by Sue Sanderson | Jul 10, 2019 | Expert Update, Flowers, Gardening Posts, inspiration for the garden, Perennials, Sue's Hort Report
©Sue Sanderson, Thompson & Morgan – Dahlias at Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire.
It always intrigues me how different plants come in and out of fashion. Dahlias are one such plant that has ridden the roller coaster of popularity over the last century – but right now, they are definitely on the up!
I for one, am glad of their revival. So are the huge numbers of visitors to Anglesey Abbey’s Dahlia Festival, in Cambridgeshire each September. I’ve visited on several occasions with my equally plant-obsessed friend who lives next door, with all kids in tow. In fact, it’s become a bit of an annual event for us all! Each time these magnificent plants astonish me with their vibrant colours and huge variety of flower shapes.
It’s not just the plants that impress me. The gardeners that grow them to perfection deserve enormous credit, and the creativity with which they are displayed is breath-taking.
©Sue Sanderson, Thompson & Morgan – Dahlias decorate the trunks of trees at Anglesey Abbey.
You might think that taking young children to a flower festival would be a recipe for disaster – I know I did. How wrong I was! In addition to the borders, many of the displays use cut Dahlia flowers placed into test-tube style vases. These can be attached to trees, inserted into lawns and displayed in all manner of other creative ways. It makes for a much more interactive experience which appeals to the children and grown-ups alike.
©Sue Sanderson, Thompson & Morgan – A creative display of Dahlias appeals to young and old!
Sadly we missed it last year, but as luck would have it, my friend was bequeathed an enormous number of rather large Dahlia tubers. They were unwanted by their previous owners. Crazy, I know! So, it was decided … this year she would create our own Dahlia festival!
©Sue Sanderson, Thompson & Morgan – Dahlia tubers were potted up in late spring.
The Dahlia tubers overwintered in crates in the greenhouse, and she planted them up into large pots this spring. When they emerged from the greenhouse the Dahlia plants looked quite magnificent. They were planted with care, watered well and given a good mulch of manure. Sturdy stakes were inserted in the ground to support them as they grow.
©Sue Sanderson, Thompson & Morgan – Rows of Dahlia plants have been planted in the garden.
On a side note, if you are wondering what the straw-like material is; it’s just a pile of dead weed and grass that was cleared from the site. When my friend went to remove it we discovered ground-nesting bees had made a home there. Always keen to live and let live, the bees and their nest have been left well alone. These helpful little insects are under threat and need all the help we can give them.
However, there are other garden creatures, that we could well do without. Slugs and snails thrive in our gardens, and unfortunately they have a particular taste for Dahlias!
©Sue Sanderson, Thompson & Morgan – Slug damage on Dahlia plant.
With the Dahlia festival under threat, it was necessary to take sensible precautions! A combination of slug pellets and copper slug collars has been put in place, and so far there has been very little damage.
©Sue Sanderson, Thompson & Morgan – Slug and snail control around Dahlia plants.
By September, there should be a fabulous display of dazzling Dahlias. Whilst not on the same grand scale as Anglesey Abbey, I’m certain that it will still be impressive.
Are you growing Dahlias this year? Let us know how you are getting on at our Facebook page and if you’re looking for guides on how to grow dahlias from seed, check out our dahlia hub page – our one-stop-shop for everything you need to know about growing dahlias.
Plants and gardens have always been a big part of my life. I can remember helping my Dad to prick out seedlings, even before I could see over the top of the potting bench. As an adult, I trained at Writtle College where I received my degree, BSc. (Hons) Horticulture. After working in a specialist plantsman’s nursery, and later, as a consulting arboriculturalist, I joined Thompson & Morgan in 2008. Initially looking after the grounds and coordinating the plant trials, I now support the web team offering horticultural advice online. I have a keen interest in drought resistant plants and a passion for perennials, particularly hardy Geraniums. I previously stood as regional secretary for the International Plant Propagation Society which gave me lots of opportunities to see what other horticulturalists were up to in their nurseries and gardens.
by Sue Sanderson | Jul 10, 2019 | Expert Update, Flowers, Gardening Posts, inspiration for the garden, Sue's Hort Report, Summer gardening
If there’s one genus that I am utterly in love with then it’s Hydrangeas! Every year as we head into ‘Hydrangea season’ I begin muttering eulogies to these beauties… ‘What a stunner!’ ‘Isn’t it gorgeous?’ ‘Wow, look at the flowers on that!!!’
