THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Finnish Gardens
From our trip to Western Finland last summer to check out some Finnish gardens, the Finnish landscape, and get some garden ideas…
The landscape around you effects the way you behave. Notice how much colour the Finnish people use… symptomatic of the short growing season…
Do we use enough colour in the UK? Or do we not appreciate just how bold we can go? Although a white garden is lovely, we can take lessons from people who like a more vibrant palette – try The Bold and Brilliant Garden
Everything gets recycled and reused, like this spade being used as a shallow surface to grow plants… echoes of Derek Jarman’s Garden
We hope to go back soon, as the Finnish gardens and landscapes we saw last summer were beautiful and inspiring. Don’t forget to check out our trip to Japan either…
And for a real colour boost to your borders – go make use of this sale by clicking the link below!
Michael Gibson, New York Topiary Art!
In the New York Times earlier this year was a lovely interview with Michael Gibson, who makes topiary and gardens in New York. The article is here but you may not have access… however, search the internet, find it and have a read. It is great! His philosophy of pruning is especially worth it… Sacred geometry in topiary? Yes please! What a phrase! I think (and speak) of balance, of major and minor, of leaf volume… but sacred geometry might well make it into my topiary teaching lexicon! And the idea of directional trimming? I realise I do this, but …
Topiary Library
I do a lot of teaching topiary. I had the opportunity from my mentor, Charlotte Molesworth, to work on her garden and experiment and test techniques and generally try making shapes without the worry of failure, or being fired, or being sued and run out of business for getting it wrong. This opportunity was essential (along with Charlotte’s insistance that pruning standards had to be high!) in becoming better at topiary. When I look around the world at our cultural vitamins, what we see in the media day in and day out, I see the stupidest and grossest of people …
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 …