by Wendie Alexander | Sep 29, 2016 | Autumn gardening, Exterior design, Flowers, Gardening Posts, inspiration for the garden, Roses, Spring gardening, Summer gardening, Windowsill Grower, Your Stories
Using a garden mirror in your garden or outside space is a good way to add the illusion of room, space and a whole new dimension of liberty.
The type of effect you want to achieve will determine the kind of mirror you use. If you want to have the effect of a small window, then choose a church style, for a gothic effect. Creating the effect of a portal to another dimension! By using a full length mirror you could create a gateway to another world!
Garden mirrors a window to another dimension!
Try different locations with your mirror, as you may not be happy with the first place you put it. They are perfect in shady spaces where not much grows, as they bring much needed light into this area of the garden.
Mirrors work wonderfully with plants and greenery around them, a bare one will look out of place so place climbing flowers, such as roses or clematis, around the mirror. If it is in a dark corner why not try adding ivy around it. This could give the appearance of an old fashioned secret garden.
During different seasons you will get a different appearance from your mirror, depending on which plants you have added to it. Enjoy either evergreens or full tones of colourful blooms from your climbing plants.
Mirrors bring light to dark corners and open up outdoor spaces
Another feature to consider when purchasing a garden mirror is what you will be putting in front of it. You can place different size trees or buxus to the front. Angling your mirror is a good idea, you can easily place a small piece of wood behind it to angle it slightly. This will give you an off centre reflection and you won’t be the first thing you see when looking into it. It is best not to place it in direct sun light; it can be hazardous and may cause a fire!
Try adding different plants or objects in front of your mirror
If mirrors are not something you want in your garden, why not try wall art? There are a wide range of pieces for sale and you can decorate your walls with animal shapes, flowers or other abstract pieces. Adding tall grasses or an obelisk in front and you can create a focal point to rival an art gallery.
Wall art adds a designer touch to your garden
Whichever you choose, garden mirror or a piece of wall art, it is clear there are lots of accessories that you can add to your garden. Bringing your garden into the modern and fashionable world of exterior decorating.
I have worked for Thompson & Morgan for nearly four years. In that time I have learnt lots about gardening, but consider myself very much a novice. I have started growing veg on a colleague’s allotment and also growing windowsill seeds such as Salad Leaves and Rocket. I love gaining more knowledge about horticulture and am lucky enough to work here.
by Wendie Alexander | Sep 7, 2016 | Flowers, Fruit, Gardening Posts, inspiration for the garden, Roses, Summer gardening, Wildlife
This time of year is my favourite in the garden. With the long summer days behind us the light from the sun is not nearly as harsh as it was in June and July. The flowers in the garden are still blooming but with the longer shadows of early evening, it gives them more depth. I wish I could keep this month in the garden all year round! But as that is not possible I try to keep the rich colours of the garden for as long as possible. How to do this you wonder?
I dead-head many of my flowers, to keep them going. By dead-heading you are tricking the plants into believing they are still young. When you allow your plants to seed, they receive a chemical message informing them they no longer need to produce blooms and now is the time to stop. By dead-heading them they continue to enjoy youthfulness and produce their gorgeous blooms for a while longer. Of course this does not continue indefinitely, but it does provide you with colours until the end of the month.
Penstemon ‘Strawberries and Cream, Phlox ‘David’ and Poppy ‘Bridal White’
Which plants can be dead-headed and which are best left to seed? I have always found my Penstemon ‘Strawberries and Cream’ will continue to produce its flowers in September. With a gentle dead-heading I continue to enjoy the pink and white flushes of colour. Other plants include Phlox paniculata ‘David’ and Pennisetum alopecoroides.
To dead-head softer stemmed plants, all you need to do is nip the flowers between thumb and forefinger once the flowers are finished. This will work for geraniums, petunias, cosmos and chrysanthemums.
However, some plants need a little more encouragement and to dead-head you will need to get the secateurs and cut back to the stem to the next shoot down. This applies to roses and dahlias; my Rose ‘Racquel’ has responded well to this and is still happily flowering.
There are plenty of my plants that I have not dead-headed, because they do not respond too well to it. Poppy ‘Bridal White’ is having its last flush of flowers and then it will be going to seed. The seed heads create an unusual backdrop for the remaining flowers in my garden. I am also leaving my Nigella ‘Delft Blue’, the seed heads are a show stopper all of their own. The few grasses I have such as the Verbena bonariensis are also going to seed. The insects really like living here and I don’t want to disturb them while they are happy!
Speaking of happy, don’t forget to let your Fuchsia FUCHSIABERRY go to seed, they will go on to provide you with an abundance of berries for jams and puddings. They are delicious…
So there you are, a bit more work and you have a lot more flowers.
