THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Estudio Caruncho is the garden design studio of one of our favourite garden designers, the Spaniard Fernando Caruncho.
Minimalist rather than maximalist, he has made some of the most iconic gardens of the last 20 years. Recently his own garden has taken something of a transformation too, as a plague wiped out the vast plantings of evergreen boxwoods and escallonia.
Reduced as the evergreen components were, it allowed him to replace it with masses of the annual white cosmos – you can read and see photos here of Caruncho’s Temporal Cosmic Garden.
But it is his work space we concentrate on today, via this wonderful article in Architectural Digest – Estudio Caruncho.
This is what the exterior of the office looks like…
In typical Caruncho fashion, it uses deep greens set against strong forms. The buildings, of which there are 3, are cubes with little ornamentation to them and few windows.
Meanwhile, the interior is all concrete, skylights, high ceilings and Spanish pine…
Fernando Caruncho did something beautiful with the entrance to the Estudio. He made it small, so that when you enter you must stoop.
“The mere act of lowering one’s head, marks the beginning of a new story and a refreshed vision.”
We love to read what this man says, as it is always interesting and thoughtful, whilst provoking our own thoughts in turn…. this fable he recounted to the interviewer is a fine example of what we mean…
“There was a man who wanted to build himself a home. He started with the garden, and then he built a loggia where he could gaze upon the garden. Only later did he build a bedroom…
Trachelospermum cover the walls.
… the art of living, this story suggests, is not about comfort. It is about keeping our relationship with nature at the center of our experience.”
Cultivating a relationship with nature, even if you do it in such a controlled and considered way as Caruncho has at his Estudio, sounds a fine way to go about designing your garden.
Read more about Fernando Caruncho and his planting palette.
Or see some notes on his Temporal Cosmic Garden.
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 …