Sophie Thomson

South Australia

Radio Broadcaster at ABC Gardening Australia

Passionate gardener & author of 'From the Ground Up - a complete guide for SA Gardeners'. Garden Commentator at lifestyle & garden events, & mum of 5.

Featured in: Favicon

abc.net.au Favicon

news.com.au Favicon

frontiersin.org Favicon

dailytelegraph.com.au Favicon

heraldsun.com.au Favicon

couriermail.com.au Favicon

goldcoastbulletin.com.au Favicon

adelaidenow.com.au Favicon

perthnow.com.au Favicon

themercury.com.au + 9 more

Articles

Top Tip | Sun and Shade

1 week ago | abc.net.au | Sophie Thomson

Plants have a range of light that they have adapted to growing in. Coping adaptations include turning red when exposed to full sun (some succulents do this) or growing taller in low light conditions. But if plants are pushed too far, they show signs of distress – burnt leaves, stunted growth of a lack of flowers. Plants that can cope with a wide range of light levels are useful in the garden, especially if your garden goes from full sun to full shade over winter.
Hanging Baskets - Gardening Australia

2 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Sophie Thomson

Sophie is a great fan of garden competitions that are open to everybody – such as the hanging basket challenge at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. Everyone from school students to garden clubs, nurseries and experienced gardeners or newbies can enter. There’s no limit to the plants you can use (so long as they’re real!) or the adornments you can add, but everyone has to use the same coir-lined wire basket that is supplied.
Camellia Collection

3 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Sophie Thomson

Sophie visits a nursery that specialises in growing camellias, providing some ideas for garden colour in the cooler months. There are more than 300 species of camellias worldwide, although the two most commonly grown and the Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua. From these, many thousands of hybrids and cultivars have been bred.
Top Tip | Tree Protection Zones

4 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Sophie Thomson

If you have a tree on your property that you need to protect, it’s important to know where the roots are – the roots often extend out beyond the dripline of the canopy. First measure 1.4m up the tree’s trunk from the ground. At this point, measure the circumference of the tree; Sophie’s blueberry ash is 110cm. From this, work out the diameter of the trunk at this point. You do this by dividing the circumference by Pi (3.14). For Sophie’s tree that means 110cm 3.14 = 35cm diameter.
Top Tip | Pruning Salvias

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Sophie Thomson

Salvias are a favourite plant for Sophie – they’re tough plants that love full sun and many will tolerate frost and drought. Flowers range in colour from bright red to purple, pink, white and many shades in between. Bees and insects love them too.
Seeds for Life - Gardening Australia

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Sophie Thomson

Sophie visits a smallholding at The Range, on Kaurna Country, SA. It is run by avid seed-saver and herbalist Keitha Thuy Young, who says the only thing that gives her more joy than plants, is sharing those plants with other people!She’s also passionate about creating healthy food systems.
Schooled in Conservation

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Sophie Thomson

Sophie visits Hahndorf, SA, where the local school has been helping to restore the town’s creek for the past decade. To look after the creek, which runs beside St Michael’s Lutheran Primary School, the young ecologists monitor the water quality, wildlife activity and flora. Principal Terri Taylor is the driving force behind the project. When she started at the school, the creek was completely overgrown. She saw it as a perfect opportunity for the students to learn about conservation.
Mediterranean Plants

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Sophie Thomson

For stylish, hardy plants that are easy to grow, Sophie says Mediterranean plants often come to mind. These don’t all come from the countries that edge the Mediterranean Sea - some originate from countries around the world with a similar, temperate climate – mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Some examples in Sophie’s garden are:Its leaves look a bit like culinary sage but it’s not edible. It produces whorls of hooded yellow flowers that can last for several months, from spring to autumn.
Bog Dwelling | Potted Carnivorous Plants

Mar 21, 2025 | abc.net.au | Sophie Thomson

Carnivorous plants are fascinating and seem to come from another world. They can eat insects, reptiles, and even small animals and are found in very different environments around the world, from rocky dry outcrops to forests and waterways. The common factor in each of these habitats is lack of essential nutrients, so carnivorous plants have evolved to bolster their diets by trapping and eating creatures that venture too close.
Mixed Combo - Gardening Australia

Mar 7, 2025 | abc.net.au | Sophie Thomson

We often label plants as either ‘ornamental’ or ‘edible’ but, especially in smaller gardens with fewer options for the best microclimate, it pays to blur the lines and grow more collaboratively. That way you maximise space, beauty and pollinators. If you only have one full-sun corner, you might be tempted to choose between colourful flowers, fruit, native plants, or vegetables. But by choosing plants that have similar growing conditions, you can combine them.