THE MODERN MINT BLOG

Mar11

The ‘Modern Mint Grove’ At Trees For Life

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.

Trees For Life Modern Mint

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

eagle at trees for life

 

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!

Jan28

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 …

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Nov01

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 …

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Apr16

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. …

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