THE MODERN MINT BLOG
A fantastic programme on the BBC with Wendell Berry.
Listen now to this excellent programme: Wendell Berry, The Natural World
He discusses the importance of our soils, reads an incredibly depressing poem, asks that we create good work by taking responsibility for doing a ‘specific something’, and explains how, “we are living in an economy that doesn’t value nature whatsoever….”
Which ties us in nicely with this report on the BBC today, about the worst offending products on the market for being non-recyclable.
The ridiculous notion suggested in the report that we can place a projector in our fridges, to project an image of a brand of food onto the plain, environmentally friendlier packaging, makes us so mad. We love the Modern Mint branding, 3 simple circles, but there is no way we would want it projected onto a packet.
It is either there, or it isn’t. Who cares either way? The important part of your ‘brand’ is whether you turn up, have values that you uphold, be nice to people and keep promises.
The logo is nothing compared to what you do.
(Mini rant over.)
For more about how important our soils are, and how your garden can become a carbon sink, see this project for the Chelsea Fringe 2017.
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, …