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March Garden notes
Have you seen it? The sun’s up before most people’s alarms go off. It’s even still light at 7 pm at night. It’s official. Spring is here! The garden is finally waking up. March is a month of colourful transformation—there’s still the odd frost but we can see the buds are popping up, bulbs are pushing through, and the urge to start sowing seeds is almost unbearable. I’ve been itching to get my cut flower garden started, and finally, the time has come. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be making lists, ordering seeds, and trying to get ahead before the real growing season kicks in.
Gardening in March: The Great Awakening
March is all about the three ‘S’s – sowing, structuring, and starting fresh. The weather is still unpredictable, like this morning when I had to defrost the car windscreen at 7am and was too hot in a coat on the dog walk at 11 am! so it’s not quite time to plant everything out yet, but you can definitely get started with some indoor sowing and garden prep. If February was about planning, March is about action. Get your gloves on—it’s going to be a busy month!
What’s Blooming Now?
With the arrival of spring, gardens are starting to fill with the signs of colour. If you want a show-stopping display, these are the flowers to focus on this month. Most are bulbs that needed planting last season but all are available in pots right now. Buy now, enjoy them and plant up later in the season for some spring time colour next year.
- Daffodils – March belongs to daffodils. These cheery yellow blooms are a true sign that spring has arrived. If you didn’t plant bulbs last autumn, potted daffs are an instant fix.vI popped some VERY late Tête-á-tête’n the ground in December and they are starting to surface. Pfew! But if you didn’t, go grab a bunch or two on your supermarket shop. They’re instant sunshine in any room.
- Tulips – Early varieties start making an appearance now. If you’re growing them in pots, keep an eye out for slugs and wind damage. These are my daughter’s favorite flower so I planted bulbs for the first time. Fingers crossed they survive the slugfest that is my garden! I put them in a big wicker basket lined with an old wool jumper and they are starting to push through. Can’t wait to cut them for her bedroom.
- Hyacinths – Their heady scent is one of my favourites. Plant them in groups for maximum impact. I’ve seen tons available in pots recently. Lidl has them outside right now!
- Primroses & Polyanthus – Perfect for adding splashes of colour to borders and pots. They last ages too.
- Forsythia – This bright yellow shrub bursts into flower in March, bringing an instant lift to any garden.
Jobs to do in March
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- Sow hardy annuals – If you want cut flowers for summer, now is the time to sow sweet peas, cornflowers, and nigella. Get them started indoors or in a cold frame this month.
- Prune roses – If you didn’t get to them last month, now is your last chance before new growth takes off. I spoke to a roses expert from David Austin Roses last month and he recommended to cut roses down really low. He also advised to…
- Feed plants – Roses, shrubs, and perennials will all benefit from a slow-release fertiliser. David Austin man recommended their slow release fertilizer that you sprinkle now and it feeds for 6 months. I’m in if you are!
- Weed, weed, weed – Get on top of the weeds now before they take over. This time of year, the ground is lovely and soft so they come out easily.
- Mulch* flower beds – This will lock in moisture and suppress weeds before the growing season really kicks in. You can use compost, bark or straw/wood chips to do this.
- Check water butts – Make sure you’re collecting as much rainwater as possible before the drier months. If they’re mucky, give them a good clean.
- Get ready for your first cut – of grass that is. The general rule of thumb is to mow your lawn for the first time when you can see it’s started growing again – typically around the third week of March.
Gardener’s Finds
This month, it’s all about getting prepped and pretty in the garden. Here’s what’s on my must-have list:
- Spring time wreaths- I saw this metal wreath at The Garden Press Event and talked to it’s designer about how versatile it is. Available in three sizes and can be filled with plants or flowers (with moss) for a Spring, Summer or Christmas display. Get started with this Mother’s Day gift set from Crocus – who do everything garden beautifully.
