THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Saturday marks the start of this years Chelsea Fringe. Here are just a few of the fascinating events you can go and see…
Making Meadows, Strawberry Hill House
Walks, talks and free entry to the garden as a wildflower meadow is planted on the visitor centre roof.
The culinary fantasies of Willy Wonka are explored in this edible garden project, where your home produce will be turned into ice-cream… let’s hope for warm weather and weird flavours!
The Pansy Project, London, Brighton and Bristol
Marking the International day against Homophobia and Transphobia, a single pansy will be placed where hate crimes have been committed. An incredibly moving symbol highlighting support for the LGBT community.
Dry Stone Walling Days in Islington
We met John, who will be teaching the dry stone walling, last night at the Garden Museum… and we can assure you that an afternoon dry stone walling with him will be a fantastic experience. He thinks the physical and mental health benefits are enormous, that everyone should give it a go, and that women are far better at it than men…
This is just a small selection of the many events taking place, please do look up what else is on – from poetry to peepshows, to Bristol to Brighton to Vienna to Ljubljana, to living walls to elm trees – the Chelsea Fringe is a major event now in the gardening year. It would feel wrong without it…
And don’t forget we have our own online project at Modern Mint, a little number titled ‘You Should Have Seen It Last Week…’
Recommended Reading:
On Guerrilla Gardening: A Handbook for Gardening without Boundaries
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, …