THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Flower Show, Oxford
This weekend, August 22nd-24th, you can visit Flowers at Oxford. It is hosted by Lady Margaret Hall, a beautiful Oxford college, and is being used as a showcase for the best in floral design.
We heard about it through Flowers from the Farm, who will be there promoting British flowers over the weekend. We support Flowers from the Farm because they “want to see a new generation of florists inspired by seasonal, local, sustainable British flowers.”
As a former flower grower ourselves, we recognise how great it is to get fresh blooms from your own garden. We try very hard to get our clients to grow their own flowers too.
Don’t be shy, head over to Flowers at Oxford this weekend, watch the demonstrations, see (and smell) the difference between British grown cut flowers and those imported from the equator, fall in love with the vast range of colours and textures seasonal flowers can provide – and spread the word!
Where better to spend a weekend smelling the flowers than Oxford?
(For more on growing your own flowers, try Sarah Raven – there is lots of information here!)
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!