THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Topiary Teaching For You
I am an experienced teacher of topiary and pruning, running workshops in the topiary garden of Charlotte Molesworth in Kent, as well as for The English Gardening School and The European Boxwood And Topiary Society.
So if you are a keen gardener, a garden club, a group of friends who want to know more or even an absolute beginner who has been bitten by the gardening bug, then do contact me about what you might like to learn.
What a laugh we are having in this workshop session I ran for a group of friends in Essex…
Many people employ me to come in and do the topiary and pruning work for them, but sometimes people don’t need me – what they need is a little inspiration, a little help with technique and design. They love their garden, and I for one love to encourage people to take ownership of what they have.
Teaching topiary is about allowing people to develop the instinct and eye for gardening and pruning they need to make the garden into something special, something that feels like it belongs in their home.
So one-to-one, or group teaching, in your own garden, is a perfect solution – you enjoy the time getting to know and understand what you need to do (and can do) whilst learning the foundations of being a good pruner.
If you think a workshop or some teaching might benefit you and your garden, then please do get in touch with me. Add the following details:
- Name
- Number
- Where you are based
- How many people might join – you alone, or in a small group
- A general idea of the plants we could prune and practise on
Then I can get back to you and we can work out a plan of action for helping you learn to prune.
Contact Me About Teaching Topiary
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 …