THE MODERN MINT BLOG
This Chelsea Fringe we are running a project called ‘You Should Have Seen It Last Week…’
Taking part is the Uruguayan paisajista Amalia Robredo. She sent us two options for photos – the one above, or the one we eventually chose (that can be seen on the project page – just follow the link above!)
She wrote this about her choice of plants to photo:
“It was a difficult choice as we are in the end of autumn and there is not really much to change in the weeks to come.
I wanted the picture to reflect the place where I live, that is why it had to have the sea and it has a very specific plant community that only takes place in this coastal area, it is called “matorral espinoso psamófilo” (Our Note: ‘the spiny scrub?’), it holds some endemic species and it is an endangered community due to urban development.
I wanted to have Cortaderia selloana (Pampa grass) as it is a plant that many around the world know and I thought it could be interesting to see it in its native setting.
I hope you like them.”
We certainly do. The photograph is stunning and provides a wonderful contrast to the gardens and plants that are taking part in the project from the Northern Hemisphere.
To learn more about Amalia and her work you can buy here book here…
Or read this by Piet Oudolf and Noel Kingsbury – Planting: A New Perspective
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 …
Aesthetic Pruners Association – New Talk In December
An organisation I love and have been learning lots from in the last two years is the Aesthetic Pruners Association based in the USA. Sharing knowledge with them about clipping and the overlap – and differences! – in style is something worth exploring, so I recommend a visit to their website and to join onto their events and talks, which are all on Zoom meaning you can access them from anywhere in the world. No excuse not to learn! The next event will be led by Jocelyn Cohen and be about ancient trees in the British Landscape. This is such …
The Amelia Project – Episode 88: Didius Julianus
Friends of mine write a sitcom podcast called The Amelia Project (I wrote about this years ago, when they started it….!) December 2024 I had some fun playing the tiny part of Fornio in episode 88 – Didius Julianus. I have not listened to the episode yet, as I am clearly not an actor… and the thought of listening to my dulcet tones for the few minutes I’m in it just… makes me feel ill. But the recording and being in the studio was great fun, the real actors were hilarious and the script is brilliant – not just funny, …