THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Seedballs
Here at Modern Mint we have now opened our webshop.
What has the distinction of being our first ever product for sale?
Seedballs!
What are Seedballs? They are a little ball of clay and compost. This little ball then creates perfect conditions for the seeds that are also in the ball of clay to germinate. It is a permaculture technique that we first read about in this book…
… we no longer have a copy as we gave ours to a Parisian theatre director about 5 years ago, in the hope they would turn it into a show. That has not happened (yet?) but the philosophies in the book still linger in our minds – to work with nature, not against – and so reduce the amount of work necessary to grow crops and other plants.
A little chilli powder is also in with the seeds, to stop the birds eating them before they have time to germinate.
When you get your tin and open it up, don’t plant the balls – just scatter them onto bare soil, or into pots. Water them (or, if you are being frugal with water, just let the rain do the work for you) and before long they will have germinated and be on their way. Just like in this Essex garden.
Brilliant idea as a gift, or as an easy way to get children interested in nature and the outdoors. Different tins have different plants, the current bestseller is the Bee Mix but that iconic flower the Poppy is running it a close second at the moment…
Or better yet, try our offer to get the best of each kind!
For more of the Japanese Farmer Masanobu Fukuoka’s words (and we highly recommend more of his words are worth it) go explore the books below…
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. …
Delivery After Dark – From the Makers of The Amelia Project
Last week I spent most nights stood in cold water streams on the moors of North Yorkshire, helping to film a new project called Delivery After Dark from the makers of the Amelia Project. I worked on the Amelia Project back at the end of 2024, lending my terrible vocal talents to a small part in the episode Didius Julianus. But this project is something new – and exciting! – and thankfully only needed me to be filmed, rather than to actually say anything. But not only did I have to stand in cold moving water at midnight, I also …
Modern Topiary (The Book) – Message From Lady Clippers, And Others!
My topiary book – Modern Topiary – has recently been put out as a PDF, which can be read for free. (Have a look here to download and read/share it!) Then last week I received a lovely email from Ann Perkowski of Lady Clippers, who are topiary and pruning specialists in New York (Ann is a brilliant pruning teacher too, who teaches at New York Botanical Garden… check out her work and Lady Clippers website.) Hi Darren, I had to write you how much I love reading your Modern Topiary. I’m not sure I’ll ever be quite done with it because I’m …