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Top 10 winter bedding plants

Top 10 winter bedding plantsAs summer draws to an end it’s an ideal time to be thinking about winter bedding plants for cheerful colour during the coldest months of the year! Winter bedding plants are biennial or perennial plants which are planted in the autumn, some flowering throughout the…

Weaving the Garden Tapestry

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…

Spring? Blink and You've Missed It!

So on Thursday 19th April we went away for The Long Weekend (more of that later). 27°c. Evidence of new shoots emerging in garden at last. Daffodils coming into bloom. Last minute seed sowing completed. Fast forward to Sunday 22nd, 24°c, daffs gone over, tulips out already! Fern coils,…

Are you feeling the Love yet?

I'm just not feeling the love! Apart from sloping off to the greenhouse every few days to check on the cuttings (progress not great. ) I've done nothing NOTHING, I TELL YOU! Oh the guilt! I've come up with every excuse: it's too wet, too cold, too early, too late. Apart from one manic flurry of…

Pick a bouquet a week – and the flowers still keep coming!

Pick a bouquet a week – and the flowers still keep coming!There’s a great deal of excitement at Thompson & Morgan, one of the UK’s largest mail order seed andplant companies. And it’s all about some very unusual plants!We’ve all seen bunches of alstroemeria (or…

12 more gardening YouTubers

Get your gardening questions answered by some of the best green-fingered YouTubersImage: Elnur Are you always on the lookout for inspiring and informative gardening YouTube channels? Last time we featured some of the best gardeners of the vlogosphere, we were overwhelmed by your response. Here…

Taking inspiration from The Chelsea Flower Show

I have been to Chelsea before – I have always loved it and I’m sure I always will. Never before have I felt so excited about going as I did this year. The last time I went to Chelsea, it was the second day and I went with one of my best friends, a florist who runs a fantastic florist…

T&M’s plant breeder scoops RHS award in recognition of his creative work

Charles Valin at Thompson & Morgan’s plant breeding grounds near IpswichCharles Valin, Thompson & Morgan’s plant breeder has been awarded the 2013 Reginald Cory Memorial Cup by the Royal Horticultural Society.This prestigious award is given to encourage and reward the production…

Tough plants for tough places

Sedum Herbstfreude' is ideal for poor soil and dry conditionsImage: Peter Turner Photography Many people have a tough spot in their garden - too dry, too shady, or just too exposed to be able to easily grow plants that will thrive. Others have damp, boggy areas or frost pockets that present…

New flower and vegetable seed range available online

Our new 2013 seed range is now available and we’ve added more than 140 new seed varieties!Sweet Pea PromiseSweet Pea ‘Promise’With its unique red and white bicolour blooms, this fragrant beauty is perfect not only in exhibitions, but also as a cut flower. It was bred by Roger…

Lets get this growing year started!

Hoorah, my seed potatoes have arrived and are safely set out in egg boxes on the window sill. I have just used the last of last years crop which kept beautifully in the frost free shed. The onions from last season are still going well with no sign of any shooting or rot as are the Shallots and…

Plants for Wildlife

Plants for wildlifeThere are so many benefits to attracting wildlife into your garden. Apart from saving the decline of our native species, garden wildlife also acts as a natural pest control, preventing the need to spray harmful chemicals all over your garden. If you grow fruit and vegetables,…

Perfect gardens: tips for growing veg

Growing your own fresh fruit and veg is hugely rewardingImage: Wollertz Decided to try to grow your own? Growing veg in your garden takes less effort than you might think and is a cost-effective way to enjoy delicious herbs, fruit and vegetables. To help you take your first steps, some of our…

The Ice Age ends at Henly's Corner

So during the barren winter months one has to find other distractions to amuse oneself, such as eating and talking. At a recent lunch party (ooh, get her!) I found myself sitting with a retired geography teacher discussing the advantages and disadvantages of London clay in horticulture. (Cor,…

Bedding plants – a revival

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…

Good companions in the veg plot

Plant vegetables, herbs and flowers together for optimum resultsImage source: Irina Fischer Companion planting is the art of growing different plants together to achieve certain benefits, such as helping with pest control, encouraging pollination or increasing crop yields. With a little thought,…

Flaming June in Pembrokeshire

Hello Gardening Friends, For the first time in many years Pembrokeshire is experiencing an actual "Flaming June!" With temperatures exceeding 25c most days and sticky 18c nights, it's been mostly impossible to garden. The water butt has been emptied days ago, and for now we are using our "Grey…

