by Sue Russell | Mar 6, 2019 | Gardening Posts, Gardening Tips
Few plants can compete with a mature tree peony smothered by more than a hundred exotic blooms
Image: Tree Peony ‘Luoyang Hong’ from T&M
Bare root peonies can be ordered from late autumn and should be planted as soon as they arrive between October and March. Whether you choose herbaceous peonies (Paeonia lactiflora) or tree peonies (Paeonia suffruticosa), the planting time for all bare root varieties remains the same. We asked professional gardener and trained horticulturist Sue Russell how she plants her favourite bare root peonies. Here’s what she said…
In the meantime, see our full range of bare root plants and trees for more winter-planting ideas.
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One of my earliest memories; helping my Mum and Dad weed the veggie plot and collecting chicken eggs from the chooks at the end of the garden. I grew up on a farm as a child and always had my own piece of land to grow and learn with, so I suppose its in the blood!
In my mid twenties, I re trained in Horticulture (Professional Gardening ANCH) and set up my own Gardening business working for clients in the Suffolk/Essex area. For the last thirteen years I’ve had the pleasure of working on a private twenty five acre estate tending to the grounds.
In 2016, I joined the team at Thompson and Morgan in the Customer Care department.
Also season ticket holder at Ipswich Town Football Club!!
by Sue Russell | Sep 8, 2018 | Flowers, Gardening Posts, Potatoes, Vegetables
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 of what to grow and the different classes in the show to enter.
My children entered the children’s classes and even won a first and second place. So, next year it’s game on. My children even fancy growing some flowers, especially the Dahlias and Begonias.
Capel St Mary is a village on the outskirts of Ipswich in Suffolk. They hold a two-day Flower and Produce Show the first weekend of September annually and this was their 41st year.
They have over 360 members and 90 members who rent a plot.
It is a hugely popular village event and is attended well from the wider community. Entries are also welcome from non-members too, it features over 120 classes including produce, fruit, handicraft, cookery, photography and the children’s classes.
The hard work from the committee was evident, setting up the event, receiving the exhibits, judging, and of course taking pleasure in viewing other people’s hard work growing, baking stitching, painting etc. A slick rota was drawn up by the Show Secretary, Wendy Russell, to ensure that the event ran smoothly. There were refreshments, teas, coffees and homemade cakes on offer, guess the name of the teddy and the Grand Draw and many more.
What a lovely collection of classic vegetables, those leeks look delicious! We are thinking about which flower to grow from a bulb, corm or tuber next year. The plates of fruit were lovely, perfectly shaped. The varieties were lovely to see, showing visitors that there are other types out there, instead of the basic tasteless supermarket ones.
These baskets makes me think of my childhood at school, collecting vegetables from the garden for the Harvest Festival at the local church.
We are going to have a Pumpkin growing competition next year, what is your favourite?
This produce show in Capel St Mary is a lovely show to visit and I was lucky enough to be invited to help out.
It certainly gives you plenty of ideas with what to try next year and enter yourself.
Visitors come from far and wide to exhibit and visit. It speaks for its self as it is in its 41st year.
For more information about Capel St Mary Allotments Association please visit, http://www.capelallotments.co.uk or visit their new Facebook Page by searching for Capel Allotments.
One of my earliest memories; helping my Mum and Dad weed the veggie plot and collecting chicken eggs from the chooks at the end of the garden. I grew up on a farm as a child and always had my own piece of land to grow and learn with, so I suppose its in the blood!
In my mid twenties, I re trained in Horticulture (Professional Gardening ANCH) and set up my own Gardening business working for clients in the Suffolk/Essex area. For the last thirteen years I’ve had the pleasure of working on a private twenty five acre estate tending to the grounds.
In 2016, I joined the team at Thompson and Morgan in the Customer Care department.
Also season ticket holder at Ipswich Town Football Club!!
by Sue Russell | Jun 8, 2018 | Gardening Posts
So, I heard we (Thompson & Morgan) were having a floral fantasia trial garden this year at RHS Hyde Hall in Chelmsford and I was very pleased, and couldn’t wait to visit.
Then I got an email asking me to help plant it up, I was over the moon!!!
Since starting my new career in Horticulture many years ago now, I wanted to work at Hyde Hall. I did apply for an apprenticeship there, but travelling would have been too much, so I studied at Otley College as it was closer.
An early start at T & M HQ and off we went to Hyde Hall down the A12 into Essex.
When we arrived the beds were marked out with marker spray and labelled and all we had to do was crack on with the planting.
There were 26 trolleys heaving with excellent, strong plants all ready waiting for planting.
We also had a team of six Gardeners from the RHS to help us plant out.
The weather was kind to us, but the day before when the chaps were unloading the plants, they got a tad wet, apparently!
I planted some of my favourites including Cosmos Cupcakes and Nicotiana Marshmallow. Can’t wait to have some in my garden!
We think we planted about two thirds the first day, I went back for a second day of fun. It started of misty and cloudy, but to be honest, to me that’s perfect planting weather. It broke out warmer from lunchtime, so on went the hat and all important sun cream.
I loved day two, we got to plant the wonderful Sunflower, SunBelievable ‘Brown Eyed Girl’, what a truly stunning plant it is! In the centre of the garden, there is a large old trough packed with these beauts, I definitely want these in my garden. They are perfect for weddings, as my cousin’s wedding has a Sunflower theme so may have to grow some for her.
Pots and pouches complete the trial garden.
The garden is packed with summer favourites and also new introductions for 2018.
I am looking forward to visiting the garden with my children and showing them the riot of garden. Its open from the 9th June to the 30th September.
