THE MODERN MINT BLOG
After a wonderful weekend at Blenheim Palace Flower Show, where Darren of Modern Mint gave a number of garden talks alongside a few famous faces, we thought we would share some more information about what he spoke of in the talk.
The talk was called ‘Tips for Tomatoes’ and was based on research you can find in a new book by James Wong, who suggested watering your tomatoes with aspirin will increase the vitamin C content in the fruit.
Take a look at this excellent book…
Darren also talked about:
The best plants for bees (Helenium is the very best, if you are asking….)
Where you can recycle your plastic plant pots, as well as what they can be made into – Recycle your plant pots!
The strange things people say when their vegetables need a wash.
The gender divide in gardening, which is best summed up by the tools a female gardener will use compared to a male.
And finally, what he thinks is one of the major tenets for becoming a good gardener…
When in your garden, observe observe observe!
Thank you to everyone who came to Blenheim Palace Flower Show and made the talks such great fun. We hope you have a wonderful gardening season and do explore the Modern Mint website further for more ideas on Modern Gardening.
For example, you might like this…
New Topiary In South London Out Of Yew
Making a new topiary out of the large, dull facade of a Taxus blob… My work was to change it up from a ‘jelly drop’ shape and give it texture, open it out and let the light through, and make it a sculptural feature in the background of the garden in summer… yet a major part of the garden in winter. A few more years before it becomes something special, but there was far more leaf and growth inside the plant than I thought and so it will not take too long for it to gain in character and become …
Topiary Teacher – Put on The Spot!
Two weeks ago I was invited to teach topiary at the garden of Griselda Kerr, the author of The Apprehensive Gardener. I love teaching and sharing skills, but I was placed on the spot in the afternoon and asked to show how I would make a new topiary from an existing shrub. So below is a speeded-up video of me creating a cloud-pruned topiary from an old boxwood tree. I particularly love the ending when the class get involved….! See the video here. One hour was all it took, and though it needed a little tidying-up, it was made by …
Book Yourself A Topiary Workshop 2022
Charlotte Molesworth, my topiary mentor, and I are running our popular topiary workshop again in 2022. You can email me for details – or go here for information, your ticket and to find out about dates. Book A Spot On A Topiary Workshop, September 2022