THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Talking Grass
Talking Grass is a blog by writer Sara Gregson. We recommend you take a look as it pulls together the many functions grass plays in our lives – from providing food for the animals we eat, to providing the surface we kick a ball on – making us stop and think about something we so often take for granted. We like that kind of writing…
Her post ‘Lawns are Far from Pointless’ has several highlights, including telling us about the Salisbury Lawns, five and a half acres of lawn at Chatsworth house that is full of wild flowers. Delightful! Could we all have a lawn like that please…?
Or if you have the time, why not check out the Cricklade North Meadow? It is an undisturbed hay meadow near Swindon, a registered Site of Special Scientific Interest and filled with Fritillaria meleagris. We hope it inspires you as much as us!
And if you want a book about traditional lawncare (though we aren’t sure why you would…)
But this book… well, now you’re talking…
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 …