Organic Topiary

30th June 2013 : As much as I love Japanese gardens, I'm not particularly obsessed with replicating them here. I'm more into experimenting with Japanese pruning within English gardens - like my Mum's here. Phillyrea latifolia and Laurus nobilis combining nicely with Eriobotrya, deciduous Elaeagnus, yuccas and more. Read More

In the thick of it

22nd June 2013 : With this non-starter of a summer, one good thing is the box clipping season started later, and seems to be in no rush to finish. Read More

Hole Artcenter, Norway

11th June 2013 : Just back from a weekend pine pruning workshop with Åsmund Bergwitz at the Hole Artcenter.  Much fun was had, incuding a quick trip to a quarry where Åsmund picks out his rocks. The owner showed us 10,000 year old peat from the quarry, with remains of equisetum that looked like it had come… Read More

Box Clipping

4th June 2013 : People like to say that Derby Day (Epsom, not Kentucky) is the day to clip box, or at least the green light to get started. Derby Day was Saturday (Ruler of the World, 7-1, by a length and a half, in case you missed it - I did) so one ought, in theory, to be hard a-clipping by now, on these nice… Read More