Thompson & Morgan Gardening Blog

Our gardening blog covers a wide variety of topics, including fruit, vegetable and tree stories. Read some of the top gardening stories right here.

Propagation, planting out and cultivation posts from writers that know their subjects well.

Featured Gardener: Charlotte Hugh

by | Jun 9, 2025 | , | 0 Comments

Charlotte Hugh with snapdragons
In just a few short years, Charlotte Hugh from @new.house.home has completely transformed her empty new build plot into a riot of texture, colour and scent. Working with her husband Ben, she has added a greenhouse, a pergola, brick paths, several unique ‘zones’ and a huge number of plants to their gorgeous outside space. Find out how she created her dream garden, and what has been her biggest regret…

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How to get the best from your blossom

by | May 27, 2025 | , | 0 Comments

Cherry blossom in man's hand

Will your spring blossom turn into bumper fruit crops?
Image courtesy of Kris Collins

Encouraged by a cold winter and a warm spring, ornamental blossom displays have been a joy to experience this year. The celebration of cherry blossom at RHS Garden Wisley gave Japan’s spring displays a run for their money! Whether you grow ornamental trees or fruiting varieties, T&M’s quality control manager Kris Collins shares advice on how to encourage beautiful blossom…

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Which plants benefit from the Chelsea Chop?

by | May 20, 2025 | , | 0 Comments

chelsea chop

Chelsea time is pruning time!
Image: Kris Collins

Held at the end of May, RHS Chelsea Flower Show is the crown jewel of the gardening calendar where green thumbs gather, plants strut their stuff, and horticultural creativity blossoms. While it’s a busy time for designers sculpting prize-winning show gardens, it’s also a busy time for gardeners who need to prune perennials. Coinciding perfectly with Chelsea Week, this timely prune has become widely known as – you guessed it – the Chelsea Chop!

Here, T&M’s quality control manager Kris Collins explains which plants benefit from the Chelsea Chop, and how to go about it… In the meantime, browse our full range of perennial plants for more inspiration.

What is the Chelsea Chop?

Pruning plants with a Chelsea Chop

The Chelsea Chop involves cutting back plants towards the end of May
Image; Kris Collins

The Chelsea Chop is a clever pruning technique carried out in late May, around the time of the Chelsea Flower Show. It involves cutting back a wide range herbaceous perennials by about a third to a half. It also applies to subshrubs – plants that are largely herbaceous but with woody stems, like Salvia ‘Hot Lips’.

Why do it? Simple:

  • It delays flowering – spreading your garden’s colour display further into summer.
  • It reduces floppiness – no more mid-July faceplants from your flailing phlox.
  • It encourages bushier growth and often more flowers, albeit slightly smaller.

You can chop the whole plant or just parts of it – giving you a staggered blooming effect. So from one plant you can get several flushes of blooms – garden magic!

Not just the garden – why we chop before we ship

As commercial growers, we use the Chelsea Chop as a strategic tool to make sure you receive healthier, bushier, and more floriferous plants when you order from us.

Trimming back growth just before plants leave the nursery encourages them to establish more compact, robust habits during transit and early establishment. It also means you don’t receive leggy plants that flower too early and flop in your borders. Instead, you’ll enjoy a longer flowering window and a garden that stays neater and more manageable – a win for everyone! The chop is part of our commitment to sending out plants that perform beautifully from the moment they arrive.

Which perennials love a good Chelsea Chop?

Here’s a bumper list of plants that respond brilliantly to the Chelsea Chop:

Kris’s expert tips for Chelsea chopping

Kris Collins doing the Chelsea Chop

Kris puts his tips into action!
Image: Kris Collins

  • Experiment! Try chopping half a clump and leaving the rest for varied heights and flowering times.
  • Don’t panic – it might feel brutal, but these plants love a trim.
  • Time it right – too early and you won’t delay flowering; too late and you’ll miss the window.

So there you have it – the Chelsea Chop: part science, part art, part rebellious act of gardening defiance. While others are planting out bedding, you’re giving your garden a growth-boosting haircut that’ll pay off all summer long. For more inspiration, see our top ten perennials article and learn how to plant a spectacular hardy perennial border.

Featured Gardener: Jonathan Sheppard

by | May 6, 2025 | , | 0 Comments

Jonathan Sheppard sharing his cosmos collection with HM Queen Camilla at RHS Chelsea Show.