I have worked for Thompson & Morgan for nearly four years. In that time I have learnt lots about gardening, but consider myself very much a novice. I have started growing veg on a colleague’s allotment and also growing windowsill seeds such as Salad Leaves and Rocket. I love gaining more knowledge about horticulture and am lucky enough to work here.
by Wendie Alexander | Jun 13, 2016 | Gardening News, Gardening Posts, inspiration for the garden, water features
If you want to make your garden the ultimate place to relax and unwind then you can do no better than to invest in a garden water feature.
Water features create a focal point in the garden that you garden plants can be centred around.
Water feature and planter & Wishing well water feature
With a variety of styles to choose from, such as traditional to contemporary water features, there is something for every garden. Some even have additional features such as LED lights and a place for your flowers to be planted for extra colour and texture.
Many water features are now made from hard wearing polyester resin that will not rust or rot, lasting for many years.
Stone water feature & pebble water feature
Most water features are supplied with power leads and pumps and are easy to install. Once installed, all you need to do is switch the pump on with the outdoor cable and the submersible pump will circulate the water. Solar powered water features are also available.
Water features create a tranquil haven for birds and other wildlife in your garden and are a perfect alternative to birdbaths.
Jug water feature & tub water feature
If you are lucky to have LED lights built into your water feature, you will be able to enjoy your water feature at night just as much as in the daytime, enjoying the ambience of running water whenever you want.
I have worked for Thompson & Morgan for nearly four years. In that time I have learnt lots about gardening, but consider myself very much a novice. I have started growing veg on a colleague’s allotment and also growing windowsill seeds such as Salad Leaves and Rocket. I love gaining more knowledge about horticulture and am lucky enough to work here.
by Wendie Alexander | Jun 10, 2016 | Flowers, Gardening News, Gardening Posts, Top 10
Here is a selection of our favourite new varieties in the autumn catalogue. We have picked our top 10 just for you.
Clematis ‘Picotee Kiss’
Clematis ‘Picotee Kiss’
One of the finest hardy clematis introductions in recent years, expect Clematis ‘Picotee Kiss’ to be a future classic. The dazzling pink picotee-edged blooms, each up to 15cm (6in) across, have amazed us on the trial ground, adorning the plants in abundance – once in spring and again in summer! Enjoy the first flush of blooms through May-June, then watch the plants flush into colour again though July- September. Each petal looks like a lipstick kiss! Be one of the first UK gardeners to cover walls, fences and trellis with the stand-out flowers of Clematis ‘Picotee Kiss’. Pruning group 2. Height: 2-3m (6.5-10ft).
Stenocarpus sinuata
Stenocarpus sinuata
One of Australia’s most spectacular trees now available in the UK! Despite the exotic flowers, the Firewheel Tree can be surprisingly adaptable to UK conditions. Many gardeners report getting this unusual exotic through our cold winters, but to ensure years of enjoyment we recommend moving it to a frost-free location over winter, particularly during the first few years in the garden. Thrives in full sun. Height: 2-2.5m (6.5-8ft).
Trachelospermum asiaticum ‘Variegatum’
Trachelospermum asiaticum ‘Variegatum’
The creamy splashed, variegated foliage of this Asiatic Jasmine adds another dimension to an already handsome climbing specimen! and it becomes tinged with crimson in autumn, but – as it’s evergreen – stays on the plant! You’ll be knocked out by the potent fragrance of the twinkly little blooms too! Ideal for covering a trellis, pergola, arch or fence. Height: 3m (10ft).
Clematis ‘Picotee Kiss’
Cornus ‘Royal Red’
Flowering dogwoods have become a design staple in recent years, featuring heavily in RHS show gardens. They have gained a big following from garden designers and home gardeners alike. Be a trendsetter with this new red flowering version. Cornus ‘Royal Red’ produces a profusion of blushing ‘bracts’ around simple, nectar-laden blooms, which will draw butterflies from near and far. Height: 1.2-1.8m (6.5-8ft).
Viola ‘Bunny Ears’
Viola ‘Bunny Ears’
Cheeky little violas that retain that classic pansy face beneath unusually long ‘rabbit ear’ top petals. The compact plants are perfect for smaller containers or planting pockets in rockeries and borders – you can even set them in cracks in walls and paving. Despite their size these tidy viola plants pack a real floral punch, creating cushions of mounded colour in cool corners. Height: 20cm (8in).