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…

Anthurium Plant Care Guide

Anthurium is tropical species that we are lucky enough to be able to cultivate in our homes. This plant stands out with large, dark green, heart-shaped leaves. It is an evergreen plant that can bloom for months without excessive care. Some of the more popular species are Anthurium Crystallinum,…

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…

6 Lawn Care Jobs To Do This Spring

Spring is an important time in the lawn care calendar. In order to help your lawn recover from the stresses of winter you'll need to give it a bit of TLC. If you get your lawn care jobs done in spring, it'll look fantastic heading into the summer. When to Start Spring Lawn Care For most of us in…

Thompson & Morgan donates flower seeds to local charities

We've just donated 100s of packets of flower seeds to local charities, ActivLives and St Elizabeth Hospice. The seeds were left over from a promotion that we ran in conjunction with Garden Answers and Garden News, two magazines published by Bauer Media, who were more than happy for the surplus…

2013 photo competition winners

The winners of Thompson & Morgan’s 2013 competition winners have been announced! There were 8 categories to enter this year and the judges had a very tough time deciding on the final winner in each one.Top prizes were £100 or £250 in Thompson & Morgan vouchers and runners-up each won…

The Rough Guide to Beans by Real Men Sow

The Rough Guide to BeansAre you an allotment beginner, getting ready for your first season as a veg grower?Well, let me recommend starting with beans. Beans were the biggest success of my first season, and I’ve loved growing them ever since.They’re easy to grow, very healthy and one of…

Blooming good tips for flower growers

Colourful flower borders are a joy to behold. Image source: Artens To help you get the most from your flower garden, we asked some of our favourite green-fingered bloggers for their expert tips and advice. From planning your beds to pruning, here's some great advice to get your flowers blooming…

Our top 10 Christmas plant gifts

Christmas shopping can be stressful, so we’ve put together a list of our top 10 best-selling Christmas plant gifts for you! Whether you’re looking for presents for Mum, Christmas flowers, hyacinths or indoor bulbs for Christmas, you’ll find a range of great gardening Christmas…

10 awesome allotment blogs

Check out these awesome allotmenteersImage: shutterstock There's an allotment revival going on at the moment. And it's no wonder. Growing your own helps you eat better and cheaper, get fit, and spend quality time outdoors with friends and family. If you fancy grabbing a piece of the 'good life' for…

Best interiors Instagrammers to follow

Follow these accounts and get interior design inspirationImage: @poppyrobin_myhome Do you want to give your home a stylish new makeover and change things up a bit? Here are some of the best Instagram accounts to provide inspiration. Not only do these clever creatives offer a peek at their truly…

Dazzling new plants with a twist

Following on from my post last week, here are two more dazzling new plants, each with an interesting twist…Rose ‘Waterfall Collection’Rose ‘Waterfall Collection’The hanging basket rose idea has been bouncing around our plant-soaked heads for the last few seasons, but…

Genuinely romantic men grow their own cut flowers

Win a place on a course at the Kitchen Garden School. See below for detailsLast month a branch with a very early blossom on it broke off one of the ornamental cherry trees in the main garden I watched my husband from the warmth of the house take a pair of secateurs and cut the lonely fallen branch…

Customer trials – update from Caroline Broome

Customer trials – update from Caroline BroomeCaroline has been sending us regular updates with photos of her trial products, but as we’re a little late adding them to the blog, please note that references to planting out times may be a bit out of date. We do apologise and will add…

Variegation across the nation…

Guest blogger Jane Scorer has gardened the same half acre plot for over 30 years and has opened her garden for the NGS (Yellow Book) scheme. She has an RHS qualification, but feels that her main qualification is the years she has spent with her hands in the soil.Variegation across the…

Thompson & Morgan Launches New 2019/20 Retail Seed Range

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…

The difference between onions and shallots

Shallots are an underappreciated cousin of the onionImage: Shallot 'Griselle' from Thompson & Morgan. If you normally grow onions, have you considered planting shallots alongside them? These oval alliums offer a unique flavour profile, prized in French and Asian cuisine. Here we explain the…

Growing raspberries with children

Raspberry Ruby Beauty' is a thornless variety, ideal for growing with kidsImage: Raspberry Ruby Beauty (Summer Fruiting) from Thompson & MorganChildren love growing things they can pick and eat straight from the plant, and soft fruits are particular favourites. Raspberry 'Ruby Beauty' is a…

Boost butterfly numbers with ‘Buzz’™

‘Save Our Butterflies’ Week 18th – 26th MayBeautiful, scented, dwarf butterfly bushes perfect for small gardensLast summer’s disastrous impact on our butterfly population has been widely reported in recent weeks. So what can we do about dwindling butterfly numbers in…

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