THE MODERN MINT BLOG
South East Essex Organic Gardeners – a fantastic resource for those who have a garden in Essex and want to work it without the use of chemicals.
They play an important role in promoting organic gardening – which includes (for those of you who need a few tips!) composting organic waste, protecting wildlife, reducing pollution and encouraging species diversity.
(This is one of the most popular books on our Amazon book store – a book on organic principles no less! It is a growing movement that more and more people want to be a part of – so click on the image above to get involved to!)
Modern Mint director Darren Lerigo is a member and gets huge enjoyment from the events they run every two months – on July 21st at 8pm, Founder Director of River of Flowers Kathryn Lwin will be talking about growing wildflowers – do come along to 47 Fairfax Drive, SS0 9AG!
The September talk (at the same venue) will be on Natural Beekeeping, presented by a man we met earlier this year, who runs an exceptionally beautiful farm…
We hope to encourage more Essex gardens to adopt organic principles, so if you are interested and would like to know more about organic growing – do use South East Essex Organic Gardeners, or get in touch with us!
And if you want to do a little of your own research, we suggest starting with these books…
(One of the biggest proponents of organic gardening, His Royal Highness…)
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 …
Aesthetic Pruners Association – New Talk In December
An organisation I love and have been learning lots from in the last two years is the Aesthetic Pruners Association based in the USA. Sharing knowledge with them about clipping and the overlap – and differences! – in style is something worth exploring, so I recommend a visit to their website and to join onto their events and talks, which are all on Zoom meaning you can access them from anywhere in the world. No excuse not to learn! The next event will be led by Jocelyn Cohen and be about ancient trees in the British Landscape. This is such …
The Amelia Project – Episode 88: Didius Julianus
Friends of mine write a sitcom podcast called The Amelia Project (I wrote about this years ago, when they started it….!) December 2024 I had some fun playing the tiny part of Fornio in episode 88 – Didius Julianus. I have not listened to the episode yet, as I am clearly not an actor… and the thought of listening to my dulcet tones for the few minutes I’m in it just… makes me feel ill. But the recording and being in the studio was great fun, the real actors were hilarious and the script is brilliant – not just funny, …