Clematis ‘Taiga’
Clematis ‘Taiga’
The name will make you think ‘tiger’, but the blowsy double blooms shout “lion’s mane!” Clematis ‘Taiga’ is a real show off climber, producing countless blooms right through summer over a canvas of rich green foliage. Great for covering walls and fencing, this unusual clematis also suits patio container growing. It also looks great planted in a border and left to ramble through other plants in your display. Make Clematis ‘Taiga’ the king of your jungle this season! Pruning group 3. Height 2m (6.5ft).
Viola ‘Plums & Peaches’
Viola ‘Plums & Peaches’
New colour blend. Pretty spring violas that carry on through summer if given shade. Try this seductive colour blend of friendly-faced violas in shady corners where other summer bedding fails to thrive. Height 20cm (8in).
Star Jasmine ‘Pink Showers’
Star Jasmine ‘Pink Showers’
The first pink trachelospermum for UK gardeners. This pretty evergreen climber offers unique candy-pink star-shaped flowers with the same rich perfume we know and love. Star Jasmine ‘Pink Showers’ is perfect for large patio pots, grown up an obelisk or trained on trellis, and will thrive in borders against walls or fencing in sun/partial shade. We can only offer limited stocks this autumn, so make sure you’re at the front of the queue! Height: 3m (6.5-8ft).
Narcissus ‘Butterfingers’
Narcissus ‘Butterfingers’
Large butter-yellow trumpets surrounded by creamy-white petals make this a choice selection for spring displays. Tall sturdy stems and good fragrance make Narcissus ‘Butterfingers’ an ideal early season cut flower. Bulb size 12/14. Height: 45cm (18in).
Camellia ‘Night Rider’
Camellia ‘Night Rider’
A little shrub offering big impact! The size of most camellias rule them out for many gardeners, but everyone has the space to grow Camellia ‘Night Rider’. This compact form is one of the most exciting developments in camellia breeding for many years. Not only is it small in size, it also offers some of the darkest blooms in the genus. Velvety, cup-shaped, maroon flowers smother the glossy, evergreen foliage from February through April, bringing a contemporary look to container displays and mixed border plantings. For those with the space for mixed shrub displays, ‘Night Rider’ makes a perfect underplanting for larger rhododendron and camellia varieties. We have secured limited stock for the this season – order today to reserve your prized specimen! Height: 1.2m (4ft).
I have worked for Thompson & Morgan for nearly four years. In that time I have learnt lots about gardening, but consider myself very much a novice. I have started growing veg on a colleague’s allotment and also growing windowsill seeds such as Salad Leaves and Rocket. I love gaining more knowledge about horticulture and am lucky enough to work here.
by Wendie Alexander | May 17, 2016 | Gardening Posts, Vegetables, Your Stories
Thompson & Morgan customer Mrs Raisborough moved to her new home in Hook Hampshire twenty years ago, which had a third of an acre garden with nothing more than meadow grass and a few fruit trees. While new to the area and in need of garden plants, she befriended a neighbour who was also a local garden centre owner. Sadly the garden centre was due to close due to her neighbour retiring, and as he closed his doors he gave Mrs Raisborough a gift of lots of plants and 40 packets of seeds, 20 of which were Thompson & Morgan’s Tomato ‘Sungold’ variety.
Tomato ‘Sungold’ 1996 packet & Tomato ‘Sungold’ 2016 packet
Every spring time since 1996 Mrs Raisborough has sown one packet of the Tomato ‘Sungold’ seeds, and every year those seeds have germinated to provide a full crop of delicious ‘Sungold’ tomatoes. One year she decided to sow two packets as she thought the seeds viability must have gone by now. Low and behold the two packets germinated, as had all the others and the extra tomatoes were sold with all the proceeds given to charity.
Tomato ‘Sungold’
Mrs Raisborough said in her correspondence: “I have never been so well supported by a company such as yours for such a length of time for so little outlay.” And she goes on to say: “Tomatoes growing from seeds sown this year with a date on the package ‘Sow by August 1996’ – You couldn’t make it up!!” We have to agree with Mrs Raisborough, at Thompson & Morgan we knew our seeds were of a high quality but even we did not expect germination from twenty year old seeds.
The tomatoes have been enjoyed year after year by Mrs Raisborough’s family, friends and visitors to her garden for twenty years. Mrs Raisborough said: “Thank you for the reliability and surprise that your packets have given me over the last two decades.”
“Well done Thompson & Morgan and well done Tomato ‘Sungold’!”
I have worked for Thompson & Morgan for nearly four years. In that time I have learnt lots about gardening, but consider myself very much a novice. I have started growing veg on a colleague’s allotment and also growing windowsill seeds such as Salad Leaves and Rocket. I love gaining more knowledge about horticulture and am lucky enough to work here.
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