- Easy weeding – For those hard to reach stragglers this hand held rake is a must. Crafted from wood the handle is comfortable to work with and the steel blades mean it will last a long time. See the whole range at Dibor
- Continuous watering – Prevent seedlings and house plants from drying out with Hozelock’s Aquasolo universal watering cone. Available in 5 flows, you simply add a cone to a water bottle to ensure your soil never dries out- it lasts from 7-70 days depending on the flow and size of bottle. The ceramic technology is genius.
- Beautiful seeds – A new find for me that I just HAD to share with you. Stocks and Green got my seed order this week. They have a huge selection of seeds available via mail order. WARNING: You’ll definitely buy more than you intended. You have been warned.
- Effortless pruning – even big branches! I got my hands on the Stihl ASA 20 cordless powered secateurs and I was shocked by just how easy they are to use. I went straight for a big stem, pushed a button and chopped! Easy peasy. Great for tough wooden stems and when your hands aren’t as strong as they used to be.
Sow Smart: Favourite find of the month
It’s not often that I’m wowed when looking at seed trays but these really are brilliant. If you’re looking to move towards a more eco friendly plastic-free way to garden, this is it.
Thewildlifecommunity.co.uk have a whole range of Fairly Traded FSC-certified natural rubber cell and seed trays that can be used again, and again, and again. No more cracks and discarding after one time use. These are made to last. What’s more it is easier than ever to remove the seedlings once they’re ready to plant on by pushing the rubber bases upwards.
The trays come in a wide variety of sizes from 30 cells to 46 cell push out trays and if you want larger, there are 6 cell trays too. Check them out on their website
The Veggie Plot
March is the time to get serious about growing your own crops. I’m determined to be self sufficient in tomatoes, raspberries and strawberries this year. It’s time to start sowing!
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- Sow indoors: Tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, and herbs like basil and parsley.
- Sow direct (weather permitting): Broad beans, peas, radishes, and spinach.
- Plant seed potatoes: If you’ve been chitting* them, they’re ready to go into the ground.
- Prepare raised beds: Turn over the soil, add compost, and plan your layout for succession planting.
- Start a herb garden: Mint, chives, thyme, and rosemary can all be planted now.
That’s it for this month. March is all about getting the garden, and everything in order and laying the groundwork for a fabulous spring and summer. What are you growing this year? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear your flower plans!
Happy gardening!
Emma’s little Glossary of Gardening Terms
I’m pretty new to REALLY gardening and these monthly pages are as much for me to learn, experiment and document as much as anything. Just in case you’re new too (and also so I can remember) here’s a glossary of “those” gardening terms/words I need to remember.
Chitting
If you’re growing potatoes, you’ll want to chit them first. This means placing seed potatoes in a bright, frost-free spot to encourage little sprouts before planting. It gives them a head start and results in stronger, healthier plants. I’ve been known to do this in my kitchen cupboards all year round (;0). I’ve chucked these potatoes into the ground and been surprised when they grow and flower and produce a crop. So easy to do.
Compost
Known as gardener’s gold! Compost is a mix of decomposed organic matter—like kitchen scraps, garden waste, and leaves (never weeds!)—that enriches soil, improves drainage, and helps plants grow strong. Homemade or shop-bought, it’s a must-have for any garden. It also helps to keep the food recycling bin empty.
Mulching
A garden essential! Mulching involves covering soil with a layer of organic material—like compost, bark, or straw—to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and improve soil health. It’s like giving your plants a cosy, nutrient-packed blanket. Many gardening experts have recommended mulching to me. This year we’ll see what a difference it makes. I’ll let you know.
Succession Planting
If you want a steady crop of homegrown veggies, Succession planting is the way to do it. Instead of planting everything at once, you stagger sowing at different times, ensuring a continuous harvest rather than a feast-then-famine situation. No-one wants 3 ILB of broad beans all at once! Perfect for salads, carrots, and beans!
Last months Garden notes
Inside The Garden: February notes
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