No two gardens are the same. No two days are the same in one garden
(Hugh Johnson)
And that is so true in March! We can expect sun, snow, frost, rain, windy days and gentle warm spring-like weather – all of which weather confuses the plants as much as us! Although at least with the Spring Equinox happening this month we can enjoy more daylight hours to be out in the garden.
Whilst the delicate snowdrops have finished flowering, there are daffodils, hellebores and sweet violets in their prime. Plus the Pulmonaria and Primula are opening, as is the ornamental quince. In the kitchen garden, colourful Swiss chard that has stood the winter is still providing leaf for the dinner table; there were leeks for St Davids Day on March 1st. (Although truth be told mine were a bit small)
3 Gardening Tasks for March
1] Plug plants, especially for hanging baskets and patio containers, are on sale this month. Remember you’ll need somewhere frost free and light to grow them on as most will not be able to be planted outside until the beginning of May. Have a read of our gardening with plug plants blog for more tips.
2] Have a plank at the ready for when your heavy soil is dry enough to work but still wet – this avoids compaction which would damage the soil.
3] Check stored fruit and vegetables and remove any damaged or mouldy produce to avoid these spoiling the rest. My winter squash have all been eaten but there are still some cooking apples – Bramley Seedling and Newton Wonder.
Incidentally if you have some apples which are going too soft to eat or are beginning to rot, throw these out onto your lawn and you will have the pleasure of watching blackbirds and other birds feast on these with obvious pleasure.
3 Gardening Tasks for March – extra
Patron Saints – March is a horticultural month for Celts.
Daffodils, along with leeks, are the national emblems of Wales; St David’s Day falls on March 1st. Find garden design ideas inspired by the Medieval monastic gardens of St David here
Four leafed clover is the Irish national emblem (along with the harp) and St Patrick’s Day falls on March 17th. But did you know it’s traditional to plant peas and potatoes on St Patricks Day? If you want to know why, click here.
Struggling for interesting gardening ideas for Mother’s Day or Easter presents?
Try this list of chocolate themed plants for some inspiration – one of our freebie downloads.
Read this! A chance to say ‘thank you’ – Nathan’s blog on finding the right present for a gardening Mother is still hilarious
Gardening Workshops in Marie’s garden
Small group workshops so you get plenty of attention. There are a range of topics, some seasonal, but currently on offer are –
Seed Sowing Tips & Tricks
Free Plants – How & When to Divide Herbaceous Perennials
Vegetable Growing Basics – the different types of veggie families, where to grow them & cultivation methods explained.
See Plews Gardening Workshops for more details or head to Eventbrite to book your place
With a mix of practical, hands on demonstration and guided practice, you’ll go home with more gardening knowledge and something to grow on in your own garden.
Prices from £30 – £53 depending on length & materials provided, includes tea / coffee on arrival & Eventbrite booking fee
Location is Biggin Hill / Westerham (just inside M25). NB there are steps as the garden is on a hill
Gardens to visit this month
Brodie Castle, Moray is famous for their daffodil collection although as it’s in the Highlands, you may want to wait until later in the month to see the display in all its glory..
Topically for Mother’s Day but enjoyable to visit throughout March check we have 15 garden suggestions for you to visit so it’s worth checking for one near to you.
Garden Talks
Are you the person who organises talks for your local gardening club, WI, U3A, history society, or general club?
Have a look at the Talks page to see if Marie’s wide ranging garden related topics might interest you and your members. Recent ones given include Planting for Shady Front Gardens Trees for Small Gardens, and Record keeping – how necessary is it for most gardeners?
Attending one of Marie’s gardening talks is more than just sitting in a chair and being spoken to. It’s a learning experience and an inspirational journey. She brings her vast knowledge to life with captivating stories, simple explanations and demonstrations.
Would you like more gardening tips, garden design ideas and seasonal gardens to visit?
Why not check out regular gardening articles on a range of topics in Plews Potting Shed?
Marie’s writing has achieved Plews Potting Shed’s standing as it’s in the Top Ten Garden Design blogs and Top Thirty Gardening blogs by Feedspot and she has previously been shortlisted in the prestigious Garden Media Guild Awards.
It’s a garden designer’s blog with a difference. A plantswoman, conservationist and quirky thinker, Marie pulls together different strands of garden related ideas and non-gardening ideas to delight you even if you’re an armchair gardener.
“interesting even if you have no intention of picking up a spade”
Thanks Tim, who is a regular reader if a reluctant gardener!
Free Gardening Printables for You
A range of free downloadable and printable PDFs on seasonal gardening, garden history snippets, vegetable gardening, garden design, themed planting lists for inspiration, garden planning, record keeping for you and your garden. For example. A Square Foot Garden Plan which goes with the blog What is Square Foot Gardening?
Plews eBooks
Available to purchase from Plews (via PayPal); safe download directly from the website; the eBooks are available from Amazon and Kindle Library too. Here’s a seasonal offering – Mother’s Day, Mothering Sunday, in the United Kingdom is on March 30th this year.
“Easter and Mother’s Day in Your Garden”
Happy Spring Gardening!
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