THE MODERN MINT BLOG
As you know by now, we are big fans of John Walker, the earth friendly gardener.
He writes:
Excellently Researched Blog Posts
And Tweets Quite A Bit Too!
Here is a small selection of his most recent tweets. Do give him a follow!
Interesting project cultivating meadow habitat in urban Oslo – plus the biodiversity and skills that come with it… https://t.co/PwO1yuk7JN
— Judith Conroy (@JCGardener) September 3, 2017
Tough to quit #plastic if you’re a #gardener in the UK. Big #Gardening routinely drowns us in the stuff & few signs of it abating. https://t.co/bvBpDr0N9P
— John Walker (@earthFgardener) September 4, 2017
Gotta keep those shiny new tractors busy. Definitely not #countryside custodianship… #Farming #Fail https://t.co/CRrNIoIouP
— John Walker (@earthFgardener) September 3, 2017
Teasel: a striking & spiky wild plant that’ll boost your #garden’s #bees #butterflies & #birds. https://t.co/L8UwQI04DV #WonderfulWeeds pic.twitter.com/4IJ47fB8MC
— John Walker (@earthFgardener) September 2, 2017
My interview w/ @DaveGoulson on threat to #garden #bees from #pesticides in ‘bee-friendly’ #plants. https://t.co/Blsu9j0FPT via @wwwfoecouk
— John Walker (@earthFgardener) September 1, 2017
Great success this summer w/ tree #lilies potted in my home-made #peatfree #compost mix. ‘Pretty Woman’ scenting the entire #garden. pic.twitter.com/PlC4P4Xqp2
— John Walker (@earthFgardener) August 31, 2017
Oh. So the target for #gardening (in England) to be 100% #peatfree by 2020 is still in place & the goal is to meet it? Yes or no? Thanks. https://t.co/Ckvj5uZosP
— John Walker (@earthFgardener) August 30, 2017
On the trail of the night sprayers. My new 22nd century #gardening post @Hartleybotanic https://t.co/VBu5pZtAdv #bees #pesticides #nature pic.twitter.com/x5Cvt8M27g
— John Walker (@earthFgardener) August 30, 2017
Or even better, try using a reusable #cotton cloth? You can #compost it when it’s all mucky and needs replacing. https://t.co/bqUdMO8OzT
— John Walker (@earthFgardener) August 25, 2017
Encouraging to see one of my collections of #gardening #essays ranking well in Amazon’s #globalwarming category. https://t.co/3i2LYczle8 pic.twitter.com/CxKWeLbkGz
— John Walker (@earthFgardener) August 24, 2017
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 …