THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Over the last two years I have been involved with a couple of projects that have ended up being recorded, then placed on Youtube or Instagram.
I’m hoping they will be useful to you, so I have decided this morning to pop them together in one handy blog post so that you can bookmark the page and revisit when you need some inspiration for your topiary.
See below then, a few videos about topiary I have recently been involved with…
Garden Masterclass – Provocations of a Modern Topiarist
My Work In The Background Of This Short Clip
Transforming Topiary
Topiary Teacher Put On The Spot
https://www.instagram.com/p/CTj-EfOKRL6/
In the above video I had one hour to make a topiary, wth no thought or preparation, in front of 16 students … and teach them about it as I made it.
Especially love that at the end the students join in and help!
How To Sharpen Shears
Hope these few videos give you a little indication of my work and what topiary I can potentially make for you…!
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 …