THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Awhile back the internet and its web of click throughs led us to discover a relatively new farm right on the tip of the South Devon coast. We read a little about it, bookmarked the website to revisit, then promptly forgot it.
Then this interview with the farmer, Rebecca Hosking, appeared on the BBC – Wild Farming.
A brilliant 20 minutes of radio where Rebecca explains why they farm the way they do and what they hope to achieve, namely turning a neglected piece of land that would fail to inspire if farmed conventionally into a wildlife rich, productive habitat that sequesters carbon in the soil and provides nourishing, healthy food.
We have spent the evening reading the Village Farm blog. We hope you will do the same…
Read the Village Farm Blog now.
Wild farming at Village Farm – could this be the future of more farms?
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 …