THE MODERN MINT BLOG

Nov14

Reduce Your Gardening Carbon Footprint – From The RHS

Lovely to see the RHS have a small article in the latest Garden Magazine telling people about reducing their gardening carbon footprint.

We were banging on about this ages ago…. we even did a whole project about it for the Chelsea Fringe 2017…. Capture Carbon In Your Garden.

The RHS notes:

Plant anything green to capture carbon

Mulch soils and avoid digging to make sure carbon stays in the soil

Don’t use labour and carbon intensive nitrogen-based fertilisers – instead use natural alternatives like seaweed, comfrey (yes, it is stinky!) or mulching with well-rotted horse manure or homemade garden compost…. which is always amazing stuff!

Use peat free compost – which avoids digging up peat lands, which are vast stores of carbon.

Thank you RHS for writing about this. Thank you for reading more….

Capture Carbon In Your Garden.

Mar16

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. …

READ MORE

Mar09

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. …

READ MORE

Mar09

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 …

READ MORE