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Guest blogger – Stephanie Donaldson

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…

Thompson & Morgan shortlisted for Grower of the Year 2013 awards

Thompson & Morgan is delighted to be shortlisted for the Grower of the Year 2013 awardsPoppy ‘Plum Pudding’This prestigious event is run by Horticulture Week and highlights the achievements of businesses over the last 18 months. Thompson & Morgan has been shortlisted in the…

Indoor plants are the perfect Christmas gifts

It is said that as you get older the excitement over Christmas slowly goes. Is it because we know that our purses will be seeing more action than ever? Or because we know we are going to get the same generic Christmas present? I know that each year I will get perfume, pyjamas, chocolates and a…

Do you grow your own? BBC Two needs you!

Do you grow your own fruit, veg and flowers and do you know what to do with them?Are you the complete kitchen gardener?Do you grow your own? BBC Two needs you!Producers at BBC Two are creating a brand new show to find the nation’s best kitchen gardener. With food prices on the increase,…

Peonies - 6 Fun Facts & 5 Essential Growing Tips

The peony is a famed ornamental flowering plant in the genus Paeonia. Their stunning, voluminous blooms are on show for a short season each year running from late spring through to early summer. They've long been a favourite of many a gardener and the best floristry studios where they feature…

Thompson & Morgan supplies flower bulbs for ‘Spruce up Sproughton’

Thompson & Morgan was recently contacted to provide a number of flower bulbs for ‘Spruce up Sproughton’, a local community project.The 6-month project to improve the safety and overall appearance of a Suffolk village underpass was completed this week, with help from the local police…

This summer I had great success with my tomato plants!

In previous years I have grown my tomato plants in grow bags in my mum and dad’s conservatory. I have grown various varieties including; Gardener’s Delight, Golden Sunrise, Beef Steak, Mr Stripey Tigerella, Money Maker, Alicante and tumbling tomatoes.This year my mum and dad bought a…

How To Live Happily Ever After With Your Indoor Plants

Gone are the days when plants were restricted to balconies or gardens. In modern decor, they are being given a place in the drawing-room, the kitchen, and even the bedroom. Apart from adding to the beauty of your indoor spaces, plants also purify the air and make the environment healthy. They…

Gardening news – National Allotments Week, butterflies and nitrogen

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…

Garden redesign - Geoff Stonebanks at Driftwood

Geoff Stonebanks shares his exciting garden redesign Image: Geoff Stonebanks Catch up with one of our favourite bloggers, Geoff Stonebanks, creator and keeper of the award-winning Driftwood garden. Here he gives us an exclusive insight to the creation of his brand new Mediterranean themed area, and…

Wild Ferments!

Wild Ferments!Most of us tend to view the world of microbes with some suspicion, convinced that these bugs can do us harm or make us unwell, in fact there is a whole world of beneficial organisms out there that can help us unlock additional nourishment from our food, and at the same time populate…

Hanging baskets – Getting it right!

Getting hanging baskets right doesn’t have to be a great effort. All too often I see such poor, forgotten hanging baskets outside people’s homes, which probably started off looking good, but then quickly went downhill, as people found them too much effort to care for. It doesn’t…

Hydrangea ‘Schloss Wackerbarth’ is a huge hit

Enjoying a significant rise in shrub sales in general, T&M is thrilled that its customers are so enamoured with the amazing Hydrangea ‘Schloss Wackerbarth’. It has become the best-selling item from the Cottage Garden range and promises to be one of this year’s shrub successes.…

Pea Alexandra – huge plants, bumper crops!

Hello all you happy gardeners!Well we’ve all had some fab weather and doesn’t it show in the gardens? The flowers and veg like to feel the warmth on them.I just had to tell you all about the pea Alexandra I have grown as part of the Thompson & Morgan trials.I only have a small…

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…

Trouble shooting your Geranium growing problems

Healthy geraniums produce excellent, long-lasting flower displays Image: Geranium 'Balcon Mix' from Thompson & MorganIf you're looking for answers to your geranium and pelargonium troubleshooting questions, you've come to the right place. Here are some timely tips on everything from encouraging…

Thompson & Morgan Takes Third With Agapanthus ÔÇÿFireworks'

Agapanthus Fireworks We're so pleased to announce that its Plant of the Year entry Agapanthus 'Fireworks' has been placed third today at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It was one of six plants that we heard this morning were on the final shortlist of 20 entrants. Agapanthus 'Fireworks' is a world first…

Potatoes – does size matter?

