Posts from expert gardeners just like you!

We love to hear your stories, and will publish some of the best here on our blog.

Tree lily – the perfect performers for time-strapped gardeners

What a difference two years can make! Back in spring 2012, I planted five Tree Lily ‘Pink Explosion’ bulbs deep into a large, glazed patio pot filled with a 50/50 mix of multi-purpose and loam-based compost. I then stood back expecting big things.

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National Garden Scheme – It started as a hobby

It all started as a hobby 30 years ago and now we’re opening our garden for the National Garden Scheme for the 5th year running! The garden behind the house was once a scrap yard, so we started by clearing it to make a garden for our young family.

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Moving house in the middle of the growing season

Moving house in the middle of the growing season isn’t ideal timing for a keen gardener! Knowing back in March that I’d be relocating in June, I reluctantly held back on my usual flurry of spring seed sowing, concentrating only on small batches of those plants that I just couldn’t be without in the garden.

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Our Summer Display – by Pam Gray

I am really looking forward to writing some blogs for Thompson & Morgan and as this is my first piece, I will tell you a little bit about our garden and myself. Our garden isn’t huge, 40′ x 27′ at the front and approx 80′ x 30′ at the back, with a very small garden at the side of the house. Both I and my husband Barry are very enthusiastic gardeners and we are always planning and growing plants for our summer displays.

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High value, low cost plants Cerinthe major ‘Purpurascens’

Of all the garden plants which give high value for a small financial outlay, one of my favourites has to be Cerinthe major ‘Purpurascens’. For the price of a packet of seeds, you are unlikely ever to be without this plant as it readily self-sows, although not so much that it seems if its progeny are outstaying their welcome. How could they? With evergreen glaucous leaves and deep plum bracts, Cerinthe major ‘Purpurascens’ is a quiet low cost plant which attracts attention for its gentle beauty and high value to bees.

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All is growing in the garden

Because March was so mild everything in the garden is moving on at long last, but because the soil is still quite wet and cold below, night frosts are still around so it is important to take great care.

So far on my allotment I have direct sowed onion sets, making sure I sow them into the driest soil. I followed with a sowing of radish seed. The radish germinated after 14 days, showing some warmth is finally getting into the soil. Other vegetable sowings will be made from April when the soil is warmer; sowing seeds into cold soil is pointless as germination will be erratic and poor. The first things sown will be parsnips, carrots, beetroot, peas and broad beans.

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Sunshine and sowing seeds

I made the most of the sunshine on Sunday morning, busy sowing my tomato and chilli seeds, I love this time of year when it gets busy with seed selection and seed sowing. The up cycled table that my husband Ian repaired last year comes in handy for potting seeds (but it is the dog grooming table!)

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Gardening on a budget

In his first blog post for Thompson & Morgan, gardener Richard Laker writes about the challenges of gardening on a budget…

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Cheese, Sage and Onion Savoury Scones

Cheese, Sage and Onion Savoury Scones

I realise these scones sound a little odd and festive but they are really tasty! Good for a snack hot with salted butter or instead of a sandwich for a lunchbox – add a little chutney and cheese in-between and it makes lunch a little more interesting!

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The seedy side of rose growing

The seedy side of rose growing

By Jane Scorer

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