THE MODERN MINT BLOG
We design and build gardens in Essex and London – at least, that’s the simple nuts and bolts answer.
But we are also influenced by writers like Seth Godin…
How inspiring is his advice below on how your business could behave?
Focus on doing the work
Relentlessly get better
Ship the work
Rack up small wins
Earn one fan at a time
This encapsulates beautifully what we are trying to do and could just as well be the ‘About Us’ page on the Modern Mint website.
We would love to hear from you about transforming your outdoor space. Perhaps you have some ideas already, or perhaps you need inspiration. Well we are here to inform you, present to you the hidden gems and important issues and encourage you to try something you didn’t even know was possible.
Earning one fan at a time making gardens that suit the 21st Century is exactly what Modern Mint is about.
Here are our other recommendations for Seth Godin books:
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 …