THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Yesterday we wrote about Boys Toys in Chelmsford, today we want to expand on that… with a few more manly tools…
Tripod ladders are a must – light to carry and get you right into the hedge, reducing the danger of over-stretching. Which you’re liable to do, if not at the start, then when you get tired and want to finish the hedge quickly…
These are not a bad way to start, cut beautifully and feel good in the hand…
Thinning shears or ‘dainty pruners’, these are useful for accurate cutting. Or getting the salad leaves in to go with the BBQ…
Dad’s love barbeques… apparently. So buy him this. Although if you do have money to spend…
… we suggest these shears. Oh! They are so beautiful to use!
So beautiful to use, we end up clipping more than we should. (Not on your garden) but in our own…
The larger version, for extra reach and tougher woody hedges, are also great. Little tip: you don’t always have to hold them at the ends either…
The best blade?
The best saw? (But good golly be careful!!!)
And if you don’t want to use your own power… if you just love petrol and oil and all those power tools… those Boys Toys… then here you are. Wear earplugs. Eh? WEAR EARPLUGS!
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, …