THE MODERN MINT BLOG
The final part of Dan Pearson’s list, to inspire you to hopefully plant a tree or two… we have so far seen his views on bulbs, perennials and grasses, but now we come to what he recommends we plant in the woodier genre!
I would love to plant some of these and use them as topiary, my own favourite style of gardening – which you can see more of here in The Guardian. The Laurus nobilis he recommends planting is of course a brilliant plant for topiary and pruning, mostly because it reflects the light and grows back when pruned.
As for the trees he recommends, I love Stewartia, a much too rare plant for our gardens as it can be kept small and offers fantastic leaf colour in the Autumn. And of course, Malus hupehensis is one of the great blossom trees for anywhere – garden or the wild.
Check out Naoko Abe’s book about ‘Cherry’ Ingram, who helped bring the Malus hupehensis to the UK… there is an amazing specimen of this tree in the garden of my mentor, Charlotte Molesworth, as she lives in the cottage next to what was Cherry Ingram’s vegetable patch.
Sitting beneath it is one of my favourite spots in her garden.
Just for your information, if you don’t have space to plant a tree in your garden, don’t despair – we are planting trees in the Highlands, and you can add a tree to the Modern Mint grove for just £6. Go here and donate £6 for a tree!
And do also check out this review of Dan Pearson’s excellent book ‘Spirit’.
Now then, onto the trees and shrubs!
Shrubs
Aesculus parviflora
Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’
Chimonanthus praecox ‘Grandiflorus’
Euonymus planipes
Hamamelis x Intermedia ‘Jelena’
Hydrangea aspera Kawakamii Group
Ilex x Koehneana ‘Chestnut Leaf’
Indigofera ‘Claret Cascade’
Laurus nobilis f. angustifolia
Magnolia wilsonii
Perovskia atriplicifolia ‘Little Spire’
Rosa ‘Ausday’
Sarcococca ruscifolia var. chinensis ‘Dragon Gate’
Salix purpurea ‘Nancy Saunders’
Trees
Cercidiphyllum japonicum
Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’
Cornus ‘Norman Hadden’
Crataegus monogyna
Liquidambar acalycina
Malus hupehensis
Sorbus torminalis
Stewartia monadelpha
Further Reading:
Planting The Natural Garden – my favourite plant bible….
Michael Gibson, New York Topiary Art!
In the New York Times earlier this year was a lovely interview with Michael Gibson, who makes topiary and gardens in New York. The article is here but you may not have access… however, search the internet, find it and have a read. It is great! His philosophy of pruning is especially worth it… Sacred geometry in topiary? Yes please! What a phrase! I think (and speak) of balance, of major and minor, of leaf volume… but sacred geometry might well make it into my topiary teaching lexicon! And the idea of directional trimming? I realise I do this, but …
Topiary Library
I do a lot of teaching topiary. I had the opportunity from my mentor, Charlotte Molesworth, to work on her garden and experiment and test techniques and generally try making shapes without the worry of failure, or being fired, or being sued and run out of business for getting it wrong. This opportunity was essential (along with Charlotte’s insistance that pruning standards had to be high!) in becoming better at topiary. When I look around the world at our cultural vitamins, what we see in the media day in and day out, I see the stupidest and grossest of people …
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 …