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.

Growing allium bulbs masterclass: best expert content

White and purple alliums

Allium bulbs bring eye-catching height and structure to the summer border
Image: Allium ‘Big Impact Mixed’ from Thompson & Morgan

The jewel of early summer, allium bulbs deliver height, structure and colour to mark the start of the season. These hardy perennial bulbs are well worth growing for their easy, attractive blooms that get even better as they age. See our collection of articles, YouTube videos and Instagram posts for practical advice on planting alliums. And if you haven’t already ordered a batch, these inspirational garden bloggers are sure to tempt you.

Browse our complete collection of allium bulbs here.

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Win a sunflower bundle for birds

Thanks for taking part in this exciting giveaway in partnership with Happy Beaks, a brilliant bird seed supplier with a wealth of garden bird information including a British bird library and bird feeding tips. This competition has now closed, but congratulations to our winner Emily S.

Please keep an eye on our competition page for future giveaways. If you’re looking for more bird-friendly ideas? Try these…

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Plum curd recipe

 

Plum curd with red plums

Plum curd recipe

Kay Sexton
This delicious recipe is ideal for plums but can also be used with other fruit such as apricots, peeled apples or peaches. Taken from her book, Minding 'My Peas and Cucumbers: Quirky Tales of Allotment Life', Kay Sexton has kindly donated this yummy recipe which is a great way to use up a glut of plums!
Kay says: "You can substitute the plums for apricots, peeled apples or peaches, which make a very similar pulp. However, soft fruit like raspberries, redcurrants and strawberries have to be sieved to take out pips and cores and blackberry or blackcurrant curds both taste fine but tend to be an unattractive pale grey-mauve colour. These curds are not as strongly flavoured as the aggressive lemon curd sold in supermarkets, and have a higher fruit content so they might be considered to be a bit healthier. Their subtlety lends itself to imaginative ways of baking and creating desserts, and they are particularly good simply spooned over vanilla ice cream!"
Course Condiment, Dessert

Equipment

  • 1 Glass bowl
  • 1 Wooden spoon.
  • 1 Colander
  • 1 Saucepan
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Metal spoon
  • Sterilised jars

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g washed fresh plums
  • 125 g caster sugar
  • 125 g unsalted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk

Instructions
 

  • Start by making plum pulp. Put the plums in a saucepan and cook them gently until they soften and the skins begin to shred. Then allow them to cool a little before using a wooden spoon to push them through a colander placed over a glass bowl so that the pulp is broken up and passes through but the pits (which, in wild plums, can be so small they are more like pips) are trapped.
  • Add the sugar and butter to the glass bowl with the pulp and place over a pan of simmering water - I prefer to put the bowl on a trivet to avoid any chance of the curd sticking to the bottom of the bowl. Stir frequently until the butter is melted and sugar dissolved. Now whisk the eggs and yolk together and beat into the mixture.
  • Continue to cook, beating away, until the mixture thickens - you can test this by dipping a clean metal spoon into it and watching how it coats the back. You want it to stick rather than running straight off. If you’re in doubt, unsure of your preserving skills or easily distracted, this should take about ten minutes on a timer.
  • Remove from heat, and while it is cooling, give it the occasional whisk to encourage the heat to dissipate and to stop it setting too firmly. When it is completely cool, pour it into sterilised jars, cover and refrigerate. A home-made curd keeps for a couple of weeks in the fridge, but rarely lasts that long, once people know it is there!

Notes

This plum curd recipe is taken from Kay's book Minding 'My Peas and Cucumbers: Quirky Tales of Allotment Life'.
There are many different varieties of plums that you can grow and they would all work well in this recipe. However, Plum 'Victoria' is one of the most well known varieties.
Keyword dessert, fruit, jam, plum
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Winter salad masterclass: best expert content

Bucket of rocket leaves

Container grown rocket is a delicious addition to winter meals
Image: Rocket ‘Sweet Oakleaf’ – Kew Collection Seeds from T&M

You don’t need to stop growing salad just because it’s winter. In fact, many leafy greens come into their own at a time when not much else is growing. Whether you love to eat crunchy radishes, spicy rocket or colourful cut-and-come-again lettuce leaves, you’ll find plenty of growing tips in this collection of articles, videos and Instagram posts. Here are some expert tips to help you grow and harvest delicious winter salad.