I don’t really know when my love for Hydrangeas began. I bought my first, Hydrangea ‘King George V’, many years ago and it still sits in a big pot outside my back door. Its performance always reflects the care (or neglect) that it receives throughout the year. In a good year it is fabulous, covered in white buds that open to reveal rosy, pink-edged blooms. The flowers darken as they age to rich red-pink.
©Sue Sanderson, Thompson & Morgan – Hydrangea macrophylla ‘King George V’
It’s always at its best, if it has been repotted in the spring and fed and watered liberally. Sadly this year it has been plagued with Hydrangea Scale and looks pale and chlorotic, with few flowers forming. Scale insects suck the sap of plants, weakening their growth.
©Sue Sanderson, Thompson & Morgan – Hydrangea Scale insect can be seen on plants in early summer.
I’ve been squishing the white waxy clusters that cover the eggs whenever I see them. I usually leave the stems and flowers intact over winter, but this Autumn I will cut them all back to destroy any overwintering nymphs. Fingers crossed for a better display next year!
Luckily, it’s better news on the other side of the patio where Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Madame Emile Mouillère’ is flowering her heart out. I found her years ago on a visit to the nursery at Great Dixter Garden in East Sussex. It’s funny how plants remind you of people and places that you’ve know, isn’t it?
©Sue Sanderson, Thompson & Morgan – Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Madame Emile Mouillère’ in full bloom.
This really is an elegant variety with large flower heads that open apple green and mature to dazzling white, before taking on a gentle pink tint to the oldest flower heads.
I’m rather excited about my latest acquisition of Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Princess Diana’. Now I know they look small right now – but given a few years of TLC they will produce fabulous double, pink flowers with an unusual star shape. I’ve only ever seen this variety in pictures so I can’t wait for the real thing!
©Sue Sanderson, Thompson & Morgan – Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Princess Diana’ will produce starry, double flowers at maturity.
My enthusiasm for Hydrangeas is being fueled by these two beautiful specimens on display here at T&M. Sadly I can’t tell you the variety as they are unlabelled, but there is no denying that they really are magnificent. One plant is so large that I asked my colleague, Sonia to appear in the picture for scale! Both are grown in large pots, and fed and watered liberally – it just goes to show how a proper care can make all the difference.
©Sue Sanderson, Thompson & Morgan – Hydrangeas make superb container plants.
You may have noticed that I haven’t included any blue Hydrangeas in this blog so far. The soil in my garden shows no hint of acidity! An acid soil will turn the blooms of most pink macrophylla varieties to varying shades of blue or purple. I could pot a Hydrangea plant into ericaceous John Innes compost, water only with rainwater, and apply regular drenches of colourant… but I learned long ago that I’m rather a lazy gardener, so I prefer to work with what nature has given me!
It doesn’t stop me from admiring blue hydrangeas though. Here’s a stunning example from our ‘Your TM garden’ photo competition by this month’s winner, Diana Eastwood.
©Diana Eastwood – Hydrangea macrophylla sp. produce blue flowers on acid soils.
Hydrangeas really do have a lot to offer. Aside from the large, flamboyant blooms in summer, they also have lovely autumn colour.
In fact, I think they make the perfect gift plant. Here’s a double one that I recently gave for a friend’s birthday called Hydrangea macrophllya ‘Mademoiselle’ – I hope she gets as much enjoyment from Hydrangeas as I do!
©Sue Sanderson, Thompson & Morgan – Hydrangeas make wonderful gift plants.
Have I missed one of your favourite varieties? Why not share your beautiful Hydrangea pictures with us on our Facebook page? Or if you want to read more about this beautiful genus, head over to our dedicated hydrangea hub page for advice, tips, and more.
