THE MODERN MINT BLOG
First of all, a long article at Country Life magazine about the Art of Topiary… with a mention for my mentor Charlotte Molesworth, and her topiary garden in Kent.
Read here ‘The Ancient Art Of Topiary’
And in Country Living that chap King Charles (King!) starts work on a climate friendly topiary garden at Sandringham. Love the idea of ripping up a lawn for flowers and shrubs – will be intrigued to see how climate friendly the project works out to be, as they expect to finish it in May, just 4 months down the line.
Most topiaries I make are at their best… well, at leat 4 years after I start them. So you can’t complete a topiary garden in 4 months unless you bring in fully grown pieces, which have a carbon cost.
Have they lacked the courage to plant what basically look like sticks, then watch them grow over the years? And shape as appropriate? I wouldn’t blame them for being too timid to do this…
But I would love to see a topiary garden started from scratch, in order to earn a little more right to call itself cliamate friendly. I look forward to seeing and learning more though… as I may be judging too fast – ha!
Read here about the ‘climate friendly’ Topiary Garden of the King
Finally, Topiarius France has a front cover showing my work on the largest Topiary Garden in the UK. I don’t speak French so haven’t read it, but apparently they attibute the clipping to someone else. Ho-hum.
Some photos can be seen here, and a copy bought if desired.
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 …