THE MODERN MINT BLOG
This week I gave a talk – Helping The Honeybee – to the lovely beekeeping group at Southend on Sea.
Here are some notes for those who didn’t have a chance to write down some of the ideas we spoke about and shared….
The Top Plants For Bees
- Helenium
- Sedum
- Echium
- Marjoram (a wonderful British native.)
- Oregano
- Eupatorium, also known as Joe Pye-Weed
- Borage
- Nepeta
- Veronicaastrum
- Teucrium
Phillyrea
If you want a hedge for around your apiary, you will not go too far wrong with planting the amazing, tough as old boots, Phillyrea.
Read plenty more about this shrub here.
Rosybee Nurseries
To stay up to date with the latest research on the best plants for bees, speak to Rosi Rollings at Rosybee Nurseries.
We interviewed her a few years ago now. But her nursery has grown plenty since then….in fact, she has now moved sight completely!
Helping The Honeybee
I was researching plants for bees, now although I no longer specialise in doing this (as I am making and teaching my first love, topiary) I would love to hear from anyone who can suggest to me the most valuable bee friendly plants in their garden.
Please do contact us if you have any thoughts about this!
Finally….
I was asked about rabbit proof planting. Take a look at these, but… good luck with that!
And the nurseries I recommend you look for plants from, would be:
- Great Dixter Gardens
- Beth Chatto Gardens
- Marchants Hardy Plants
- Knoll Gardens
- Phoenix Perennial Plants, Marina Christopher’s nursery
Thank you everyone at Southend on Sea Beekeepers – enjoy your summer of helping the honeybee!
And check out my Topiary work here.
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 …