THE MODERN MINT BLOG
‘Someday We’ll Linger In The Sun’ is a beautiful song by the wonderful fiddle player Gaelynn Lea.It is this lack of sunshine we want to speak about today…
As the weather reaches a balmy (barmy?) 1 degrees celsius outside, here at Modern Mint we think it is better to stay in and read about gardening than be outside doing it. Uninspired? No, just don’t want to freeze again today!
We love the cold weather at this time of year, love the garden and the way it looks as the frost begins to melt…
We adore the winter jobs, the pruning too…
But for all of that love, today really does just feel a little to cold to get stuck into the garden again.
Forgive us? Laugh and call us out as being no better than a fair weather gardener….?
Go for it! We can take it!
We are quite happy to be sat inside with a cup of coffee this morning. Listening to songs of warmer times. Which is why we suggest you take a moment to, and watch the incredible performance of Gaelynn Lea singing her composition ‘Someday We’ll Linger In The Sun’.
The melody is exceptional, the voice thrilling, and the words….? The words are deep and rich, evoking a little bit of that warmth we look forward to enjoying as this gardening year moves away from the cold and into spring, into summer….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sag9vdgCT_8
Someday We’ll Linger In The Sun
Our love’s a complex vintage wine
All rotted leaves and lemon rind
I’d spit you out but now you’re mine
We bit the fruit, it seemed a lie
I’ll never know which way was right
Now side by side we face the night
And I love you
And I love you
We walked the pier and back again
It was the most scared I’ve ever been
You held my hand until the end
And I love you
And I love you
Don’t tell me we’ve got time
The subtle thief of life
It slips away when we pay no mind
We pulled the weeds out til the dawn
Nearly too tired to carry on
Someday we’ll linger in the sun
And I love you
And I love you
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 …