Image courtesy of Jonathan Sheppard

Cosmos National Collection holder Jonathan Sheppard (@thejsheppard) is exhibiting a range of Cosmos bipinnatus at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show — including a brand new cultivar from Thompson & Morgan’s breeding programme: Cosmos ‘Fondant Fancy’, with deep pink, saucer-shaped blooms. With a passion for sustainability, his plants are all home grown without peat or pesticides. Despite being knee-deep in preparations, this eco-friendly grower gave us a sneak peek at what goes on behind the scenes.

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WIN RHS Chelsea Flower Show Award Winning Plants

by | Apr 15, 2025 | , | 33 Comments

Eagerly anticipating this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show? Enter our exclusive giveaway to win a bundle of show-stopping plants – four gorgeous past winners and runners up of the Chelsea Plant of the Year Award. A great way to give your outside space the wow-factor, enter by 12 noon on the 6th May to secure your entry.

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The best house plants to keep you healthy

by | Apr 10, 2025 | , | 0 Comments

air purifying house plant collection

We all know that houseplants look great, but did you know they have health benefits too? Air purifying houseplants help to remove household toxins from the air while indoor greenery allows you to connect with nature in a positive way. And what about the Insta-worthy indoor plants that can be used to boost your immune system or moisturise your skin? Here’s why every home should have house plants…

Browse our full range of house plants to find the best options for every room of your home.

What are the benefits of house plants?

According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), there are many benefits to living and working around indoor plants. These include:

  • Improved mood
  • A reduction in stress
  • Increased productivity
  • Improvements in attention span and concentration
  • A reduction in levels of fatigue and headaches

Interestingly, research from Kansas State University in 2008 also showed that hospital patients treated in rooms with plants needed lower levels of pain killers. It’s not entirely clear how house plants provide such benefits, but studies of biophilia have shown that indoor greenery has a hugely positive effect. Plants, combined with natural light, certainly create a calming atmosphere that fosters a sense of peace and tranquility.

5 of the best indoor plants for health and wellbeing

1: Dracaena fragrans (Dragon tree)

dragon plant dracaena fragrans lemon lime

The dragon tree has lovely striated foliage
Image: Dracaena fragrans ‘Lemon Lime’ from T&M

A good choice for beginners, the dragon tree’s attractive, architectural foliage removes a huge number of toxins from the air. Native to tropical Africa, it happily grows in bright sunny rooms, but is just as content in shadier locations. Over time, the dragon tree can reach up to 120cm tall, making a real statement that only gets better with age.

2: Spathiphyllum ‘Torelli’ (Peace Lily)

spathiphyllum torelli peace lily

The peace lily is a classic houseplant
Image: Spathiphyllum ‘Torelli’ from T&M

Studied by NASA and found to be one of the most effective air-purifying houseplants you can own, the peace lily (spathiphyllum ‘Torelli’) is an elegant choice that features delicate white blossoms against lovely dark green leaves. Native to the humid tropics, it prefers to be kept away from dry heat, cold draughts and the direct glare of the sun. However, it’s a great option for beginners as it’s fairly forgiving and thrives in the more difficult and shady corners of kitchens and bathrooms.

3: Sansevieria Trifasciata Var. Laurentii (Snake plant)

sansevieria trifasciata snake plant

Snake plants are virtually indestructible
Image: Sansevieria trifasciata var. Laurentii from T&M

This is the perfect plant for those with a bad memory! The snake plant (Sansevieria Trifasciata Var. Laurentii), or mother-in-law’s tongue as it’s sometimes called, is very forgiving and won’t mind if you forget to water it every now and then. Glossy, erect, variegated leaves slowly emerge from the centre, cleansing the air of many harmful toxins. Almost indestructible, this gorgeous plant is happy almost anywhere in your home including cooler spots or draughty hallways.

4: Ananas comosus (Pineapple plant)

pineapple plant

Enjoy a domesticated pineapple in the centre of your living room
Image: Pineapple plant from T&M

The pineapple plant produces oxygen during the night when most other plants are dormant making it an ideal way to keep the air fresh in bedrooms while you sleep. Reaching 90cm in height, this tropical plant sends out arching silvery foliage and is capped off by the large familiar fruit. Never lacking in drama, it also produces amazing cones of purple flowers with bright red bracts during the summer pre-repeat fruiting. This really is a unique plant that also makes an excellent housewarming gift.

