As I stepped into my garden earlier this week, I was captured by a breath-taking fragrance. I went in search of its source - and there on the other side of the fence was a magnificent Sarcococca! I love this reliable evergreen shrub. It has an intense (but not overpowering) perfume. Better still,…
You too can get involved in Defra’s Big Tree Plant…Big Tree Plant – DefraDefra’s Big Tree Plant started in 2012 with the aim of encouraging people to plant more trees throughout England.So far, over 239,000 have trees been planted and funding is available to community…
April is here, British Summer Time has kicked in, lighter mornings, longer days to spend in the garden and greenhouse after work. Hooray! More time with my gardening gloves on! So at my 'Office' job at T&M, (when I'm not doing my dirty job!) I speak to customers and help with any Horticultural…
Because March was so mild everything in the garden is moving on at long last, but because the soil is still quite wet and cold below, night frosts are still around so it is important to take great care.So far on my allotment I have direct sowed onion sets, making sure I sow them into the driest…
Gardening with childrenFrom a small seed a mighty trunk may grow. Aeschylus.Working in horticulture brings with it a certain responsibility – that of everyone else’s gardens! Friends, family, passing acquaintances and even complete strangers will freely ask your horticultural advice at…
Deciding what small tree to squeeze into a modern pint-pot garden can be a real problem. A look at a tree nursery list will have you salivating but if space is challenged, stop right there. Drool away by all means but do not buy anything on impulse.Never ever buy a tree without paying close…
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…
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 –…
Guest blogger Stephanie Donaldson’s post on tender plants.It’s time to go undercover…The weather forecasters have been issuing dire warnings all week about the arrival of winter temperatures, so yesterday I decided I could delay no longer - it was time to bring the tender plants…
By the end of May, all the bedding plants were put in the borders and watered in for a few nights. Last weekend after some heavy rain I went around them all with a small 2 pronged claw and loosened the soil. This will let air in around the roots and create dry soil mulch, trapping some of the…
Edible flowers can make a useful and delightful addition to any garden – whether big, small and practical or pretty – they can help boost any garden in question. Edible flowers can be used in a variety of ways and grow easily and quickly for a fast harvest.I decided to use an old tin…
I am not sure if it is a common perception but due to working within the horticultural industry, it is clear that here in Britain we are a nation of gardeners. With the development of the industrial sector and the new homes within our largest towns and city centres; space is now at a premium.…
Snippets from this week’s gardening news stories…Big Butterfly CountBig Butterfly CountButterflies’ dwindling numbers have been in the news a lot recently and we also posted a few articles on how to encourage butterflies into your garden. This week sees the start of the Big…
It’s autumn trade show time, when we head over to the Netherlands to see what’s up and coming in the plant world… The Dutch are second to none when it comes to innovation within the green sphere, I’m always amazed and enthralled by their ideas and designs!Here’s a few…
Customer trial panel member Caroline Broome has had a busy weekend, getting ready for spring.At last we have had a fine weekend and I’ve been making the most of it in spades, literally! Everything is coming into leaf, notably tree peony Hong Xia, and some plants like bog sage never died down.…
Hedges provide shelter and privacy in the garden Image: Hornbeam (hedging) from Thompson & Morgan Here's everything you need to create a spectacular living boundary from hedging plants in your garden. We've pulled together wisdom from a whole host of independent gardeners and designers and…
Herbs are incredibly useful for culinary and medicinal purposes. Perennial herbs get to spread their roots for many years, so they're great at looking after themselves. They'll provide you with harvest after harvest, thriving on little to no TLC. There's no need to re-plant them every year, saving…
In December 2012 I wrote my first blog for Thompson & Morgan, all about my first year as a grower of vegetables. Time has passed by rapidly and I have learnt so much in the past 18 months as a beginner gardener. I thought it was time to tell you more about what I have been up too.Season two…
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…
