THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Modern Mint has planted a grove of trees at Trees For Life!
Trees for Life are a charity in Scotland, planting trees in order to rewild the Highlands.
What Trees Are They Planting In The Grove?
- Alder
- Aspen
- Birch
- Cherry
- Elder
- Hazel
- Holly
- Juniper
- Oak
- Rowan
- Scots Pine
- Willow
- Yew
What Wildlife Will Tree Planting Encourage In the Grove?
Just a few of the wonderful and most resonant of the animals tree planting will encourage include:
- Red squirrel
- Otter
- Scottish wildcat
- Pine Martens
- Beaver
- Capercaillie
- Golden Eagle
- Osprey
Does Tree Planting Have Other Benefits?
Of course!
What the trees do best of all is create a habitat, an ecology, for all of these animals to exist and thrive.
But it is not just these large apex predators like the Golden Eagle in the picture above that will enjoy the tree-filled home, there is a whole cascade of wildlife and plants that will benefit.
This means fungus, slow worms, spiders, mosses, ferns, ticks, butterflies and fritillary amongst others.
(Ticks? Really?
I’m suggesting ‘ticks’ are to be thankful for?
Yes.
Yes I am….)
But it is not just the animals that benefit from trees. Trees also capture carbon, helping to keep our planet cool, so good for the planet. And for us, being amongst trees and outside in nature reduces stress levels.
Plus what else will you spend your money on that is as interesting and important as this? Once you have a decent, long-lasting pair of secateurs to use in the garden then not much else is going to make such a difference to the world you live in.
Many benefits are to be had just by planting a grove of trees.
How Many Trees Have We Planted?
So far? 135 trees in the Modern Mint Grove.
Plus we have been given £100 in donations from clients who want to support what we are doing.
I add one tree to the grove for every garden talk or workshop I give, and have been doing this since last year when we started working with Trees For Life. Alongside this, I encourage gardener’s and people who come to the talks I give to donate £6 to the cause in order to plant a tree too.
Together, we have quickly managed to go from ZERO trees planted to 135.
I find this one of the most exciting parts of running Modern Mint, that we can change a landscape and capture carbon so easily, whilst establishing a home for some of the most brilliant of wildlife.
Long live the Modern Minters!
Can I Plant Trees In The Modern Mint Grove?
I would love you to plant trees in the Modern Mint Grove.
Go Here Now To Add A Tree
Help our planet, our soils and you wildlife in the simplest way possible. Support Trees For Life!
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 …