If you have grown potatoes before you will know the feeling of disappointment when you harvest your potatoes and what you have in front of you is a poor specimen of potato.Why not switch to planting one tuber per 8 litre potato growing bag, and not only will you be stunned by the yields, you…

Sowing Sweet Peas

Whilst relaxing with a book I studied my garden, my book was slowly losing its appeal! I realised how bare my garden not only looked, but felt. It is strange to say that your garden has a feeling, but it certainly does. My garden didn’t encourage growth, innovation or adventure but plain,…

RHS Chelsea Flower Show

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2014 runs from 20 – 24 May. You cannot deny that the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is the pinnacle of any horticultural calendar. Although it can divide public opinion with some of the garden designs, the event is a fantastic showcase for new plants, undiscovered plants…

Sue’s (Very Unscientific) Potato Trials

Sue’s (Very Unscientific) Potato TrialsHarvesting potatoes is my second favourite garden task, beaten only by lifting parsnips! You can feel your excitement building as you lift each tuber from the ground, gently rub it clean of soil, and watch your hoard of spuds grow minute by minute.  In…

Suffolk Show 2013 – setting up the T&M stand

T&M’s Sonia Mermagen has been helping long-time vegetable exhibitor Arthur Davies set up Thompson & Morgan’s stand at this year’s Suffolk Show.Breaking news: Arthur and Mary’s display won the Notcutt Trophy for Best Exhibit in the flower tent and a gold…

Hyacinths masterclass: best expert content

Hyacinths create fabulous colour displays with powerful scentImage: Hyacinth 'T&M Mix' from Thompson & MorganIf you want to force hyacinth bulbs indoors to enjoy their flower, scent and colour over the winter, here's a selection of expert advice from our favourite bloggers, YouTubers and…

8 great gardening podcasts

Get inspiration in the garden with these eight horticultural podcastsImage: PavelKant Gardening podcasts are a fabulous source of horticultural entertainment and inspiration. They make perfect rainy-day listening and can also get you through the most mundane of gardening tasks. So pop in your…

Great British Garden Revival

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.…

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…

Chillies on the go

The trick to success with chilli sowing is to keep it simple. I’ve tried all sorts of sowing methods, from expanding coir pellets and thermostatic controlled propagators to expensive home hydroponic systems – but what method has given me quick high-yielding results this season?Answer:…

A Beginners Guide to Growing a Veg Garden

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…

Primrose – the queen of spring!

Primrose ‘Husky’ MixedHello,Just a few minutes planning now can make your outdoor space the envy of all once spring arrives! And this is all thanks to the queen of spring, the primrose!When you think the garden has given up the ghost and you’re cranking up the central heating…

Beetroot – the versatile wonder-veg

Beetroot is one of the most versatile vegetables you can find – gone are the days of sharp, pickled beetroot, the stuff that most of us remember being given at tea-time as children!Beetroot BoltardyYou can add it to so many dishes and it makes cakes wonderfully moist – one of our…

Formative Winter Pruning on Mature Apples and Pears

Hi all, If you read my last blog you'll know I was talking about the different types of gardeners we all are. Since then I've been doing some thinking and I've had my performance review at work and I'm now working towards becoming a fruit loop! I'd like to learn more about fruit growing, training…

Raspberry ‘Ruby Beauty’™ – knocking out traditional varieties

Raspberry ‘Ruby Beauty’™ is an innovative concept that allows you to grow raspberries on your patio. This space saving raspberry retains its sweet flavour, which we’ve come to expect from modern varieties, but you no longer need a big garden to accommodate rows of towering…

Chilli Pepper Weekend – 27th/28th September

There is no question that there has been a steep rise in numbers of those growing chilli peppers. As cooking programmes dominate our TV screens, chilli competitions are on the rise as growers compete to grow the hottest chilli pepper, the demand for chilli peppers is red-hot and in some cases the…

Gluten-free tomato pizza

Gluten-free pizza Print Recipe Pin Recipe Prep Time 45 minsCook Time 10 minsTotal Time 55 mins Servings 4Calories 740 kcal Ingredients 1x2x3xPizza base ingredients2 tsp gluten-free baking powder2 tsp (heaped) golden caster sugar400 g gluten-free bread flower5 tbsp olive oil1 tsp salt1 tsp (heaped)…

Oh peas behave!

Peas can be sown successionally for a continuous crop throughout the summer If you love the idea of sowing pea and bean seeds and want to try growing them at home or on your allotment, we asked trained horticulturist, Sam Corfield, to talk you through his pea season. A man who likes to keep things…

Essential Tips for Growing Indoor Bonsai Trees

The ancient art of bonsai has long been revered for its ability to draw inner peace, centre the mind, and cultivate a deep connection with the natural world. What's more, if you're keeping an indoor bonsai tree, science tells us they also help to purify the air we breathe in addition to serving as…

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