THE MODERN MINT BLOG
This is the fourth part in our series about the fabulous book Amy Stewart wrote on the cut flower industry, ‘Gilding the Lily’.
You can read previous blogs here:
It is a fascinating book that tries to describe what life is like for cut flower growers (and sellers) around the world. Do you buy this ‘luxury’ item from a country where people depend on growing flowers for an income, or does it not really help them in the long run? These are tough decisions to make, as any action you take affects a long chain of people.
We personally had a ball when we grew cut flowers for florists, and quickly discovered the amazing quality flowers from your own garden have. They last longer, they smell better, they aren’t grown with chemicals and the choice is far far better – because you decide what to grow, and each month something new will thrust its way forward to be seen. You will also start looking everywhere for that elusive cut flower – hedges become a place to discover treasures you have never thought of using, banks of earth grow flowering diamonds you can’t wait to take home, and climbers that have grown too large, too vigorously, become new material for your next vase.
Even vases become a tough choice as you hone your floristry eye…
It also challenges the mind – you look at the flower you want to cut, and you have to work out how best to treat it to make it last as long as possible. Your technical ability gets stretched. It is great for you to grow cut flowers.
But here is what Amy Stewart has to say about the cut flower industry, especially growers from abroad… this quote is from an organic flower farm…
Amy Stewart on working conditions for organic flower growers…
“In the production room I had to ask why the workers wore so little protective gear – just a rubber apron and gloves…
‘When you use less chemicals, you don’t need all the protection.’
That’s when I realised that what I couldn’t see made all the difference. What they weren’t doing was every bit as important as what they were doing…”
In one company in Ecuador the women who harvested the flower would write their name on a label – this bouquet is handmade by… – it is a way to add soul to a product, but also remind people of the work that went into these flowers, that their is a craft and a provenance to what you buy.
We hope you will look through our other blog posts about Amy Stewart, as well as looking at her book Gilding the Lily.
But more than anything, we hope you will try and grow you own flowers at home – it really is a wonderful way to get out into the garden.
(Try our cut flower kit below, to make sure you have everything you need!)
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 …