Just thought I'd suggest leaving needles that grow upwards, while removing as much as possible those that grow downwards, if you want the underside of a foliage pad to look clean. That helps with creating nice negative spaces. Of course, if you want the end of a branch to bend downwards, you keep the needles that point in the dowsward direction.
Another question for Gerard: the needles on your Scotties seem rather long for that species of pine. Do your trees get full sun and not too much fertiliser?
Lisa