You will find the Floral Fantasia next to the Global Growth Vegetable Garden.
One of my earliest memories; helping my Mum and Dad weed the veggie plot and collecting chicken eggs from the chooks at the end of the garden. I grew up on a farm as a child and always had my own piece of land to grow and learn with, so I suppose its in the blood!
In my mid twenties, I re trained in Horticulture (Professional Gardening ANCH) and set up my own Gardening business working for clients in the Suffolk/Essex area. For the last thirteen years I’ve had the pleasure of working on a private twenty five acre estate tending to the grounds.
In 2016, I joined the team at Thompson and Morgan in the Customer Care department.
Also season ticket holder at Ipswich Town Football Club!!
by Sue Russell | Apr 18, 2018 | Gardening Posts
April is here, British Summer Time has kicked in, lighter mornings, longer days to spend in the garden and greenhouse after work. Hooray! More time with my gardening gloves on!
So at my “Office” job at T&M, (when I’m not doing my dirty job!) I speak to customers and help with any Horticultural queries. I love talking and sharing knowledge, every day there is something new! I also take orders for our lovely products.
Tomatoes!
A few weeks ago, a gentleman called and we were talking about different Tomatoes we have both grown, the classics, like Shirley and Gardeners Delight were of course mentioned. I’d tried, successfully, with Mountain Magic and Terenzo last year, which he hadn’t and he suggested I tried the heart shaped Tomatoberry. I ordered a packet and as you can see from the photos, when I planted them and today, they are towering out of their pot, begging to be transplanted into 9cm pots to grow on a little more, creating a better root structure.
I’m also trying another cucumber this year called Bella, i’m looking forward to seeing how it turns out as I try not to buy shop bought cucumbers during the summer months.
My greenhouse at home is filling up nicely, along with the one at work.
Perennials
I ordered the Perennial ‘Best Value’ Collection a little while ago and 72 little healthy plug plants arrived on my door mat. I love receiving plug plugs, potting them on, watching them develop and then planting them in their final place. I am also waiting for the Summer Bedding Collection which is another pack of 72, think I have 2 packs coming actually! Yippee!
I have built another mini greenhouse frame to go inside the greenhouse as more shelving for the tender plugs and seedlings.
The fruit trees are also starting to show their wonderful blooms, Apricot, Plum and Peach. These are fan trained against the red brick walls on the Estate where I work.
Hope the warm weather continues and the insects pollinate those fruit trees for delicious treats later in the year!
Finally, the wellies were planted last weekend, some thyme plants found a new home in my split wellies!
Anyway, enjoy April and all it has to offer!
One of my earliest memories; helping my Mum and Dad weed the veggie plot and collecting chicken eggs from the chooks at the end of the garden. I grew up on a farm as a child and always had my own piece of land to grow and learn with, so I suppose its in the blood!
In my mid twenties, I re trained in Horticulture (Professional Gardening ANCH) and set up my own Gardening business working for clients in the Suffolk/Essex area. For the last thirteen years I’ve had the pleasure of working on a private twenty five acre estate tending to the grounds.
In 2016, I joined the team at Thompson and Morgan in the Customer Care department.
Also season ticket holder at Ipswich Town Football Club!!
by Sue Russell | Nov 24, 2017 | Gardening Posts, Winter gardening
Today I’ve spent time sorting out the winter bedding from the greenhouse which are in need of transplanting into the herbaceous borders.
The Stocks ‘Most scented mix’ and the Polyanthus ‘Crescendo’ have been desperate to be planted, out growing their nursery pots so I cleared areas for them and cut back some of the perennial plants.
Our beds are plagued by Bindweed, this weed is a real pain, left to its own devices, it grows quickly, climbing up the nearest plant and choking it.
I try not to use much spray any more, but this time of the year (when not cold and icy) and spring is perfect to dig it out. Even the smallest piece left in will regenerate. I actually find it quite therapeutic and collect as many pieces as I can.
In between planting my plugs, now garden readies, I have put some more Alliums using my trusty Wolf Garten bulb planter.
It’s so easy to use, my general rule of thumb with planted bulbs is, whatever the size of the bulb, the hole needs to be double that size. The bulb planter has measurements on the side. Simply turn the planter into the soil with a twist, lift out the core of soil held inside the planter, then place the bulb in the hole, roots down! and then replace the core by gently squeezing the top.
The Phlomis russeliana, (Turkish sage) I leave in the borders and cut back in the spring, as the old seed heads look great with a dusting on frost and gives the birds somewhere to perch. The foliage is lovely too.
After going on my walk of the garden, firstly I could smell my favourite winter flowering plant, Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’, it’s a real beauty, it flowers on bare stems and gives that sweet fragrance as you walk past. It is a must for any garden in my opinion, adds height to borders and winter interest.
The Fatsia japonica also was in flower, attracting any little insects that may be around. Its glossy dark green leaves really are something at this time of year, stunning!
Anyway, back to getting outside while the sun is shining and it’s relatively warm!
One of my earliest memories; helping my Mum and Dad weed the veggie plot and collecting chicken eggs from the chooks at the end of the garden. I grew up on a farm as a child and always had my own piece of land to grow and learn with, so I suppose its in the blood!
In my mid twenties, I re trained in Horticulture (Professional Gardening ANCH) and set up my own Gardening business working for clients in the Suffolk/Essex area. For the last thirteen years I’ve had the pleasure of working on a private twenty five acre estate tending to the grounds.
In 2016, I joined the team at Thompson and Morgan in the Customer Care department.
Also season ticket holder at Ipswich Town Football Club!!