Couldn’t get tickets for the opening weekend of Fifty Shades of Grey? Get out in the garden instead; try our Fifty Shades of Green this season!We now offer a range of over 300 mature shrubs and perennials for instant impact in your garden. No garden should be without hassle-free herbaceous…
How to encourage bees into your gardenSedumBees play a key role in pollinating many fruits and vegetables. 35 per cent of our diet depends on pollination of crops by bees! Bees are active between February and October and it is crucial they have enough food during this time to help them through the…
Try growing Raspberry 'Little Sweet Sister' in containers on the balcony for early crops of deliciously sweet fruitImage: Raspberry Little Sweet Sister' from Thompson & MorganDo you want to grow fresh fruit in your garden, allotment or balcony? We've brought together a wealth of expert videos…
It’s the beginning of Thompson & Morgan’s Fuchsia Festival; and we think you’re heading for a long, colourful and care-free summer!In the UK, we know fuchsias quite well. Even if you’re a non-gardener, I bet you’ll have had a grandma or uncle who grew fuchsias of…
Grow raspberries in beds or containersImage: Raspberry 'Polka' from Thompson & Morgan If you want to grow your own raspberry plants, take a look through this selection of the best independent articles and videos from the internet. These garden bloggers, YouTubers and Instagrammers show you how…
If summer holidays to far-off places feel out of reach right now, maybe it's time to plan for a holiday at home? Creating a tropical feel on your suburban patio isn't as far-fetched as it might sound. There are plenty of exotic beauties that will flourish in our cooler climate, but still create…
Is there a code of horticultural etiquette? Since the recent RHS poll which revealed that one-fifth of gardeners discard of their snails by putting them over their neighbours fence, we have been thinking of other rules and regulations in the gardening world. 78% of those polled by the RHS said they…
Image: Canva There has long been an association between fairies and foxgloves. Folklore says that fairies gave the flowers to foxes to wear on their paws so they could tread silently when hunting. There is certainly something magical about their slender spires and they make excellent border plants,…
I am really looking forward to writing some blogs for Thompson & Morgan and as this is my first piece, I will tell you a little bit about our garden and myself. Our garden isn’t huge, 40′ x 27′ at the front and approx 80′ x 30′ at the back, with a very small garden…
Michael Perry and Christine WalkdenIf you watched the Great British Garden Revival last night then you will have seen Christine Walkden’s passion for ornamental bedding plants and her campaign for their revival. The magnificent displays of Waddesdon Manor and much-loved seaside displays at…
Dear Gardeners, Well if I thought February was dramatic, March can only be described as chaotic! I wanted to celebrate St David's day, in my childhood home of St Davids, but The Beast from the East, arrived, along with his friend storm Emma, and between them they spoiled my plans. It snowed. A lot.…
Since writing my last blog for Thompson & Morgan about the plants on trial at driftwood earlier in the year, the garden has moved on at a pace and a half! We have already had 2 public open days, one for the National Gardens Scheme and one for a local trail which I organise for the local Mayor.…
Bramley Apple Pie Week (14th-20th October)Bramley apples – perfect for pies, crumbles and apple sauceDespite the slow start to spring, fruit harvests have been surprisingly good this year. Those of you with a glut of fruit will be in the throes of jam and chutney making sessions and…
Sue Sanderson and Colin Randel, two of Thompson & Morgan’s experts give their top 5 flower and vegetable seeds for the new season…FlowersSue Sanderson is Thompson & Morgan’s Horticulturist and has 11 years of gardening experience.Rudbeckia ‘Cherry Brandy’When…
Zinnia Queeny Mixed', Watermelon Mini Love F1, Cosmos Apricot Lemonade' and Tomato Gourmandia F1 We're delighted to announce the launch of our new retail seed range for 2019/20 which will be available in garden centres from early July 2019. With continued focus on innovation and exciting new…
Well, since I wrote my first blog back in March this year it’s been a very busy summer at Driftwood, both from a visitor and from a Thompson & Morgan trial perspective! We have opened the garden 17 times this summer, 10 garden openings and 7 for a local art festival, Artwave! During that…
There can be much more to a beautiful garden than masses of flowers. Although a 'sea of colour' border is spectacular it may be fleeting in beauty, and can lack definition through the seasons if it has no underlying form or structure. Putting together the shape and outline of different types of…
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