THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Walk in the Woods
During the month of May the Tree Council are promoting ‘Walk in the Woods’ – encouraging people to go out and enjoy trees and woodlands across the UK (you have the time to do this too… remember, there is a bank holiday on Monday!)
The Tree Council are a great charity and Modern Mint are proud to support them. Director Darren Lerigo is even a tree warden for St Andrew’s ward in Chelmsford!
“We have such a diverse treescape in the UK but we don’t always appreciate how fortunate we are” said Pauline Buchanan Black, Director-General of The Tree Council.
So see for yourself the difference trees make – put your walking shoes on in May and go for a walk in the woods.
More about Trees…
The Secret Life of Trees: How They Live and Why They Matter (Penguin Press Science)
Wasting Water
Well worth a read in the BBC today – a note on how wasting water in the UK “as socially unacceptable as blowing smoke in the face of a baby.” Read the report here. I have written a talk about how we use water in the garden. It was written when I moved from Hampshire to Essex and found out for myself just how dry this area of the UK is. It completely changed the way I garden. The lack of such a precious resource as water made me question what we can do to save it, store it and …
The Foie Gras That Tastes Like Nature
Ethical Foie Gras? Is That A Real Thing? Foie gras – can it be ‘grown’ ethically? The video showing how this farmer works suggests it can… We first read about this in a book called The Third Plate by Dan Barber. I loved it and I love how Eduardo the farmer, who farms on the Dehesa in Spain, has a ‘take half leave half rule’. When talking about how the geese eat his olives… “They’re always quite fair. If you make sure the geese are relaxed and happy, you’ll be rewarded with the gift of fatty livers. That is God’s …
Hardy Orchids Via James Wong
Hardy orchids – here is a subject I would love to know more about – so lo and behold, James Wong has written about it in the Guardian! Read the article about hardy orchids here. I love having orchids in the house, just your usual run of the mill buy them in any shop orchids, but it is a pleasure to read about the plants that will grow outside and cope with this weather. (This insane weather! From the hottest days of February on record to Storm Freya, all within a week. Weather is always such a factor in gardening, but …