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Was buying a house called ‘Brambles’ an omen? (Part three)

Was buying a house called “Brambles” an omen? (Part three)“Every snow drift has a silver lining?” or “Is it true that gardeners are the world’s greatest optimists?”If you are inclined to classify yourself as British on those forms we all have to complete…

12 Instagram feeds for flower lovers

This collection's all about the flowers Image: shutterstock Breathtaking blooms, inspirational arrangements and expert growing advice are yours at the swipe of a screen on Instagram. Here you'll find growers, stylists, artists and farmers, all sharing images of their common passion - British-grown…

Dreaming of a green Christmas

Simplify the season of goodwillImage source: Galina Grebenyuk Christmas is the season of goodwill. A time for giving, and enjoying festivities with family. But all too often it becomes the season of 'stuff' - unwanted presents, plastic packaging and reams of wrapping paper - symptoms of the…

Christmas Colour: The 10 Best Plants for Christmas Gifts and Decorations

Add some festive colour to the dark winter months this Christmas. Our winter-flowering houseplants make growing gifts which everyone will love. A gift of brightly coloured flowers raises Christmas spirits and what's more, green gifts are not just for Christmas, but continue to give pleasure through…

How to create beautiful displays with annual flowers

Nigella damascena provides a beautiful display all summer longImage source: Shutterstock Once March arrives, Nic Wilson's potting shed is launched into action as her annual flower seeds come out. Here, the experienced gardener behind dogwooddays talks to us about the many roles that annual flowers…

How I got into gardening, part 1

Michael Perry, New Product ManagerEveryone always asks me what got me into gardening… and the answer is my grandparents!My first bleary memories are of my grandparents’ vast greenhouses, their endless complex of sheds filled with garden tools and, of course, pots and borders lovingly…

Tree lily® challenge for Thompson & Morgan staff

Staff at Thompson & Morgan have been set the challenge to grow the best tree lily®!The race is on to grow the best tree lily!Those of us who have signed up have been given 3 tree lily® bulbs to plant, nurture and photograph over the coming months.Tree lilies® are amazing plants to grow. A…

Get kids gardening with Mr Men & Little Miss seeds

Get kids gardening with Mr Men & Little Miss seedsImage: Mr Men & Little Miss Seeds Gardening is a healthy and inexpensive way for children to learn and have fun. It gets them out into the fresh air - and many will develop an interest in healthy eating if they grow their own fruit and veg.…

£80 billion spent on UK gardens

T&M customer trial member Doug Upson’s gardenWe’ve just read on the Telegraph website that UK gardeners have invested a massive £80 billion in their gardens, with the average household spending £1,790. But the article also said that many homeowners say that their gardens have…

Buddleja – the new patio plant?

Purple Leaf Blackthorn shares her Suffolk garden, on a rural windswept site, with chatty cats, free-range chickens and ducks as well as a rich local fauna of birds, rabbits, rats, moorhens and deer.  With a focus on diversity, scent and colour – foliage or flower, whilst competing with the…

Late summer sophistication with rudbeckia?á

Nic has planted Rudbeckia 'Savannah Mixed' alongside grasses in her own gardenImage: Nic Wilson of dogwooddays Midsummer is a time of plenty in the garden with roses blooming, sweet peas in their prime and borders a riot of colour. But as summer progresses and cottage garden stalwarts begin to…

Getting the best from your fuchsias – Thompson & Morgan growing secrets revealed

Fuchsias will put on a good show with minimal care throughout the season, but for the best displays it pays to learn a few simple tricks and tips.For a fantastic fuchsia display this summer follow our secrets for success:Growing conditions:Plant in fertile, moist but well-drained soil, with shelter…

The quickest way to plant up a new garden

Are you planting up a new garden and don’t know where to start? I would recommend garden shrubs as a starting point. By selecting more compact varieties, and those which are easier to prune and tame, you can make life easier for yourself! A garden which only includes bedding plants is a blaze…

An Amazing May

Hi Everyone, What an amazing May, so hot and dry! Hope this isn't our summer. I have a confession to make - I've not done half as much in the greenhouses as I would usually do. Don't get me wrong, I love being in them, or in my garden, but with limited energy, mobility and dexterity I have not been…

Top ten wildflowers

Ox-eye daisies are easy to grow and very popular with pollinatorsImage: Ox-Eye Daisy from Thompson & Morgan Wildflowers are a low-maintenance and long-lasting addition to any garden. Often planted as annual or perennial meadows, they make a wildlife-friendly alternative to lawns or a quick and…

Plot to plate recipes for National Vegetarian Week

Celebrate National Vegetarian Week with delicious recipes from gardening bloggers around the UKImage: monticello At Thompson & Morgan, we're passionate about growing our own food. But sowing, growing and nurturing delicious produce is only half of the story. Harvesting, preparing and eating…

What grew in the garden

Looking for something new to try in your garden next year?Image: Shelli Jensen This spring, we asked five of our favourite garden bloggers if they were planning anything new and exciting over the summer. Their responses varied from experiments with onions to enticing a hedgehog into their garden,…

Deborah Catchpole

Guest blogger Deborah Catchpole writes about her early and formative gardening experiences…I’m a gardener. There; I’ve said it. It’s not always the first thing that a 28 year old is willing to admit, but for me, it’s something that has come to define who I am –…