Browse our delicious salad seeds for more inspiration.

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Fat free cherry cake recipe

 

Closeup of cherry cake

Fat free cherry cake

Jacqui Brown
Jacqui Brown says: "Here is my favourite recipe that I bake at least once a week as I just love something sweet at the end of a meal, but being virtually fat free it isn't too naughty! We are lucky enough to have an orchard in Poitou-Charentes, France with 5 large cherry trees and we freeze the fruit to use all year round. We also have plumpeachapplepear and quince trees so I vary the recipe to use whatever is most abundant!"
Course Dessert

Equipment

  • Lined flat baking tin
  • Mixing bowl

Ingredients
  

  • Enough cherries to fill the bottom of a lined flan tin
  • 3 eggs
  • 65 g sugar
  • 110 g plain flour
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp natural yoghurt
  • 50 g ground almonds
  • a few drops of almond essence

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat your oven to gas mark 4/160℃ fan/180℃
  • Beat the eggs and sugar for at least five minutes until very frothy and pale.
  • Gently fold in the yoghurt and almond essence, and then half the dry ingredients sieved, then the remainder.
  • Try and lose as little of the air as possible.
  • Pour the batter over the cherries and bake in a preheated oven for about 20 mins, or until the top is golden and springs back to the touch.
  • Leave to cool and then turn out upside down onto a plate.
  • Serve warm or cold with a healthy dollop of natural yoghurt.
Keyword fruit
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Lead image: Cherry ‘Stella’ from Thompson & Morgan

Poppies masterclass: best expert content

White orange and yellow icelandic poppies

Icelandic poppies deliver delicate bursts of pastel colour in summer
Image: Poppy ‘Iceland Mixed’ from T&M

The word poppy usually sparks an image of iconic red flowers in summer hay fields or pretty wildflower meadows, but there are so many more colours and shapes to enjoy! Think huge, exotic blue flowers, grey double blooms and purple pom poms that fill the garden with friendly pollinators. Whether you want to grow annual or perennial poppies, you’ll find plenty of helpful hints and tips in this collection of articles, videos and Instagram posts.

When you’re ready to place an order, browse our wide range of annual and perennial poppy seeds for inspiration.

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How to grow lilacs

Purple lilac flowers in vase

Lilacs look wonderful in cut flower displays
Image: Lilac Fragrant Trio Collection from Thompson & Morgan

Lilac is a quintessential cottage garden shrub, ranging in size from large ‘standard’ specimen lilac trees to compact bushes for growing in patio pots. It comes in a fantastic range of colours and has a lovely scent, making it a fabulous feature for every garden. These tough and undemanding shrubs burst into bloom every spring and need very little attention. They’re also wonderful for wildlife, with nectar-rich blooms that attract pollinating insects.

Learn how to grow low-maintenance lilacs with this handy guide. And browse our full range of lilac shrubs for inspiration.

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Chaos gardening masterclass: best expert content

Wildflower meadow full of early annual flowers

Relinquish control and let colourful chaos reign in the garden
Image: Annual Early Flowering Mixed Seeds from T&M

Chaos gardening is the hot new trend of 2023. Think rewilding but with more colour, more intent and a bit of light design. A great way to get rid of extra seeds and avoid waste, we’ve pulled together a collection of helpful articles, videos and Insta posts to help you channel some chaos in your own outside space. 

When you’re ready to get started, browse our full range of quality seeds at Thompson & Morgan for fruit, veg, and flowers.

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How to plan pretty pots and bountiful baskets

Orchid style petunias in containers

Petunias are an excellent and cost-effective way to fill a container
Image: Petunia ‘Orchid-Flowered Mixed’ F1 Hybrid from T&M

It’s amazing what a difference a few pots and baskets can make, regardless of how much space you have. Pots, planters and hanging baskets are a great way of creating a garden, even in a small soil-less courtyard or on a bland balcony. If you grow plants from seed, you can fill your containers with colour without breaking the bank. We asked radio garden expert Shaun Gagie how he makes his own pots and baskets interesting, pretty and productive. Here are his five top tips…

In the meantime, browse our collection of hanging baskets and accessories if you need to stock up.

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Meet the experts

The T&M blog has a wealth of knowledgeable contributors. Find out more about them on our "Meet the experts" page.

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Create a show stopping display in your garden with our award-winning plants and seeds.

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