THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Nose Tickler
What the hell is a nose tickler??!!??!!
Don’t panic. Let Modern Mint explain….
A nose tickler is a brand new product we are now showcasing at Modern Mint. It is hand made in the UK and each and every single one is different – different woods are used, as well as different finishes (some are with bark, some are without.)
The only part that stays the same is that the tickling part of the nose tickler is made of pure bristle. All natural baby…
We found out about the nose tickler a little while ago, when we did a fair at a school. We had laid them out on the table, right at the front, presented beautifully like a real shop and all that… we put a big sign next to them saying LAPTOP BRUSH.
We thought – laptop brush? Could even be a pastry brush. And we were happy with that, it was all we thought…
Then, halfway through the fair at this school, a child walks up to the table we were presenting our wares from. She stopped right in front of the brush, tilted her head to the side, paused, then said…
“You have a nose tickler. I love them.”
Oh my.
Oh my oh my oh my.
We thought – this girl is a genius – of course it is! Our laptop brush (or pastry brush) has so many more uses than we could ever imagine. And this one, this one idea, is the use we love the most – a nose tickler.
Do take a closer look at our genuinely beautiful and favourite product at Modern Mint. Each one is unique and when they are gone, they will be gone…
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!