Pass Me My WW1 Trenching Tool

Oh but wasn't I right - as the nights draw in we wistfully reminisce about the long hot summer of 2018. Get over it! Time to move on! And move on we have; half the garden is enjoying the extrovert opulence of autumn and half, well, the other half has been dug up! The prospect of a year out of…

Thompson & Morgan Announces RHS Chelsea Flower Show Entries

Following our success at RHS Chelsea Flower Show last year, we are proud to present our entries for Plant of the Year 2019. Clematis Kokonoe', Nepeta Neptune' and Ajuga Princess Nadia' Clematis 'Kokonoe' - Uniquely changing flower shape; flowers open as single blooms and develop into flamboyant…

RHS Chelsea Flower Show

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2014 runs from 20 – 24 May. You cannot deny that the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is the pinnacle of any horticultural calendar. Although it can divide public opinion with some of the garden designs, the event is a fantastic showcase for new plants, undiscovered plants…

Tulip bulbs – Never too late for Tulips!

Some garden centres will try and sell you tulip bulbs in August, because they soon want to make space for the (too early) sales of Christmas decorations. That’s way too early for tulips though! You should reserve your bulbs by mail order, to ensure later delivery, to coincide with the best…

Begonia trial - new obsession?

Begonia Apricot Shades Improved' F1 Hybrid adds colour & dimension to every part of your gardenImage: Thompson & Morgan As part of a regular series, award-winning gardener Jean Willis explains her latest obsession with begonias and shares an honest account of the recent successes and…

How to grow Heuchera

Cultivate heuchera to spice up the darker corners of your gardenFeatured Image: Heuchera Patchwork' Mix from Thompson & Morgan If you're looking for a wonderful shade plant to add colour and interest to the darker corners of your garden, look no further than heuchera. This hardy native of North…

My garden is thriving

Due to the wet winter and mild spell in April my garden is thriving! The perennials and shrubs are looking so advanced in my borders and the lupins are trying to flower already. What is most unusual for this time of year; I have delphiniums in bud. Not that I am complaining!Due to the amount of…

Beyond the Pail

Seriously? It's April already? How did that happen! (If that's rhetorical, does it need a question mark?) It's all systems go here. David and I are Going For It big time: NEW sculpture focal point, NEW rill feature, NEW rose arch. And NEW hanging baskets - no more wicker, gone off rustic - and in…

Trouble shooting your Geranium growing problems

Healthy geraniums produce excellent, long-lasting flower displays Image: Geranium 'Balcon Mix' from Thompson & MorganIf you're looking for answers to your geranium and pelargonium troubleshooting questions, you've come to the right place. Here are some timely tips on everything from encouraging…

Hydrangea Miss Saori – RHS Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year 2014

Hydrangea Miss Saori – RHS Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year 2014. Available for sale now, buy yours here.The most prestige horticultural event is in full swing and there is no doubt that the winner of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year 2014 has taken over gardening headlines.…

7 wonderful ways to sow wildflowers

Wildflowers deliver colour, scent, texture and interest to gardens large and smallImage: shutterstock Wildflowers are a colourful, low-maintenance and cost-effective way to make your garden buzz with life. Particularly attractive to pollinators, they provide important food and shelter for a wide…

Garden past its best, time for composting

Some things in the garden are now past their best and will need composting or cutting back if I don’t need the seed heads.I normally have the greenhouses empty by now, but this year the tomatoes are still going strong, so leaving them a little longer.The patioThe other greenhouse is full of…

Dahlia Dreaming

Dahlias blaze into colour just as other flowers are going over. Image source: Shutterstock After weeks of hot summer days, the grass is brown and withered, the summer raspberries have shrivelled into dessicated husks and the roses have gone over, but my dahlias are only just beginning. We've had…

Seed and seedling tips from the experts

Give your seeds the best start with these great tips!Image: Marie C Fields/Shutterstock Get your seeds and seedlings off to a great start by taking a look at our top tips. These handy hints come courtesy of some of our favourite gardening bloggers - advice from experienced growers and bloggers who…

10 bloggers who review gorgeous gardens to visit

Spend your time in some of the nation's best gardens Image: Yolanta Did you know that the gardens at Chatsworth are being transformed? Have you always wanted to immerse yourself in the jungle at The Lost Gardens of Heligan? Visiting gardens is something of a national occupation for us Brits. And…

ITV and new trial plants – update from Driftwood

Since my last blog for Thompson & Morgan, back at the beginning of July, so much has happened in the garden! Not only have we seen over 2,200 visitors over the summer, but have raised over £16,000 for charity, this year alone! The icing on the cake came when ITV’s Good Morning Britain…

Customer trial panel member profile – Caroline Broome

We’d like to introduce you to some members of our customer trial panel – our trusty team of gardeners who test Thompson & Morgan’s plants in real gardens. They’ll be writing blog posts for us in the next few months to give you updates on what’s happening in their…

Cucumbers masterclass: best expert content

Cucumbers are prolific in the right conditionsImage: Cucumber Carmen' F1 Hybrid Grafted from Thompson & Morgan Here's a collection of the best independent content to help you grow your own crunchy cucumbers. These videos, articles and Instagram posts feature everything from sowing these popular…

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