THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Gardening Jobs in June
What are the gardening jobs in June? Here are a few of the things we are looking at around the garden… (and if that’s not enough, then for a simple, easy to digest guide, see Alan’s book below…)
Cut back any perennials that are going over (poppies for example) and thin the stems of plants like euphorbia (please wear gloves when you do this, as when the stems break they exude a milky sap that can irritate your skin.)
Mow and edge the lawn every week (but think about some labour saving alternatives…)
Stake anything you have forgotten to stake.
Tie in your sweetpeas – and get ready for their brilliant display!
Plant out tender or ‘exotic’ plants.
Pick and eat your strawberries and raspberries. Is there any better way to watch Wimbledon?
Have you clipped your box yet?
Prune spring flowering shrubs that have now gone over. This is an important one!
Find out if your garden is bee friendly by taking the buzz test.
Be water-wise – you do not need to water your lawn (though the vegetable garden would appreciate some…)
Weed the borders, and while you’re in there, take a look around you. What is working, what is not? Are there any gaps that need filling or unhappy plants that could be moved? Get to know your flowers!
Last (but not least) enjoy your garden. Sit down, open a bottle of wine and get the barbeque on. That’s what it’s all about!
For more information about what to do in the garden now, try these books – they’ll get you inspired…
The Complete How To Be A Gardener
The Gardener’s Pocket Bible: Every gardening rule of thumb at your fingertips (Pocket Bibles)
… and for something a little more fun, we offer you this lovely book about a guy who began gardening in London during the day, while spending his evenings writing comedy.
Best moment?
Discovering why it is hard to find a good gardener, because they all die out over winter when there is no work to sustain them! It’s a lovely read, enjoy it!
Clipsham Yew Tree Avenue
With Chris Poole of the European Boxwood and Topiary Society we visited Clipsham Yew Tree Avenue in Rutland. Do you know it? Amazing place! Chris and I were teaching a topiary workshop in order to give local people the skills and technique, and tenacity! to help with the pruning of the avenue and elevate it to something even more special than it already is. Read more about the workshops here. We hope to run a further workshop in September 2026, as well as teach an advanced course too. Check the teaching page through the year as it will be updated …
Aesthetic Pruners Association – New Talk In December
An organisation I love and have been learning lots from in the last two years is the Aesthetic Pruners Association based in the USA. Sharing knowledge with them about clipping and the overlap – and differences! – in style is something worth exploring, so I recommend a visit to their website and to join onto their events and talks, which are all on Zoom meaning you can access them from anywhere in the world. No excuse not to learn! The next event will be led by Jocelyn Cohen and be about ancient trees in the British Landscape. This is such …
The Amelia Project – Episode 88: Didius Julianus
Friends of mine write a sitcom podcast called The Amelia Project (I wrote about this years ago, when they started it….!) December 2024 I had some fun playing the tiny part of Fornio in episode 88 – Didius Julianus. I have not listened to the episode yet, as I am clearly not an actor… and the thought of listening to my dulcet tones for the few minutes I’m in it just… makes me feel ill. But the recording and being in the studio was great fun, the real actors were hilarious and the script is brilliant – not just funny, …