Founders of Niwaki discuss how trimming and shaping plants leads to their personal sense of contentment
In the heart of rural Dorset, a garden transformation is taking place. This isn't just any ordinary garden, but the home of Jake Hobson, the founder of Niwaki, a horticultural-tools company that translates to "garden tree" in Japanese.
Hobson's garden serves as the inspiration for his next garden edit, and it's easy to see why. The meandering grass path, flecked with primroses, bluebells, ribwort, and dandelions, leads through a verdant tapestry of conifers and evergreens. This design, sketched out by Hobson and a local carpenter, includes a summerhouse-style shed with a sheltered porch, creating an intimate space that feels like a forest.
Jake Hobson practices creative pruning techniques in Japanese gardening at his Dorset home. This approach involves using sharp pruners combined with artistic vision to sculpt trees and shrubs, reflecting the traditional Japanese aesthetic of garden design focused on natural shapes and balance. While detailed descriptions of other specific Japanese gardening methods he applies were not found, his expertise notably includes this art of pruning, which is a fundamental aspect of Japanese garden maintenance and design, aiming to enhance the visual harmony and structure of the garden.
Hobson's obsession with gardening began following his visit to Japan in the late 1990s. Captivated by the serenity of Kyoto's temple gardens and their trees, he gave up sculpting and began working at a tree nursery in rural Osaka.
Niwaki started small, with Hobson and his wife, Keiko, importing lightweight, aluminum Japanese tripod ladders to sell at open gardens and rural fairs across England. The brand's product line has since expanded to nearly 300 items, including steel-shafted Golden Spade, oak-handled lopping shears, Okayama denim work trousers, and stainless-steel stove-top kettles. The curated garden paraphernalia, including precision-made tools, became popular due to its high quality and design.
Tools still comprise 75% of the product line, but collaborations with designers like Paul Smith, Eley Kishimoto, and Atsushi Hasegawa have expanded the offerings to include clothing and accessories. The 30-strong team is based in London, Tokyo, the rural HQ on the Dorset-Wiltshire border, and an old dairy farm.
The brand's success has been remarkable. Revenue for Niwaki doubled during lockdown and has grown by an additional 80% since the pandemic. Current turnover is £7mn. Hobson often prunes his trees from a towering height, using pruning saw and secateurs, and finds joy in making big, bold gestures to maintain the feel of a forest in an intimate space.
The home of Hobson and his wife, Keiko, is marked by modest understatement and features a recent addition of a bijou micro-cement-clad Japanese wet room and an airy side return for garden utensils and implements. The interior of the home is adorned with canvases by Hobson's late father, Tim Hobson, depicting family holidays and Japanese life.
In the study, a microcosm and showcase for Niwaki's philosophy, the garden's design is influenced by Japanese gardens, but is a unique reflection of its immediate environment and Japanese pruning techniques. Despite the growth and success, Jake Hobson, the founder of Niwaki, often dreams of trees.
Jake Hobson's lifestyle intertwines fashion-and-beauty with home-and-garden, as his Niwaki brand expands to include clothing and accessories, alongside their renowned precision-made gardening tools. Meanwhile, his home and garden in Dorset serve as a living canvas for his expertise in Japanese gardening techniques, reflecting a lifestyle inspired by Japanese aesthetics and balance.
