THE MODERN MINT BLOG
I have recently been employed by Gillespies Landscapes to help with a new public topiary garden in Hong Kong, to be cultivated at the bottom of a new skyscraper – The Henderson – which was designed by Zaha Hadid Agency.
This is such an exciting project, giving clipped shapes of Carmona a chance to show off what topiary in a garden can do… they will lead the eye and people around the space, offer comfort and tactility to the people who sit on the benches and lean back against these large hedges, and transform the atmosphere for people who visit the garden – bringing a little peace and space to just breathe.
I will be travelling over again late spring to the nursery in China to clip and shape the plants that are to eventually be planted on-site.
But do contact me if you have a public space and want to discuss how topiary can make it just a little bit grounded, a little bit special…
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 …
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 …
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. …