THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Garden Design in Chelmsford: What Do People Look For?
1) Low Maintenance
At the start of the year we found most clients were asking for artificial lawn. This suggested to us people felt time poor and just didn’t want the hassle of looking after a garden.
Our design suggestion:
Make the lawn areas smaller, with a logical design so that the mower can reach each part of the grass easily and quickly. Job done, minimum of fuss.
2) ‘Wow’ Factor
Clients wanted the garden to be used for entertaining, so it needed to look great.
Our design suggestion:
Use tough but beautiful shrubs like rosemary and lavender – they not only attract wildlife but only need cutting back once a year, are fine if they don’t get any water (it’s not just in Chelmsford, but when designing a garden in hot, dry Essex you have to think about how to cope with the low rainfall!) and they look and smell fantastic.
You can even use them to cook with – even better when you have friends over for dinner and drinks!
3) The personal touch
Clients do not want something mass produced. The people of Chelmsford want their garden design to say something about them.
Our design suggestion:
We have searched and found a range of artisan craftspeople who can design, make and install gates, sculptures, pergolas, pots and potting sheds. We love being able to offer these unique products, because your garden should be an expression of who you are.
Modern Mint design gardens, large or small, that suit the 21st Century lifestyle.
So if you live in Chelmsford and would like to discuss garden design ideas with us, join those who already have and contact us now.
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 …