Plants and gardens have always been a big part of my life. I can remember helping my Dad to prick out seedlings, even before I could see over the top of the potting bench. As an adult, I trained at Writtle College where I received my degree, BSc. (Hons) Horticulture. After working in a specialist plantsman’s nursery, and later, as a consulting arboriculturalist, I joined Thompson & Morgan in 2008. Initially looking after the grounds and coordinating the plant trials, I now support the web team offering horticultural advice online. I have a keen interest in drought resistant plants and a passion for perennials, particularly hardy Geraniums. I previously stood as regional secretary for the International Plant Propagation Society which gave me lots of opportunities to see what other horticulturalists were up to in their nurseries and gardens.
by Holly Taylor | May 10, 2019 | Gardening Posts
Zinnia ‘Queeny Mixed’, Watermelon Mini Love F1, Cosmos ‘Apricot Lemonade’ and Tomato Gourmandia F1
We’re delighted to announce the launch of our new retail seed range for 2019/20 which will be available in garden centres from early July 2019.
With continued focus on innovation and exciting new products, we’re launching over 50 new seed varieties for the second year in a row. Amongst the flowers to be added to the range are the stunning Cosmos ‘Apricot Lemonade’ and Nasturtium ‘Baby Deep Rose’; whilst the vegetable selection includes Dwarf Bean Caledonia, Spring Onion Totem and Watermelon Mini Love F1.
At our annual retail sales conference, we decided to promote new seed varieties – stunning Zinnia ‘Queeny Mixed’ as the 2019/20 Flower of the Year – and flavoursome, heart-shaped tomato, Gourmandia F1 as Vegetable of the Year.
Alongside the continued focus on innovation, another key objective for the upcoming season is to maintain even closer partnership with our customers, offering bespoke and tailored solutions; from custom POS, to tailored ranges, to individual garden centre selling and promotional material.
Joseph Cordy, our Head of B2B Sales, said:
“Here at T&M, we don’t believe in ‘one solution fits all’ and so we plan to continue to work in close partnership with our customers to find individual solutions to maximise their sales”.
“We’re thrilled to be offering this fantastic range for next season – and we’ve managed to also hold our seed prices for the second year in a row which is a great bonus for all our customers”.
Thompson & Morgan is also launching a number of new seed collections, including ‘Autumn Collections’ which aims to boost sales during the autumn months, as well as new ‘hotspot’ stands featuring ‘Packet to Plate’ and ‘Bred by T&M’ seed varieties. A number of exciting new complementary products will run alongside the seed range, including incredicoir – the latest product in our successful incredi range – a coir block which makes up to the equivalent of a 10 litre bag of peat-free compost once water is added.
For further information on T&M’s new retail range, please contact Joseph Cordy.
by Louise Houghton | Mar 11, 2019 | Gardening Posts, Gardening Tips, Spring gardening, Your Stories
Hello
As I write this it’s the beginning of March and we’ve had a lovely warm spell but are now experiencing some wetter, cooler weather, and today it is blowing a gale here in mid-Wales. Rain is never a bad thing to be honest, it’s good to have rain sometimes, if not for the fact that the water butts are full again!
©LOUISE HOUGHTON
Since I last wrote, I’ve put in the Spring Onion sets, and I finally got round to buying some ericaceous compost so that I could take up the three, small blueberry bushes form the garden. They have now been put into planters and are getting a good rainwater drink as they sit. They have survived the Winter very well and are now happy in the pots.
©LOUISE HOUGHTON
In my last, and first, post here I wrote about overwintering a couple of things – so first off let’s chat cabbages! Here are my Cabbages transplanted from the greenhouse. I’m quite chuffed with these as I kept them covered with netting during the latter part of the year ,but after a while, I didn’t expect anything to try and eat them so I didn’t bother. Now they are looking very healthy indeed. I think I may perhaps be able to harvest them in about July.
©LOUISE HOUGHTON
I overwintered some Pea ‘Meteor’ climbing peas in the greenhouse and, with my hand as a guide, you can see how they are coming on after being planted in the poly house bed. Harvest is set around May time I think.
©LOUISE HOUGHTON
I also sowed, and left in the greenhouse, some Sweet Peas at the end of September. I think they’re ready to be planted out I would say!
©LOUISE HOUGHTON
A couple of failures were Beetroot and Turnip in the greenhouse. I had lots of greenery and leaves grew but nothing underground. Shame as I’ve grown these both outside quite well in the past; never mind, we live and learn.
Talking of the greenhouse….
©LOUISE HOUGHTON
This is what happened when Storm Eric hit. I was about as devastated as the greenhouse was because I’d hardly made any use of it and had lots of plans for it this year. I intended to grow all my tomatoes in there so as to leave space in the poly house, but that has been put paid to. However, I’ve adapted and bought some Tomato ‘Outdoor Girl’ seeds which I’m told by a friend are a good outdoor cropping variety. I’ll let you know how I get on.
