THE MODERN MINT BLOG
We are sorry to say there has been a price increase in our copper tools.
These incredible tools/works of art are handmade in Europe and since we have left the EU the unfavourable exchange rate no longer allows us to absorb increased costs from production.
This comes at the same time that the tools are gaining huge popularity worldwide (hurray for sensible folk who want to garden with great tools that last a lifetime, rather than throwaway rubbish!) and the foundry are struggling to keep up with demand.
For example, only one person does the brazing on the large copper tools (he doesn’t trust anyone else to do as good a job!) and parts for the Nunki weeder, our favourite hand held hoe, are running low meaning there is a shortage of these wonderful tools too.
The price increase post-Brexit is small but we hope you understand it is no longer possible to keep them at such a great low price. We hope you will still find this new cost excellent value, as we want you to buy and use these tools for a long long time – copper tools are the best!
Update – Take a look at where you can get copper tools these days!
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, …