THE MODERN MINT BLOG

Mar29

English Bones, American Flesh – Topiary At Madoo, New York

In May please do join me at The Madoo Conservancy in The Hamptons, New York.

It is the garden of the late painter Robert Dash, and I will be teaching a couple of workshops there on Modern Topiary.

If you are in New York in May, or know someone who would love to learn, take a look at available tickets.

If Madoo and New York are, you know, a tad too far, then I will also be sharing topiary techniques via Zoom on Thursday 12th May. The joy of Zoom meaning you can join me in the garden from wherever you happen to be in the world.

This Zoom seminar takes place on World Topiary Day… significant, yes?

See ticket availability for the Zoom workshop from Madoo.

The garden, designed and cultivated by Robert Dash and now overseen by Alejandro Saralegui, is renowned for having English bones, American flesh.

For more about my topiary work, or how I teach, take a look around the website…

Or book that ticket to Madoo?

Apr14

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….! …

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Apr14

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…

Feb27

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!