Well, it’s Spring, 2020 is flying by, and it’s March in our garden again. The days are getting lighter and longer, the soil is getting very slightly warmer, and there’s lots of new colour and growth appearing everywhere. March is also the time of year that gardeners start winding up for the next few months of seed sowing, bare root planting, and enjoying seeing everything emerge from hibernation at last.
Contents
What’s flowering this March?
I’m so thrilled that my beautiful perennial hellebores are finally in full bloom. If you read last month’s garden update, you’ll recall I said they were a little slow to get going this year, but they’re well worth waiting for, don’t you think? They’re very happy in the damp shade of the wall and although my favourite is the cover picture for this post, quite honestly I love them all 🙂
I think the colour that most people associate with March in our garden has to be yellow. Everywhere you look there are daffodils, narcissi, and little tete-a-tetes nodding happily in the Spring sunshine. We have them all over the place, they’re such a welcome sight in pots by the front door. Some of them are scented too, win win. Nature knows exactly what we all need at this time of year to make us feel good.
The beauty of the narcissi family is that once established, they’ll come back every year and divide and multiply by themselves too. My absolute favourite is the shaggy little Rip Van Winkle, I think it’s just so cute.
Regular readers of my garden updates might recall Flora and I planted over 250 bulbs in November – well some of them are starting to give our March garden a real glow up now. Alan’s not a fan because he hates having to negotiate all the shoots poking through the grass with the lawn mower, but we think they’re just such a lovely, welcoming sight when you walk around the garden on a sunny day.
Not forgetting a couple of other colourful orchard flowers, our blue Chionodoxa forbesii and pink Chionodoxa luciliae bulbs. These are so tiny and delicate they’re easy to tread on, but aren’t they pretty?
March fragrance
Last, but not least, two other perennials making a welcome return are our shade loving Raspberry Splash lungwort (Pulmonaria), and a gloriously fragrant little purple flower by the ponds. I think she might be a relative of the violet family but I don’t know, we’ve never been able to identify her. We just enjoy her scent and beauty.
Outdoor garden jobs for March
Life has been busy of late so I haven’t got around to pruning our two monster buddleias yet – a job for one weekend very soon as they both have a lot of Spring growth already. And thanks to Storm Dennis, Alan had to replace a couple of panes in the greenhouse as they blew out and shattered. So, at some point we’ll need to wash down the exterior to maximise light levels for all the new seedlings in due course.
Indoor garden jobs for March
The sweet peas and cobea scandens I sowed indoors in January are a bit of a disaster, I think I sowed them too early. Over half didn’t germinate at all and those that did are far too leggy, despite constant pinching out. But I read an article recently saying that most seeds are better sown in March when the light levels are better.
Early sown seeds struggle whereas if you hang on, later sown seeds grow away much faster and stronger, effectively catching up and even overtaking their older siblings. I’m always learning new things about gardening! It’s like an ongoing CPD (although I’m certainly not a professional). So I’m going to leave our tomatoes, cucumbers and cucamelons, and a fresh batch of sweet peas until the latter half of March. Watch this space 🙂
Wildlife
Our frogs are certainly celebrating the warmer weather and longer days. Every time you step outside the back door you can hear a cacophony of croaking and just look at all that frogspawn. Flora is going to have a bumper pond dipping season this year. I’ll have to remember to update my Instagram, it’s such a welcome Spring sight, and I love to share it.
One of my birthday presents in February was this rather splendid solitary bee and butterfly home. Alan’s hung it up on a south facing wall that’s sheltered, and also next to some flowering ivy. All the comforts of home and food laid on as well. Fingers crossed we get some residents in due course.
Flora’s garden
There’s not much to report from Flora’s little patch this month. Her garlic is growing away happily, and her heucheras seem to have survived the winter as well, much to her delight. I’m not a fan of heucheras but I guess that’s the beauty of gardening, we can’t all like the same things. And wouldn’t life be boring if we did?
