THE MODERN MINT BLOG
End of May – so it must be time for Chelsea? Chelsea Fringe that is….
What is the Chelsea Fringe?
The Chelsea Fringe is a flower festival that coincides with the Chelsea Flower Show. It is the anarchic, fun, breaks all the boundaries ‘big’ little sister of the main Chelsea event – we say ‘big’ little sister because in some ways, though currently less well-known, it encourages more access to gardening for more people.
We love it, and it suits us here at Modern Mint – which is why we took part last year, with an online project which you can devour here, called ‘You Should Have Seen It Last Week…’
This year, 2015, we thought we should go one bigger and one better – get more people involved, be bolder, do something that really will last a long time – so we have created an ebook, free to read, download and share, filled with 100 word manifestos from gardeners around the country who shared with us why they garden.
It turned out fab, a fantastic glimpse into the minds of those who work the soil all over the UK. We are so grateful to all the people who took part, and to all the people who have read and shared the book (incidentally, the book supports the charity RBST. You should too!)
Please do support the Chelsea Fringe and please do go right on ahead and read our book for the Chelsea Fringe Festival – ‘Contemporary Green’ – we promise it will make you laugh, make you wonder, make you think.
Have a great weekend of gardening folks!
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….! …
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…
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!