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Home / Articles posted by Sophie Essex

Sophie Essex

Sophie Essex is a freelance garden writer with a passion for horticulture and environmental conservation. With a BSc in Botany/Plant Biology from the University of Plymouth, she further honed her expertise through a Masters of Science in Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants from The University of Edinburgh. Sophie has also worked as a professional gardener and landscaper, showcasing her practical skills by transforming outdoor spaces. Her commitment to fieldwork is further evident in her acquisition of a Certificate in Field Botany from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and over the years, she has interned at the Eden Project, Cornwall, the National Trust for Scotland and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Find more information about Sophie over at LinkedIn.
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Best expert advice on growing onions

Here, we’ve brought together the best onion-growing content from the internet, including articles, videos and instagram posts to help you plant, care for and …

August 30, 2024Best Expert Advice, Gardening Advice, Onions Read more
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Best perennials for shade and full sun

Whether you need perennial plants for shade or have a south-facing border to fill with sun-loving varieties, horticultural expert Sophie Essex shares her …

June 30, 2024Perennials Read more
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How to plant hanging baskets

Here are some expert planting tips that take a normal hanging basket to the next level.

June 28, 2024Planting Flowers Read more
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How to care for house plants

In this guide, we explain how to care for your house plants, including advice on watering, feeding, repotting and pest control.

June 25, 2024Houseplants Read more
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Ultimate guide to plug plants

If you want to start your flowers, herbs and vegetable plants from a mixture of different sized plugs, here are our top tips to help you achieve the very best …

June 5, 2024Gardening Advice, Planting Flowers Read more
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Best expert advice on growing chillies

Here’s our pick of the best chilli-growing content from expert gardening bloggers.

January 22, 2024Best Expert Advice, Gardening Advice, Vegetable Growing, Vegetable Seeds Read more
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Fascinating facts about roses

Here are some of the most fascinating facts about roses, along with expert suggestions to help you choose the best variety for your garden.

December 12, 2023Roses Read more
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Grow your own Christmas dinner

With just a little planning in advance, you can serve up crispy roast potatoes, sprouts, carrots and parsnips – all from your very own veg patch.

December 11, 2023Christmas Read more
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How to grow chillies

Here’s everything you need to know about growing your own red hot chilli peppers.

February 21, 2022Gardening Advice, Vegetable Growing, Vegetable Seeds Read more
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How to grow garlic

Here’s how to plant and grow your own delicious garlic bulbs.

August 4, 2021Garlic Read more
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Recent Posts

  • 8 Fast-growing vegetable seeds for summer

    April 24, 2025
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    April 15, 2025
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    April 9, 2025

Do you prefer to grow from seed?

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🥕From the Plot 🥕 To celebrate homegrown fru 🥕From the Plot 🥕

To celebrate homegrown fruit & veg, Suttons has been talking to special growers who share their knowledge with others. Here are the highlights from our chat with @northern_horticulturist (link to full interview in bio).

👉 Meet Richard Bowman…

“I’ve always gardened. My grandad pushed me down to the veg patch in the wheelbarrow before I could walk, and so I’ve got him to thank for passing on his passion for plants. Now I’m a trained horticulturist, but gardening is so much more than my hobby and my job. It brings me joy and fulfilment like nothing else.

I love a cottage garden and, as I’ve recently moved into a lovely 18th century cottage, my favourite style is now my default setting! I’ve also just acquired an allotment so there’s lots of work to be done this year. I’m planning to grow on a totally organic basis.” 

Favourite thing to grow: 🌱Peas

“Peas have got to be my favourite crop to grow. Sadly, they never make it to the table – as soon as they’re ready, I can’t resist picking them to eat fresh from the pod.” 

Top Tip: 🥕Embrace your mistakes 

“My top tip for anyone who’s just getting into gardening is not to be put off by mistakes. Mistakes are there to learn from. Gardening is all about trial and error, and even the most experienced horticulturists sometimes get it wrong.” 

Proud moment: 🏆Best in Show Award 

“Last year (2024) I won two awards including the ‘People’s Choice’ and ‘Best in Show’ at Belvoir Castle Flower and Garden Show. My show garden was dedicated to the gardeners who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars and was inspired by a tin of newspaper obituaries found in my late Uncle’s potting shed. That’s got to be my gardening highlight so far, but I’m always delighted with every seedling that pops up. 

I have another show garden in the works, supported by Suttons - just waiting on confirmation from the RHS for my design. I'm also writing a few articles for horticultural magazines and journals, so watch this space…”

If you’d like to take part in our series, make sure you tag @suttons.co.uk & use the hashtag #suttonsfromtheplot.
Meet your new garden staple: Cabbage ‘Stelvio’ Meet your new garden staple: Cabbage ‘Stelvio’ 🥬

Looking for a reliable, versatile veggie? Cabbage ‘Stelvio’ is perfect for autumn and winter harvests! 

Here’s why we love it:

💚 Sweet, crisp leaves that are ideal for cooking or salads.
💚 Hardy and productive, even in cooler months.
💚 Perfect for those who enjoy growing their own fresh veg!

📸 @robsallotment 
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#growwithsuttons #veggarden #veggardens #veggardening #allotment #allotments #allotmentuk #allotmenteer #allotmentlife
WIN a tomato seed growing bundle for you and one f WIN a tomato seed growing bundle for you and one for a friend in Suttons February #giveaway - perfect for our Tomato Grow-Along 🍅 

Worth £100 each, both tomato seed growing bundles will include: 
- 1 x Super 7 Electric Propagator 
- 1 x Incredipeatfree compost 
- 6 x packets of Suttons tomato seeds
- 1 x Suttons 1806 Red Seed Tin

👉 To enter: 
🍅 Make sure you’re FOLLOWING @suttons.co.uk and @robsallotment 
🍅 LIKE this post ❤️
🍅 TAG the friend you’d like to grow tomatoes with

Want to know more about the tomato seeds you could win? Here are Rob Smith’s recommended varieties:

- ‘Rapunzel’ - Long cascading trusses of glossy red tomatoes
- ‘Honeycomb’ - Jumbo-sized, sweet & juicy, orange-coloured fruits
- ‘Rosella’ - Dark-red tomatoes with a rich & smoky flavour 
- ‘Crimson Crush’ - Large, delicious, blight-busting variety
- ‘Sweet Aperitif’ - High-yielding, bright-red, sweet & tangy fruits
- ‘Black Moon’ - Exceptionally tasty bi-coloured red & purple toms

❤️ SPOILER ALERT - Order your favourite tomato seeds in plenty of time to join our tomato grow-along with @robsallotment in March…❤️

Competition details: 
🗓 Start Date: 12th February 2025 
⏳ End Date: 26th February 2025 (12:00 GMT) 
📍 Open to mainland UK residents only

Thanks for entering, & good luck! 🍀
Want to let your friends know? Share this post to your stories! 💚

T&Cs: No purchase necessary. The promoter of this giveaway is Suttons, Woodview Road, Paignton, Devon TQ4 7NG. The competition closes on 26th February 2025 (12:00 GMT). One winner will be contacted via direct message by @suttons.co.uk, and must respond within 14 days. The prize will be delivered by post. Mainland UK entries only. This giveaway is not affiliated with or endorsed by Instagram, or any other Meta properties. Full T&Cs in bio.

#TomatoSeeds #growyourown #seedsowing #gardening #GYO #giveaway #gardengiveaway #competitionuk #inittowinit #freegiveaway
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