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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…

Tomato Soup Recipe

Tomato SoupThompson & Morgan Print Recipe Pin Recipe Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 45 mins Total Time 1 hr Course Soup Servings 4 Calories 123 kcal Ingredients 1x2x3x2 bay leaves1 carrot1 celery stick1 medium onion1 kg fresh tomatoes2 tbsp olive oilPinch of sugar2 tsp tomato purée1. 2 litres hot…

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…

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…

Dahlias masterclass: best expert content

Dahlias come in a range of colours and stylesImage: Dahlia 'Sunset Shades' from Thompson & Morgan Here's a masterclass on growing dahlias courtesy of some of our favourite gardening bloggers, YouTubers, and Instagrammers. When it comes to dahlias, not only do these growers know their stuff, but…

Gardening news – British Tomato Week, wildlife survey, ash dieback

Gardening news – read our round-up of the latest news in the gardening world.British Tomato Week 20th – 26th MayBritish Tomato Week – 20th – 26th MayThere’s nothing quite like the taste of a perfectly ripe, juicy tomato. British Tomato Week aims to encourage people to…

How to stop cats using your garden for a toilet

Looking for ways to prevent unwanted cats visiting your garden? Image: lkoimages Fed up with neighbourhood cats fouling your flower beds, digging up seedlings, and damaging your plants? Potential solutions to the problem are many, but no one method is 100% successful, which is why it's best to…

Four New Flowers Shortlisted

For Plant Of The Year 2022 at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022 We are delighted to announce that all four of our new flower plant nominees for the RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year 2022 award have been shortlisted for judging at the event: - Azalea Starstyle Pink'- Salvia A Little Bit'- Weigela Magic…

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,…

How to Overwinter Geraniums

Overwintered geraniums will provide colourful displays again come summerImage: Geranium 'Jackpot Mixed' F1 Hybrid from Thompson & MorganIf you want to know how to overwinter your favourite tender geraniums (more correctly called pelargoniums) to enjoy the following year, we've got you covered.…

What’s new at Thompson & Morgan?

Here at Thompson & Morgan we strive to excel in customer service, to be able to provide you with top quality products, expert advice and a no fuss approach to gardening. That being said, we know that there is always room for improvement and this year we have made a few changes and added new…

Houseplant Doctor : Answers to Top Houseplant Questions

Image: Shutterstock From crispy leaves to soggy succulents, our Houseplant Doctor gives expert answers to your top houseplant questions. How often should I water my houseplant? Image: Thompson & Morgan There is no fixed rule because how often you need to water your houseplant depends on a host…

Plants on trial at Driftwood

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.…

Fuchsia Festival at Driftwood

It’s like a fuchsia festival every summer in my garden! I have been collecting them since inheriting 2 standard specimens from family members, one from my Aunt, Margaret Grindrod, in 2004 (plant pictured in 2005 on left) and one from my father, Ron Stonebanks, in 2007, (plant pictured in …

Oca – the taste test

Oca – the taste testIn January one of our guest bloggers wrote about oca, a vegetable originally from South America that’s grown very much like potatoes. The knobbly tubers need a relatively long growing season before being harvested in the autumn, about 2 weeks after frost has killed…

Make a change to your plant choices

Make a positive change to your plant choices this spring – new from Michael PerryPerhaps you’ve become used to growing the same plants each year, regardless of whether they perform well for you or not! You may even doubt your own gardening skills when those plants fail or succumb to…

Bramley Apple Pie Week

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…

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…

The Ultimate Guide to Growing Calabrese Broccoli

Calabrese broccoli is known for being rich in nutrients and what can be better than home-grown broccoli that you can be proud of. Many people love it fresh, whereas some prefer to stir fry their broccoli before consuming this nutrient-rich delight. It is not as hard to grow broccoli as many people…

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…

5 things you need to know about tomatoes

Tomatoes come in all shapes, colours and sizesImage source: Tomato 'Gigantomo' F1 Hybrid from T&M Is there anything more satisfying than a perfectly ripe, homegrown tomato, freshly picked and warm from the sun? Tomato seeds are easy to grow and a couple of tomato plants will produce hundreds of…

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…

The Top Ten Pop Songs proven to boost plant growth

As the UK's best-known horticultural company, Thompson & Morgan is always at the cutting edge of plant innovation and welfare. We strive to give all our plants the best possible environments to grow in and we're continually looking for new ways of bringing out the very best in our plants before…

All’s growing well in the garden

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…

Diary one – Sweet pea: the ‘root’ of success

As we gardeners know, there are many correct ways to do almost everything.  However, whether experienced or amateur, we are guilty of carrying on unquestioningly, just because that’s how we’ve always done it. We all get into habits over the years, but it often pays to question why we…

News update from Thompson & Morgan

Begonia MacaRouge', Busy Lizzie Wild Romance White' and Busy Lizzie Wild Romance Red' New Spring Range Preview Plant selection for our 2020 spring range is well under way. As always, full details are kept secret until the launch, but we can give you a sneak preview of a couple of plants that…

Gardening blogs for the whole family

Gardening is a great bonding opportunityImage source: Shutterstock What better way to get your kids excited and interested in the garden than inviting them to get their hands dirty?To help you pique their interest in all things green-fingered we've ploughed the internet for some great ideas to get…

Harry Cook – wildflower planting in our area

Update 30th July – see photos at the end of this post!Harry Cook, Thompson & Morgan trial panel member, and his wife Pat are members of It’s Your Neighbourhood with Loughborough in Bloom and look after the area called ‘The Green Belt’ around their house. Here Harry…

Oca

Guest blogger Phillippa Lambert writes about growing Oca – a versatile and tasty vegetable.OcaA new vegetable crop for me this year is Oca (Oxalis tuberosa), along with Yacon, (a treat for next growing season), Oca is one of the ‘lost crops’ of the Incas, and a staple crop in…

History of fuchsias

Charles Plumier (1646-1704), a French monk & botanist, discovered and named many plants in honour of fellow botanists during his 3 plant hunting trips to the Caribbean’s and South America. Some of his most famous discoveries are Begonia, Fuchsia, Lobelia and Magnolia. In 1695, during his…

From Rake To Bake - Cheats Curry for One

Welcome to Baking Blog. Each month will feature an in-season fruit or vegetable dish to make with a little bit of grow-your-own information on the side. June is perfect for making Cheats Curry for One With crops sown in late winter now bursting in the allotment, greenhouse or garden, this month, I…

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…

Overwintering Edibles

As I write this first post we're entering Autumn. There is a noticeable shift in the seasons as the mornings are a little nippy now but, thankfully, we still have some bright days to enjoy working outside. Things are still battling on outside including my dwarf beans, variety Ferrari, swede even…

Gardening with children

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…

Tomato chutney recipe

Tomato chutneyThe Marmalade Teapot Print Recipe Pin Recipe Ingredients 1 kg tomatoes 2 onions 2 cloves garlic 250 g soft light brown sugar 300 ml cider vinegar tsp ground ginger tsp paprika 2 tsp mustard seeds Notes Tomatoes are delicious, easy to grow, and packed with antioxidants. Gluts of…

Sweet Pea tops the Best Seller list

New seed varieties proving popular with T&M customers.Thompson & Morgan is pleased to announce the top 3 best-sellers from its list of newly-launched seed varieties.Bestselling Sweet Pea ‘Erewhon’Sweet Pea ‘Erewhon’ along with Nasturtium ‘Crimson Emperor’…

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