What a lovely day, a day out of the office and back to the Private Estate where I work as a Gardener. I have been here for about fourteen years and have seen the garden develop, hedges have been removed, planting changed, refreshed and new borders developed. It has been an unseasonable day for…
My new strawberry runners (Flamenco, chosen by my 7-year old daughter) arrived at the end of last week and I had hoped to get out into the garden to plant them. Ha! No such luck – a few inches of snow put paid to that idea. We got off quite lightly snow-wise compared to other parts of the…
Let’s not be shy about this, ensuring winter colour in your garden will take a little bit of planning. In the harshest winter months, it’s only the odd turbo-charged pansy that has enough energy to push through a blanket of snow and ice. You need to guarantee yourself some winter colour…
Last weekend we headed down to Hyde Hall to visit Thompson and Morgan's Floral Fantasia. My children were very keen to see all the plants that I had planted, they had seen the pictures I had taken for the previous blog. We love visiting Hyde Hall, taking a picnic and spending the day together. The…
As most experienced gardeners would appreciate, timing is very important when sowing and growing in the garden. But, as a complete novice this is not my strongest point and I would end up planting sweet peas in the summer. As some of you may know, sweet pea plants aren’t particularly heat…
Behind the scenes at Chelsea Flower Show 2013 (press day)The RHS Chelsea Flower Show celebrates its centenary birthday this week, and I was very lucky to receive a press pass for Monday 21 May for a sneak preview and behind the scenes look at the most prestigious event in the gardening calendar…
Top 10 Perennial PlantsPerennial flowers add colour and seasonal interest to the garden from April to November, often attracting bees and butterflies to their blooms, and making great cut flowers too. They are incredibly versatile and can be used as fillers between shrubs, planted as groundcover…
Image: Canva In June the garden bursts into an extravagance of flowers and it's almost impossible to choose amongst them, but here are five of my perennial favourites. Peony Pastel Splendour'Peony Pastel Splendor' Image: Thompson & Morgan Surrounded by the devastating aftermath of the Second…
Our autumn plants range boasts spectacular spring bedding plants, shrubs and perennial plants and with such a huge variety available you will be spoilt for choice. We asked our gardening guru Michael Perry for his top 10 plants from our autumn range, so that we can bring you our autumn plants…
Bare root hedge plants are a cost-effective way to create a boundaryImage: Thompson & Morgan Bare root plants are often far cheaper than potted plants. These young 'whips' establish quicker than more mature specimens and will soon catch up in size. Given the quantity of plants that are normally…
There are always things to do in the garden whether it is planting, pruning or watering. So we have highlighted some what to do in the garden in august guidance to help you.In the flower gardenDead-head lilies for a better flower display next year.Mow meadows now to help scatter wild flower…
These Instagrammers will inspire you to get back to your roots and forage delicious food from the wilderness. Image source - Shutterstock If you love country walks, fine food, and communing with nature, give foraging a try. Whether you're hunting for wild food or wildflowers, there's plenty of…
Beginner or experienced veg grower? Sharing tips helps produce bumper cropsImage: Shutterstock Food you grow yourself is fresh, healthy, and nutritious, but if you're new to gardening, it's not always easy to know where to start. If you're wondering whether you have the space or the knowhow to grow…
With all the crocus and daffodils popping their little heads through the soil, it gets me thinking about my plan on what to grow in the coming season on the allotment. Even though this plan changes and develops beyond recognition, as the year goes on I still use it as my rough guide.When I first…
The RHS conducted a survey in spring 2013, in which it asked its members for their favourite scented plants.Traditional flowers such as sweet peas, hyacinths and honeysuckle topped the list, which consisted mainly of spring-flowering plants. We’ve selected one of our own best-selling plants…
Some gardens are made to inspire - and here are some inspiring garden blogsImage: shutterstock Some gardens and gardening blogs are just too good to not to share, which is why we've scoured the web to bring you a bunch of superb blogs that showcase some really special gardens and truly dedicated…
Keep your veg plot brimming over with delicious produce with these handy tips!Image: Steffi Pereira From one man who likes his veg Tudor style to another who loves to grow Tomatillos, and on to other green fingered folk with handy hints to share, here we bring you awesome veg growing tips from…
A Beginners Guide to Growing a Veg GardenWhy grow veg? For me it’s ultimately about cooking, with the added incentive of being in nature in a way that I find enjoyable. It’s also better value, seasonal, greener and gives me a feeling of history, past and legacy. It’s about that…
As the winter solstice falls upon us and Jack Frost starts nipping at our noses, the temperature drop, shorter days, and the holiday hustle and bustle invariably get people's minds off their gardens. But just because the season is hibernal doesn't mean your green thumb should fall into a deep…
Hello everyone, my name is Amanda and this is the first of what I hope will be one of my many blogs for Thompson & Morgan. I live in Pembrokeshire with my fiancé and our garden is approximately 116 meters square. It’s situated at the top of a hill and literally a five minute walk from the…
It’s National Chip Week and what better time to think about ordering potatoes?Potatoes are easy to grow and extremely satisfying – and you don’t need a massive garden to get a good crop! There a lots of varieties to choose from and it can be a bit daunting, especially if you…
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…
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…
© 2025 Thompson & Morgan. All rights reserved. A division of Branded Garden Products Limited.
Sign up for exclusive offers!