Wildflowers are a colourful addition to the garden Image: Wildflower mixture from Thompson & Morgan
Wildflowers are beautiful, colourful and a great way to attract beneficial insects to your outside space. Pick up tips on how to grow them in your garden, allotment, or even in an old wheelbarrow using these independent articles, videos and Instagram posts for inspiration.
If you want to create your own annual or perennial wildflower meadow, take a quick look at our pre-prepared wildflower mixes for a quick and easy option. Alternatively, choose your favourite single varieties, like poppies, from our full range of quality wildflower seeds.
From meat-eating plant monsters like the Venus Fly Trap to collectible cacti, there’s a houseplant out there to spark the interest of every child plus a host of creative ways to display them which will engage their imaginations. Houseplants can be a way for children to express their individuality and enjoy a sense of accomplishment in owning, learning about and caring for, their own unique plant collections.
Of course, kids don’t have to have all the fun! The plants below also make great gifts for curious grown-ups who’ll appreciate something a bit more unusual on their kitchen windowsill! (more…)
Pets and plants don’t always go together. My ‘Border Terrorists’, Ogmore and Dylan, are notorious for chomping foliage. Whilst they mainly graze on Dog Mercury and other outdoor weeds, they have also unleashed their rasping tongues on my once elegant Bamboo Palm ( Dypsis lutescens), leaving it looking as though it has been attacked by a giant slug. Fortunately, Bamboo Palm is entirely non-toxic to pets, but other plants are best kept away from your furry friends. Our panel of Thompson & Morgan pooches and pussycats have put aside their differences and got together to guide you through the best pet-friendly plants.
Non-Toxic Houseplants for Pets
Palms
The arching stems of palms look elegant in any setting and are non-toxic to pets
Hello! My name is Hamish. I’m two and a half years old and my favourite hobbies include shredding cardboard, having my ears groomed and stealing people’s seats as soon as they stand up.
Being a graceful Cocker Spaniel, I like to luxuriate amongst elegant palms. Bamboo Palm (Dypsis lutescens), Kentia Palm (Howea forsteriana) and Parlour Palm (Chamaedorea elegans) are all pet friendly houseplants. With gracefully arching stems and slender foliage, these palms make striking specimen plants as well as functioning as tall backdrops in group arrangements. They bring a tropical ambience and relaxing mood into the home. All enjoy bright light but will tolerate some shade.
Do avoid Cycas revoluta, the Sago Palm, as it can be lethally poisonous to dogs.
Ferns
Hello I’m Buddy. I’m one and a half years old. My favourite hobbies include stealing clothes from the laundry basket, playing on the beach and cuddling under my blanket on cold days.
I love the soft, lush foliage of ferns. But do make sure you select true ferns and beware of plants pretending to be them such as ‘Asparagus fern’ which is not a fern at all but a member of the highly toxic lily family. Ferns like The Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata), Birds Nest Fern (Asplenium) and Maidenhair (Adiantum raddianum) are great for bathrooms as they will tolerate lower light levels whilst benefitting from the additional humidity. I love lounging beside the radiator but ferns won’t. Place them in a cool spot out of strong, direct sunlight and keep the compost moist but not wet.
Calathea
Hello, my name is Dylan. I’m a sophisticated canine with an appetite for country pursuits such as fox-chasing and tug-o-war. I spend my leisure hours in deep meditation whilst having my tummy scratched.
My houseplant recommendation is Calathea. Perfectly safe for pets, they are stylish and exotic foliage plants which come in a wide choice of sophisticated patterns and colouring. They will also tolerate lower light levels.
Succulents
Hello, my name is Ogmore, but my friends call me Ogg. My chief pastime is looking for food and the rest of the day is spent eating it. Also known as The Omnivorous Ogmore, I have successfully eaten giant holes in all my owner’s pockets thus rendering them useless. I can’t say as I’m terribly interested in plants, unless they’re edible, but I’m drawn to succulents as they sound edible to me.
The majority of succulents are pet-friendly but there are a few toxic species to avoid. The most common are : Aloe, Jade Plant (Crassula ovata), Kalanchoe, Sanseviera, Senecio and Euphorbia.
The rest are great plants for households with pets. Easy-going and tolerant of neglect, their neat, sculptural forms are always crowd-pleasers and they look especially good when grown as collections.
Pilea and Polka Dots
Hello, I’m Teddy. I’m six months old. Whilst I look like a little angel, I’m anything but! My favourite hobbies include constantly crying for food, not listening and giving sass. I like cheeky little plants and my favourites are the Chinese Money Plant (Pilea Peperomioides) and the Pink Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) which unlike me, are very well-behaved. Both have fun foliage which will add cheer to a bright window sill.
Spider Plant
Hello, my name is Dougie, I’m nearly 3 years old. My favourite hobbies include destroying soft toys, cuddling with humans and going on walks with my doggy friends.
I like the deservedly popular Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum). Like me, it’s easy-going and very friendly, so friendly that it will readily produce numerous little plantlets which you can pot up and give as gifts to your friends.
Hello I’m Zippy. As an indoor tortoise and a dedicated vegetarian, I’m an expert on houseplants. I don’t hibernate, but just get particularly grumpy and lazy at this time of year. Just for you, I have accumulated my many years of wisdom to compile this curmudgeonly list of poisonous plants.
