Last weekend we headed down to Hyde Hall to visit Thompson and Morgan’s Floral Fantasia.

My children were very keen to see all the plants that I had planted, they had seen the pictures I had taken for the previous blog.

We love visiting Hyde Hall, taking a picnic and spending the day together. The children’s plant knowledge is growing, both common names and Latin. I love being able to share this with them.

The lawns were impeccable, green and lush. We all walked bare footed over them as did a lot of other visitors.

Walking through the entrance into Floral Fantasia, certainly had that ‘wow factor’. The bright, glorious colours, bees buzzing and the varying heights across the site sent your eyes on a journey. My daughter stood with her mouth open!

The beds were in full bloom, the planting had settled down and had grown on well. The different sections of bedding had blended well. All the gaps had filled in.

The SunBelieveable looked amazing, a huge bank of beautiful sunflowers. They definitely drew the crowds.

The pots were all full and colourful, you often heard people discussing the different plants and wanting to ‘try those next year’. The pouch pyramid, was breath taking. Huge and unmissable. Some new seeds I have decided to grow next year have to be, Nicotiana sylvestris for height in the borders and Cosmos Cupcakes as the children loved them. Also need many more Rudbeckias too!!

It was a very hot day in the garden and my son found Crocosmia ‘Scorchio’

We finished our trip with a family picture in the Thompson and Morgan deckchair. Will be visiting again before the children go back to school.

Sue Russell

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 Ive 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!!