©LOUISE HOUGHTON
Over the Winter I thought I’d lost my rhubarb crowns for various reasons, including the area having become very overgrown. But the other day I discovered one, and then the other. I made the decision to clear it and created a frame so they won’t get lost again, or damaged by my husband when outdoor jobs are being done! I built this frame out of ash branches, following him cutting back some trees in the garden. I have to say I love it!
©LOUISE HOUGHTON
I don’t grow flowers in general although this year I’ve decided to sow some Nigella. Although we have lots and lots of Daffs and Snowdrops in the garden, I’ve sown some Daff and Tulip bulbs in pots and happily found Crocuses pop up with no effort at all!
©LOUISE HOUGHTON
I think Spring may be on its way but we need to take care when the weather takes a turn and keeps us on our toes.
©LOUISE HOUGHTON
I look forward to writing again about how the season progresses.
Bye.
Louise
Louise, is a married stay at home mum to her two boys. Living in Mid-Wales after moving from Greater Manchester three years ago, she grows a variety of fruit and vegetables. In addition, she is attempting to provide for her family with her chickens and ducks. Louise enjoys baking, cooking, sewing and is also an AirBnB host.
by Ellen Mary | Dec 6, 2018 | Flowers, Gardening Posts, Gardening Tips, Top 5
Houseplants are bang on trend at the moment and rightly so because not only are they aesthetically pleasing and a great way to soften interiors but they are unbelievably good for us to have around. Many house plants remove large amounts of common toxins from the air around us. My own house is full of them; somewhere in the region of 100 plus cuttings, but who’s counting!? There is a plant for everyone, but these are my top five favourites for any home.
Aloe vera
Always top of the list! Not only does Aloe look fantastic, but it’s super easy to look after and needs minimal watering. Not only that, but the gel inside those fleshy stems can be scraped out and used to ease numerous skin conditions, heal burns and many other common health complaints. I store some in the fridge at all times. Aloe also helps to remove Benzene from the air which is found in paint and cleaning products.
Senecio (String of Pearls)
A perfect trailing plant that looks great on a shelf or in a hanging basket. These always make an impact because they look so cool, especially in a macramé hanger. The long thin stems have small, round, beaded foliage, hence the name. Needing very little water and just indirect sunlight, it will suit most homes and always draws attention.
Monstera deliciosa
The highly-desired ‘Swiss Cheese plant’ has made a huge comeback. From dark green, glossy foliage to the much-sought-after white Monstera, they are a stunning addition and really very easy to care for. If you place one in bright, indirect sunlight and away from draughts, it will reward you with long climbing stems and huge heart-shaped leaves. If you start with a smaller plant and pot up as it grows, make sure you have the ultimate spot for it because they can get beautifully big.
Stretlitzia reginae
The stunning ‘Bird of Paradise’ is one of my absolute favourite plants. It may take some years to flower, but when it does, it’s so worth the wait! That tropical feel can’t be beaten as the exotic flower head blooms into the shape of a bird. Mine sits nicely in my office which is also a garden room, so ideal for a conservatory and can even go outside in the summer.
Sansevieria or Mother-in-Law’s Tongue!
Here’s another plant that removes toxins from the air. In fact NASA found that just one ‘Mother in Law’s Tongue’ reduced Benzene levels by over 50% and Trichloroethylene by over 13% in just 24 hours. It’s a great plant to have in your bedroom, which is where I have a few, because they are one of the few plants that continues to convert CO2 to oxygen at night time. Sweet dreams!
The list could be endless as I am also a massive fan of orchids, ferns and easy-to-look-after bryophyllum’s. My cuttings are lined up on bookcases and I can’t help but check them every day. It’s exciting to enjoy houseplants and they’re a trend I hope becomes just a way of life for everyone one day.
For more top indoor plant picks and great care advice, head to our houseplant hub page.
Ellen has loved gardens and gardening since she was a child. By her own admission, she now lives and breathes gardening – writing garden and travel content, hosting a horticultural podcast ‘The Plant Based Podcast’, producing and presenting on television – generally promoting the ways that nature and gardening can benefit well-being. Check out Ellen’s wellness coaching business ‘People Plants Wellbeing’ and visit her social channels for more information.
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