Top ornamentals to brighten up gardens and pots
You can always rely on Thompson & Morgan to unveil some show-stopping new exclusive flowers that really push the boundaries of what’s available for the home gardener, and this season is no exception.
Geum Samba Sunset
This much-loved perennial has been improved with giant double blooms spanning 7-8cm – double the size of other varieties. These hardy perennials flower from June to August, in the sun or part shade, either in borders or pots.
Exclusive flowers – Petunia Mystical Midnight Gold
One of the best new exclusive flowers this season is this petunia. It features blooms in shades of creamy yellow with contrasting, black centres, ideal for hanging baskets or containers. A lot of larger petunias suffer in heavy rain. However, the smaller blooms of Mystical Midnight Gold stay perfect – great for UK growing. It will grow in sun or part shade, flowering from June to September.
Geranium Tall Dark & Handsome Hot Pink
After more than 10 years of breeding, this geranium (Pelargonium) has a narrow, upright columnar habit. It’s ideal for a Tower Pot or container. Featuring bright pink blooms and chocolate-coloured foliage, it blooms from June to October in sun and part shade.
Exclusive flowers – Sweet pea Three Times As Sweet
With another 10 years of breeding, this beautifully scented sweet pea is the world’s first cultivated modern Grandiflora tricolour stripe. There are three colours on one bloom! These flowers need full sun in borders and pots, and will cover walls or fences while providing cut flowers too.
Monarda Electric Neon Pink
This hardy perennial has intense pink blooms with a two-tone effect because of its brightness. There’s the bonus of mint-scented foliage, too. Bees and butterflies love bergamots, and it is happy in sun or part shade. Try it in borders or pots, flowering from July to September.
Exclusive flowers – Petunia Frills & Spills Darcey Rosa
A new addition to the Frills & Spills range, Darcey Rosa is the first double petunia with a picotee edge – its purple-pink blooms are edged with green. It has been bred for the British climate, and its flowers are completely weather-tolerant. This petunia likes full sun and is best in window boxes, baskets or pots.
Camellia 1001 Summer Nights Jasmine
With Camellias normally limited to the spring months for flowering, this introduction sees this ground-breaking new summer flowering variety. The ruffled, rosette blooms are borne continuously from May to October, on neat and compact plants, making them ideal for containers. Thriving in sun or part shade, it makes a useful shrub for providing year-round interest.
Exclusive flowers – Sedum Sunsparkler Dream Dazzler
This UK mail-order exclusive is not only easy to care for, but it is also drought-tolerant, hardy to -30C and changes colour, depending on where it is planted. Its succulent leaves form a dense, low cushion in shades of dark purple with bright pink edges when in the sun, or blue-green with white edges when in the shade, plus pink flowers in the summer. For more information, visit www.thompson-morgan.com. Read more about Thompson & Morgan being bought out by BVG.
Cortaderia Tiny Pampa
This is the world’s first dwarf pampas grass growing to just 60cm tall, perfect in a border of a smaller garden or a container on the patio in full sun. It produces an abundance of feathery flowers even as a young plant, making it a textural winner for the summer garden. Also, check out the dwarf sunflower Sunbelievable’s awards.