5: Capsicum annuum (Chilli Pepper)

chilli pepper apache

Chilli ‘Apache’ produces a prolific crop of fiery bright red peppers
Image: Chilli ‘Apache’ from T&M

For something a little unexpected, chillies make excellent houseplants! Their beautiful pods don’t just brighten up the room, they’re a colourful way to add a healthy shot of vitamin C (as well as vitamin B6, vitamin K1, potassium, copper and vitamin A) to home-cooked meals, pickles and condiments. Grow a variety like Chilli ‘Apache’ on a sunny kitchen windowsill for an easy crop within arms reach. Its neat and compact dark green foliage reaches just 45cm, providing the perfect backdrop for small, bright red peppers that pack a fiery, vitamin-fueled punch!

House plants do far more than decorate our homes and offices. They connect us to nature and contribute to a happy and healthy environment. Learn how to care for your house plants with these helpful tips and visit our dedicated house plant advice hub for more helpful information.

Lead image: Air Purifying Houseplant Collection from T&M

Four ways gardening helps health and wellbeing

by | Apr 9, 2025 | | 0 Comments

lavender 'sensational'

Connecting with nature is a powerful tool, and studies suggest that just a few hours of gardening each week can have a positive impact on mental health. In some parts of the UK, GPs have even started using ‘green prescriptions’ including therapeutic community gardening to help their patients manage issues like anxiety and depression.

Gardening comes with many benefits, but here are four ways it has been proven to improve health and wellbeing.

1. Relieves stress

Studies have shown that people who garden have even lower stress levels than those taking part in other relaxing activities. This is because gardening is a great way to shut out distractions and concentrate on the job in hand. When you’re gardening, your mind is focused on tending your plants, digging your veg patch or pruning a shrub. And simply enjoying a calm, green space is a wonderful way to relax and unwind.

2. Improves brain health

Studies have linked gardening to better brain health and a lower risk of degenerative brain disease. This is because physical activity, problem solving and sensory awareness all contribute to healthy brain function. It’s good to know that your war against weeds isn’t entirely futile – it’s also keeping your brain active and healthy!

3. Provides physical exercise

Gardening gets you outside and moving. The kind of exercise you get in the garden is quite different to that which you might experience in a gym. You can burn over 300 calories an hour with all the bending, stretching and lifting that’s required in the average garden. We all know that exercise increases levels of the ‘feel-good’ chemicals serotonin and dopamine in your nervous system – so the old adage, ‘a healthy body equals a healthy mind’, could be more true than you realise.

4. Boosts mood

Gardeners admit that they often feel a huge sense of pride and satisfaction in their gardens, no matter how small or large. This is proven to boost self-esteem, lift mood and contribute to better well-being. And people who wouldn’t normally call themselves ‘creative’ sometimes discover an unexpected affinity with plants, surprising themselves with what they can accomplish. The wonderful feeling that comes from creating something beautiful or growing something delicious is priceless.

Spending time outside, working at an allotment or joining in at a local community garden is a good way to connect with nature and improve your health and wellbeing. Not sure where to start? Keep checking our ‘what to do in the garden this month’ pages for sowing and growing ideas.

Sources:

Lead image: Lavender ‘Sensational’ from T&M (© Plantipp/Visions BV Netherlands)

Featured Gardener: Kay Maynard

by | Apr 7, 2025 | , | 0 Comments

Kay Maynard sitting at a table in her garden.

Image courtesy of Kay Maynard

Kay Maynard from @brook_cottage_ shares her wonderful Welsh garden with two adorable sausage dogs and a plethora of wildlife. With a pond, bridge, weekend shelter, outdoor stove and a beautifully collated selection of plants, her magical outside space can be used all year round. Learn more about this vintage-loving upcycler and her gorgeous garden here…

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What to do when your plug plants arrive

by | Mar 19, 2025 | , | 151 Comments

Fuchsia plug plants from T&M

Fuchsia postiplugs from T&M
Image: Fuchsia plug plants from T&M

Plug plants are an incredibly convenient way to fill your garden or veg patch. They’re quicker than sowing seeds, but cheaper than buying fully grown plants, and they offer a high success rate. Garden-ready plug plants can go straight outside as soon as the weather is warm enough, while smaller plugs may need potting on. Here are some quick tips on what to do when your plug plants are delivered.

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WIN a Patio Pond Plant Kit from Thompson & Morgan

by | Mar 10, 2025 | , | 43 Comments

Think your garden is too small for a pond? Think again! Enter our competition to win a Patio Pond Kit and enjoy an elegant water feature designed especially for small spaces. A clever way to try your hand at growing beautiful aquatic plants, the local birds and wildlife will love it too!

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