THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Just a quick note to let you know about this lovely company – Creature Candy.
We have some of their tea towels and think they do some beautiful designs, all inspired by nature. Lizzie, who started the company, is very lovely and you should definitely go check out their products and support them. The first reason, as I said, because the items you can buy are great.
But also….
Because Creature Candy was started to raise awareness for declining wildlife species here in the UK. We are talking bats, bumblebees and even the red squirrel – amazing work!
10% of every single product sold goes towards charities that help these species to survive and, we hope, one day thrive. Last year they gave over £3000 to British Wildlife Charities, a huge sum that can really support the work done by these conservation projects.
With your help, it could be even more.
Visit Creature Candy now and get yourself a British made gift that helps save our wildlife!
(And don’t forget, that if you want to make a difference to your carbon footprint, the easiest thing you can do is switch to a green energy supplier. Simple to do, makes a difference today. Go Green Now!
Monty Don British Gardens Episode 4
I hadn’t seen the new Monty Don series ‘Monty Don’s British Gardens’ but I was sent a message one evening to say stick it on – episode 4 especially! On the episode were three gardens I make and clip the topiary in… the photo above is my quizzical boxwood emu… which looks ridiculous out of context of the wider topiary garden it sits in… but hey! Showcases what you can do with boxwood, when given enough time to let it grow! But also on the episode were Waltham Place, one of my favourite gardens and a place I teach topiary …
Topiary Art In Hong Kong, The Henderson
Here are a couple of photos of the topiary work I have been doing in Hong Kong for the Art Garden at the bottom of the brand new skyscraper, The Henderson. The building has been designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and this November 2024 the garden at the base of the structure will be planted up, with lots of topiary originally designed by Gillespies Landscape Architects, grown by Tarzan Nursery in China, and then clipped and refined into shape by…. me. Will update with photos from The Henderson Art Garden when all is completed and the garden is opened, but …
EBTS Boxwood Growers Forum
Through the European Boxwood and Topiary Society I worked with Chris Poole and Sue Mesher, members of the EBTS board, and we set up a Boxwood Growers Forum. This was to discuss how to make sure this wonderful topiary plant stays in the public conscioussness – we know many growers, suppliers and distributors have stopped selling it as the cost of replacing boxwood that has blight, or is nibbled by the boxwood caterpillar, makes it unviable to offer to clients and gardeners. But Boxwood is a phoenix plant, and there are ways to deal with the problems associated with Buxus. …