Eastern hemlock, about 12 feet tall
1 Western blue pine, about 15 feet tall

They are in a triangle with each trunk about 10 feet from the others.
I know, I know, we were idiots.

But all three trees are thriving, and we love the way they look now.

Paraphrasing something I saw on a web site seems to address this problem, as
follows:

"New growth on evergreens are called "candles" because of the candle-like
shape of the branch tips.
Cutting the candles back halfway, before the needles unfold, will keep the
tree more compact.

Candling should occur between late March and mid-May, depending on the area
and the weather.

Don't try to prune once the needles have opened fully or you may end up with a
misshapen plant,
since these trees cannot replace their growing tips"

I think simplistic makes it sound more complicated than it has to be.

Sherwin




Is it possible to "bonsai" them to keep them this size? Should we
leave this to the pros, or could you point us at a good book?

Thanks,
jon