THE MODERN MINT BLOG
With the European Boxwood and Topiary Society, I run two workshops each year at Waltham Place, one of my favourite gardens.
The next topiary workshop there will be on Friday September 4th 2026.
Details and how to book yet to be announced, but get in touch with them now to get on the waiting list, as last year we had double the amount of people wanting a place than we had space for.
The Waltham Place website is here – topiary workshop 2026.
See the teaching page for how else I can help you with the topiary in your garden – a free video, a video you have to pay for, a book (I’m still formatting the book alright! I get you want it out and email me asking when, but it just takes forever to get the margins and stuff right and I’m busy actually making topiary so it gets put back… and back.. and back.. but it is coming! It is!) and an option for private tuition.
So if you can’t get to Waltham Place September 4th 2026 then see the Teaching page for more ideas how I can help you.
Topiary Teaching For 2026
A new year, so time to share a few thoughts on what I will be looking at doing with topiary, and the focus on teaching I would like to put in place, for 2026 and beyond. Above is Nandina, made by a student of ours from the European Boxwood and Topiary Society. She took a year to work on this, taking a plant not renowned for being a good topiary plant, but seeing what its weirdness is and what values it does have, then exploring and exploding those. I am thrilled by this. Not just this look for autumn. A …
Topiary Workshop 2026 at Waltham Place
The next topiary workshop I will be teaching is now live on the website and can be booked! Just visit Waltham Place to get a ticket for the Topiary Workshop I will be teaching on Friday September 4th at Waltham Place. Myself and Chris Poole of the European Boxwood and Topiary Society (Buxus expert! Like, he knows everything there is to know about the plant! So worth booking just to tap into his knowledge….!) will be teaching here for the… fifth year in a row I think? The garden is a beautiful place to spend time clipping. We will teach …
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 …