THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Sarah Raven
Sarah Raven is a garden writer and teacher, probably best known for the cut flower courses she runs in Kent… at least, that is where we first heard of her.
Having always had an interest in cut flowers, we began a sideline business growing seasonal flowers for florists when we were based in Hampshire. Our first port of call was to visit Sarah Raven on one of her cut flower growing courses and get her book The Cutting Garden: Growing and Arranging Garden Flowers
We were also given her beautiful cookbook as a present one Christmas. It, along with a book by Skye Gyngell (A Year in my Kitchen
Sarah’s cookbook is a beautiful treat to sit down with in winter, each vegetable being given a chapter depending on when it is in season. This also makes it an excellent beginners guide as well for those who want to learn how to prepare food they may never have come across before. This is probably the key to Sarah’s work – that she is a teacher, a go-to if you have a question, because everything is shared.
We are cooking from her book tonight – currently in the oven is baked aubergine with mozzarella – an autumn evening warmer and needed after gardening in the cold today!
Another favourite recipe? Celeriac and apple soup. Really. It’s a winter stunner.
Sarah Raven has also written about Sissinghurst. Earlier this year we visited Sissinghurst on a cold spring morning. You can read about that trip (we arrived at 6am for a wander around the white garden!) and see some pictures on this blog post – NGS Sissinghurst.
You will find mention of Sarah all through blog posts on our website – she has given us a model to base the Modern Mint blog on – one of sharing information and encouraging others to give gardening a go, whether they are growing cut flowers, harvesting fruit, sowing vegetables or preparing a meadow. We want Modern Mint to be this kind of gardening resource, to be a check-in point for you to get the confidence and courage to go outside and start (or build on) your relationship with your garden.
So do check out her website for great planting ideas – there is always a deal to be found and plenty of advice too – highly recommended! And if you want to know something about cut flowers… Sarah Raven is a good place to start.
Michael Gibson, New York Topiary Art!
In the New York Times earlier this year was a lovely interview with Michael Gibson, who makes topiary and gardens in New York. The article is here but you may not have access… however, search the internet, find it and have a read. It is great! His philosophy of pruning is especially worth it… Sacred geometry in topiary? Yes please! What a phrase! I think (and speak) of balance, of major and minor, of leaf volume… but sacred geometry might well make it into my topiary teaching lexicon! And the idea of directional trimming? I realise I do this, but …
Topiary Library
I do a lot of teaching topiary. I had the opportunity from my mentor, Charlotte Molesworth, to work on her garden and experiment and test techniques and generally try making shapes without the worry of failure, or being fired, or being sued and run out of business for getting it wrong. This opportunity was essential (along with Charlotte’s insistance that pruning standards had to be high!) in becoming better at topiary. When I look around the world at our cultural vitamins, what we see in the media day in and day out, I see the stupidest and grossest of people …
Clipsham Yew Tree Avenue
With Chris Poole of the European Boxwood and Topiary Society we visited Clipsham Yew Tree Avenue in Rutland. Do you know it? Amazing place! Chris and I were teaching a topiary workshop in order to give local people the skills and technique, and tenacity! to help with the pruning of the avenue and elevate it to something even more special than it already is. Read more about the workshops here. We hope to run a further workshop in September 2026, as well as teach an advanced course too. Check the teaching page through the year as it will be updated …