March and early spring are always a time for optimism and new beginnings. The garden really starts to emerge from its winter hibernation. Green shoots bursting from the dreary brown soil and buds from twiggy branches ready to burst into leaf propelled by the extra hours of daylight and increasing warmth from the sun.
Spring bulbs lead the way bursting the muted winter hues. Dainty Snowdrops at first then the beaming Aconites and Daffodils, followed by vibrant Crocus, the nodding chequered patterned Fritillaria and the first showy Tulips. The brash Forsythia, an early flowering shrub smothered in vibrant yellow blooms, gives a giant blast of colour to signal spring is now here.
Once the flowers from your bulbs have faded, don’t be tempted to cut the leaves back straight away. The bulb underground uses and saves energy made by the leaves ready to bloom again next year. Any seed heads can be snipped off, but leave the leaves whilst they are green.
All is not lost if you did not manage to plant your spring bulbs back in the autumn. You can buy bulbs in the Garden Centre now that have been potted and grown on for you ready to plant yourself and make the most of the seasonal colours.
With talk of bulbs, summer flowering bulbs are in stock now. Dahlia, Lily, Allium, Gladiolus no name a few. These can be planted now ready to flower later in the summer months.
In the edible garden, onion and shallot sets can be planted out now. You can ‘chit’ seed potatoes ready to be planted out later in the month. What is ‘chitting’? Have you ever accidentally left potatoes and they have started to sprout? This is chitting! It forces the potato to start growing before you plant it giving it a head start, and some say a slightly earlier and bigger harvest.
The weather in March can come from any or all four of the seasons. If the ground is still cold and wet, seeds such as cabbage, lettuce, celery, beetroot and tomatoes should be sewn undercover. If lawn is dry enough, it can be cut using a higher blade on your mower.
The weather might not be balmy enough right now to tempt us out onto our patios for too long, but as ever with gardens, planning ahead is key. In this early part of the new season, the Garden Centre now has its widest range of outdoor furniture in stock. From garden benches, two-seater Bistro sets, up to large 10-12 seater outdoor sofa sets. Get the widest choice now.
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Temporary Closure Notice – Car Park Works To help improve your experience when visiting us, we will be carrying out essential work to resurface our car park. Both The Barn Garden Centre and The Boxwood Café will be closed on Monday 26th January 2026 while work takes place. Heavy machinery will be in use through […]