Gertrude Jekyll, the influential garden designer, plants woman and artist, once said that 'The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies. ' For myself, like many gardeners, this is profoundly true. Over the years, that love has almost become an obsession that shows no sign of abating.…
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…
It’s a busy time for us at Thompson & Morgan, here’s a taster of a typical week at work for me!MondayAfter a few days off, it’s back in fresh and early for a varied week of meetings, product research and catalogue preparations.Today I meet with Sarah, our trials manager, to…
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.…
With excellent frost hardiness, this is a fantastic plant to grow when fresh garden produce is scarce!Image: Kale Midnight Sun' from Thompson & Morgan Do you want ideas for second crops to extend your vegetable growing season beyond summer? Or perhaps you want to know what vegetables to plant…
Here’s a sneak peek of some new varieties for 2013 – get the inside story here first!Lisianthus ‘Summer Blue Rose’Summer Blue RosesAs the world battles to create the perfect blue rose, we’ve been a bit cheeky and devised the new blue summer rose!This gorgeous…
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…
Read guest blogger Richard Barrett’s advice on avoiding potato blightWhy I like to grow potatoesThe potato started life as food for the poor but has risen in value to become a favourite vegetable for everybody. I like to grow my own potatoes because I then know in what conditions they have…
Plant daffodils now for the best spring displaysNarcissus ‘Rainbow Butterflies Mixed’A colleague heard Alan Titchmarsh talking about planting daffodils in August on his radio show at the weekend and was a bit surprised. After all, August is hardly the usual time to be thinking about…
2013 was a very successful year for gardener Geoff Stonebanks and his garden, Driftwood!The back gardenIt saw his garden related charity fundraising top the £32,000 mark in just 4 years, for which he became a finalist in the BBC Sussex Community Heroes Awards last December. Even in the depths of…
Plants with a split personalityDid you know that there are a few plants out there with some surprising properties, many of which you’d have no idea about at first glance!Name:French MarigoldsDescription:Want to know the secret of growing bumper crops of tomatoes? Well, by growing African or…
Image: Shutterstock From Monkey Leaves to Mother-in-Law's Tongue, houseplants offer a dazzling variety of leaf shapes, forms, and colours. And from bright, warm window sills, to cool humid bathrooms, they each have their own preferences for where and how they like to live. In case you are feeling…
Was Buying a House Called “Brambles” an Omen? (part four)It is early January 2014 and it feels like it has been raining nonstop since Christmas Eve. The ground outside is splendidly squelchy; far from the horticulturist’s ideal and workable “crumbly tilth”. The cars,…
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…
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…
Tulip Everlasting MixtureI think it has happened.When leaving the house today; the feeling of autumn seemed to have descended. Although bright and sunny, the temperature was cooler and there were misty windows. Darn, I’ll have to start wearing socks again!So what do we do now summer’s…
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…
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…
World exclusive TomTato®Harvest potatoes AND tomatoes from the same plantThompson & Morgan announces another major horticultural breakthrough. Specially hand-grafted plants producing potatoes AND tomatoes are now available to UK home gardeners for the first time.More than 500 sweet and juicy…
Perennials brighten up all beds, borders & containersCopyright: Customer - Susan EdwardsPerennial plants are the trusty stalwarts of our beds, borders, and containers. Thriving for many years before they need renewing, they're a vital part of every well-designed planting scheme. To help you get…
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…
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.…
Don’t get caught out with a dull garden next spring… just a bit of planning now could mean you have a display to be proud of!Pansy ‘Matrix Mixed’We offer a huge range of young plants which can’t be found elsewhere; selected for garden performance, and unique and often…
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…
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…
In this week’s gardening news we’ll be talking about National Allotments Week, the effect of weather on butterflies and a new technique to enable plants to source nitrogen from the air.National Allotments Week 5th-11th AugustThe National Allotment Society’s yearly celebration of…
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…
Last weekend I volunteered to help out at my local Allotment Show, they were a bit short on numbers, so I helped out on the refreshment stall, we all need a cup of tea and piece of cake from time to time. It was a perfect way to have a behind the scenes look at the show. It has given me more ideas…
In this, my latest blog for Thompson & Morgan, I am going to bring you up to date with the trial products here at Driftwood that were delivered between September and April to my exposed coastal plot here on the south coast!If you have read any of my previous blogs, you will know that it is not…
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…
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…
Add a sunny pop of colour to your garden with yellow flowers Image: Arum Gold Label' from T&MThe colour of 2021, Pantone 'Illuminating' is a warm and vibrant yellow that brings with it the promise of better times. And what better way to celebrate our hope and optimism for the future than by…
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.…
Autumn planting is the big topic in this week’s gardening news!Autumn is the best time to plant many bulbs including tulipsPlan it, plant it this autumnThe ‘Plan it, plant it this autumn’ campaign run by the Horticultural Trade Association is now in its second year. The campaign…
In my second ‘make a change to your plant choices’ article I’ll be showing you some superb varieties that have the edge of other plants and vegetables in our range.Runner Bean Moonlight – self-fertile beansGrow Runner Bean Moonlight, not Lady DiWhy?Bad weather and…
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…
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