THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Pesticide Free City
What do Paris, Seattle, Tokyo, Toronto and Portland all have in common?
They are pesticide free cities.
This is an amazing idea, one supported by River of Flowers in the UK. Basically, it wants people to stop deliberately putting poisons and toxins into our environment.
To see what happens when you stop using pesticides, take a look at the Opera House roof in Paris where Jean Paucton, a prop man now in his 70’s, began keeping bees. In the pesticide free city of Paris he received twice the yield of honey than he did from his hives in the countryside.
Perhaps it will take longer to stop people using pesticides in agriculture, but our cities can stop right now.
Go to River of Flowers for more information about how you can help – we can add London to the list of pesticide free cities above!
Or to see pictures of Jean Paucton, visit Modern Mint’s Pinterest site and check out the Bees board.
Italian Translation of Modern Topiary, The Book
This is something special! Bianca Pastori, who is a keen topiarist in Italy, has produced an Italian translation of my book Modern Topiary. Some of her topiary work can be viewed in a blog post here about teaching topiary in 2026. So if you want an Italian version of Modern Topiary the book, please do download and read the free PDF below. (Yes, I do know the download button is tiny. I still haven’t worked out how to make it bigger, better and easier to click on. Doh!) For the version of Modern Topiary in the original language – English …
Modern Topiary, the Book, at Garden Media Guild
My book about topiary, Modern Topiary, has been mentioned on the Garden Media Guild newsletter…. As the screenshot says, the book can be read for free online here. At the bottom of the screenshot, it looks like another Garden Media Guild member has a book out called ‘A Year In A Cottage Garden’…. so if that is where your garden heart lies, check that out too! And at the top of the screenshot, it looks like I was listening to Pelleas et Melisande, by Debussy. What a classy chap I am, listening to classical music as I reply to emails. …
Start of the Whitby Topiary Library
I have been offered a space here in the centre of Whitby, south-facing aspect, with some raised beds in, so that I can make a Topiary Library. In my head, a topiary library is a place to showcase the common (and then not so common) shapes you can make out of topiary. With classical topiary plants, as well as some more unusual pieces. This Topiary Library can act as a reference for people to learn more about pruning and clipping. The space is small but the aspect is great and the beds are deep enough to put some plants in. …