THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Hand Held Hoe
What is this one?
The question people ask me the most at my talks…
It is a good question. What kind of tool could it be? This shiny, beautiful little hoop? Cheekily, we refuse to answer straight away and instead question them back – what do you think it is?
Take a look again…
We have been told it is:
- An avocado de-stoner.
- A dog brush.
- A boot scraper.
- A boiled egg de-sheller. (Big egg…)
- A hairbrush for a teddy boy quiff.
- A dog lead holder.
- A target for practising your golf chip.
- A body exfoliating tool.
- A nail clipper.
- A razor.
- A scone or cookie cutter.
- A zombie electrifier.
- A huge earring…
Some amazing guesses for this unusual tool for a gardener to use. Not everyone has an idea about what it does…
Shall we tell you?
It is, very simply, a hand held hoe.
This hoe has a sharpened bronze blade, curved so that it can dip into cultivated soil and cut roots as well as drag back to your bucket or pail those blanket-type weeds like chickweed or the clovers.
The handle is beech and oiled with linseed. This hand held hoe not only speeds up weeding and cultivating the soil – just a few quick sweeps across the surface of the flower or vegetable beds should do the trick – but it also has an heirloom quality about it that we love. (So do all of our copper tools, to be fair.)
Our Unusual Hand Held Hoe
We regularly get people taking a chance and buying one of these either as a gift for a friend, or as a little treat for themselves. Often, after trying it out, they come back and buy another one for someone they know will love it. Or we get emails to say how amazing this ‘hand held hoe’ is.
“Thank you for sending me my lovely Nunki a few weeks ago. I have recommended your site to another friend Jane – who will be buying a Nunki from you very soon. Love from Pembrokeshire” Anna
It is a lovely job selling these wonderful and unique weeding tools…
Get Your Nunki Now.
For example, at Salisbury Christmas market we had a lovely lady buy one for her sister, who was a keen gardener. She came back two days later, pushed through the crowd around our stall and said, “my sister is blown away by it, it is brilliant! Absolutely blown away! Thank you. Everybody – buy one!”
I went red in the face, as this kind of praise is amazing and gratifying, but also not something you ask for and was totally unexpected. The lady then walked off back to whatever she was up to that day, and the crowd around our stall laughed and giggled.
And then of course wanted to try this hand held hoe and discover for themselves exactly why she thought it was so blooming great…
It gives us great pleasure to sell this hoe. It gives us great pleasure to earn a reputation for inviting you to try products that are useful as well as beautiful.
We do hope you will give our unusual ‘hand held hoe’ a go. Those who have already tried it suggest you will love it.
Topiary, The Art Garden at The Henderson
The Art Garden at The Henderson in Hong-Kong has now opened to the public. I joined the project last March, to work with Gillespies Landscape Architects on the topiary that had been designed for the Art Garden, which gives a calm, green space below the extraordinary Henderson skyscraper designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. The garden has been designed with butterflies in mind, so lots of nectar plants, and has other art projects and installations within its footprint. The history of the site is interesting too – it was originally the first cricket ground in Hong-Kong! So still a green space….! …
ClipFest 2025
On Sunday June 22nd there will be Clipfest 2025 at Ichi-Coo Park in Surrey. It is a celebration of all things pruning and topiary, and I will be there in my capacity of teacher at the European Boxwood and Topiary Society to demonstrate tool cleaning and sharpening, and how to clip. Tickets can be found here on Eventbrite. We are hoping for great weather and to see lots of keen pruners getting their shears out and joining us at this amazing garden! And for more on topiary…
Secateur Holders
A present arrived from Norway today, from a student who visited last February to work with Chris Poole and I on learning topiary. His new hobby – a beautiful and neatly stitched secateur holder. Thrilled with this! The holder will save me keep losing my secatuers too…! Thank you Bernt! It was the same student who introduced me to the APA with whom I am doing a talk at the end of March. Tickets can be bought here for ‘Defining The Essence – Aesthetic Pruning in the Garden’. Do join the European Boxwood and Topiary Society for that!