Early summer is the perfect time to step out in the garden with a nice cuppa, and bathe in the satisfaction that all of that hard work this spring was worth the effort. And so it was that whilst surveying my garden at the weekend, over a hot cup of tea, I heard the...
Gardening is a great bonding opportunity Image source: Shutterstock
What better way to get your kids excited and interested in the garden than inviting them to get their hands dirty? To help you pique their interest in all things green-fingered we’ve ploughed the internet for some great ideas to get your kids outdoors and digging.
The Outdoor Dad
Oli and Sonny don’t let cold weather stand in the way of their adventures Image source: The Outdoor Dad
Does your toddler love to copy your every move? Two-year-old Sonny has a great time helping his dad, Oli of The Outdoor Dad, brush leaves in the garden. Oli and Sonny also have an awesome time bug hunting, looking for birds’ nests and building dens.
An ambassador for getting muddy, first time dad Oli shares his passion for adventure in the garden and beyond. He says, ‘there’s so much to see in the big wide world that I want him to get started early.’ Check out his 101 outdoor activities for families, for ideas like building a compost heap or giving geocaching a try.
Little ones chomping at the bit to get into the garden will love Gardening with Willow, the Youtube gardening show with the world’s youngest presenter. When your kids watch Willow harvest runner beans and plant mushrooms they’re bound to want to have a go too.
A journey ‘towards a greener, cheaper lifestyle,’ The Newhouse Family Blog details the family’s quest to turn their garden into a sustainable paradise. Even if you only have a patio or balcony, you can still teach your kids eco-friendly gardening. Check out this family-friendly guide to organic growing to find out how.
Join Claire and her toddlers over on The Ladybird’s Adventures as they make bird feeders, butterfly biomes, and bug hotels in their back garden. Passionate about ‘learning through play and encouraging creativity,’ Claire also buys her kids their own mini tools, lets them choose their own seeds, and encourages them to keep a journal to track seedling growth.
Check out the rest of Claire’s tips and tricks for budding gardeners to encourage young children to engage with the garden. You’ll love the scavenger hunts she’s designed for you and your family to use.
Kids of the Wild
Old wellies make a boot-iful planter! Image source: Kids of the Wild
Pairs of outgrown wellies kicking around the house? Get your kids growing boot-loads of herbs by turning them into planters. That’s just one of Lucy of Kids of the Wild’s creative outdoor gardening activities – she and her daughter Caroline also show you how to grow a willow den, dig a pond, and create wildlife havens.
A go-to resource for all things wild, Lucy’s passion for the outdoors helps spread the message that nature is transformative – a lesson she learned when Caroline was battling cancer. As she says, you and your family will benefit from getting outdoors, ‘even if you think you don’t have time.’
Kids love watching the wildlife that ponds attract Image source: The Small Gardener
If you’re looking for a family project to get everyone outdoors, why not enlist the kids’ help to create a wildlife pond? Professional garden designer Rajul Shah shares step-by-step instructions over at her blog, The Small Gardener. Her top tip? Design a shallow, sloping ‘beach’ at the front so wildlife can enjoy a drink or bath without falling in.
Rajul’s own garden is a wildlife-friendly space. There are natural play areas where her children can hide, a fruit and vegetable patch, and a studio where she works. Kids will love her family-friendly projects like this hedgehog hotel too. Made using simple household objects, it’s a brilliant way to occupy a quiet afternoon.
Let your kids sow and grow their own plants from seed to harvest, says Lauren of Inspire Create Educate. That’s because there’s no better way of getting children to fall in love with gardening and the environment, than by putting them right at the heart of the growing cycle.
Green-living guru Lauren’s blog is a handbook for living sustainably with kids – and garden activities are key. Here you’ll find all you need to teach your little ones about ecosystems. Looking for something for impatient kids to do while they’re waiting for their seedlings to grow? Easy, Lauren says. Get them to dig a big muddy hole.
Mummy Matters
Even small hands can get to grips with garden tasks Image source: Mummy Matters
Teach your kids to grow plants even when there’s no outside space by using Sabina at Mummy Matters’ guide to growing indoors. She proves you can turn those little fingers green even if you can’t access a garden, with tips on what thrives in tight spaces, and even without sunlight.
Find out how to grow veg, herbs, and make personalised pots with your kids’ names on, and more. And when sometimes enthusiasm just isn’t enough to get the little ones excited about gardening, why not get your kids to plant seedlings? As Sabina says, “they’ll grow much faster and the reward will come much sooner”.
Children make natural gardeners Image source: Growing Family
“Children make very natural gardeners in my experience,” says Catherine over at Growing Family. “They love hands-on activities, they’re curious about nature and the world around them, and they generally relish the opportunity to get grubby!”
You’ll never run out of ways to entice kids out into the fresh air once you’ve bookmarked Catherine’s Growing Family. With easy-to-grow veg, homemade bird feeders and loads more, there’s something for everyone. Fussy eater? Few children could resist tasting a vegetable that has their name on it! Here’s how to grow your name in a courgette this summer. For quick ideas that fit around busy family life, Growing Family is the place to be.
We’re sure you can’t wait to pull your wellies on and get your little ones’ hands dirty in the garden. Let us know what inspires you to move playtime outdoors by heading over to our Facebook page and dropping us a line.
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