Although we’ve seen some frog activity in her little pond, there’s no frogspawn as yet. If nothing gets laid by the end of the month we’ll take some from our top ponds and transplant it. There’s sooooo much to choose from, I honestly don’t think it’s going to be a problem or missed.
March in our garden
And that’s what’s going on this March in our garden, the third month in our 2020 garden diary. Lots of colour, lots of fragrance, lots of new life. While Flora and I are very much looking forward to the new series of Gardeners World starting on 20th March, we’re going to thoroughly enjoy the fruits of our labour from last year in the meantime. So for now, I hope you’ve enjoyed our March garden update, and that I’ll see you again soon in April!
What have you been enjoying outside this Spring? Are you growing anything this March, either indoors or outdoors? What’s your favourite March flower?
Items marked with an * denote an affiliate link which means I will receive a very small commission at no cost to you if you choose to purchase, thank you 🙂
Ellie says
Your garden looks so beautiful! I struggle keeping plants alive but all of yours are thriving and looking great! The blossoms where I am are wonderful, spring is such a pretty season.
Ellie x // elliekblog.blogspot.co.uk
Lisa says
Ah, thank you so much, that’s such a lovely thing to say 🙂 Spring is probably my favourite season (although I say that about Summer too!) x
Jessica Mills says
Your garden is a dream! And the blue and pink Chionodoxa forbesii are definitely my favorite alongside the daffodils! And that is so much frogspawn! How exciting, can’t wait for all the little tadpoles! Thanks for sharing, I loved this a lot and will be keeping up with your garden posts from now on
Lisa says
Wow, thank you so much! Yes, we’re really loving all the Spring colour, it makes such a difference to have something pretty to look at. And Flora can’t wait for all the tadpoles either 🙂 Thank you, I hope you enjoy my future garden posts too!
The Exclusive Beauty Diary says
Your garden is full of such a beautiful flowers. I really like all of them.
New Post – https://www.exclusivebeautydiary.com/2020/03/beauty-of-small-things_10.html
Lisa says
Thank you very much, we are very lucky 🙂
Iram Rauf says
OMG your garden looks lovely! Bring on spring!
Lisa says
Thank you – and yes, indeed, bring it on!
Jupiter Hadley says
I keep seeing those tete-a-tete growing all over England! It’s nice to see what else is in your garden – look at those frogs! Beautiful.
Lisa says
Thank you – I don’t know if they’re a peculiarly British phenomenon but we do seem to see a lot of them at this time of year!
Ashley says
So many beautiful colours! I adore your hellebores! They are simply stunning. I never knew those beautiful mini daffodils were called Tete-a-Tetes! I’m still waiting for Spring to spring in my garden, the rain seems to have prevented any life from growing. Such a lovely post to brighten up my day xxx
Lisa says
Thank you so much, I’m glad you enjoyed it – we are very lucky with what’s growing at the moment, despite all the rain! xx
Izzie says
These flowers are so pretty! I’ve got daffodils at home which have only just come up but I love when I see them in my garden 🌼☺️
Lisa says
They’re so bright and cheerful, aren’t they? Perfect for the time of year! 🙂
Michelle says
Your flowers are beautiful! I love the bee and butterfly home. I’ve never seen anything like that before.
Lisa says
Thank you very much – we do love our new insect house, it’s gorgeous, isn’t it 🙂
Asher Downer says
SUCH a helpful guide. Love all of your flower pictures as well. Keep writing.
Lisa says
Thank you so much – I surely will!
Tiffany says
You can really tell Spring is on the way now can’t you? Your garden looks absolutely beautiful! I wish I was good at gardening. I’m hoping when we move and have a bigger space, it will be something I can really get into in the warmer months! Lovely post Lisa xx
Tiffany x http://www.foodandotherloves.co.uk
Lisa says
Oh yes, and about time too! Thank you so much, Tiffany, I’m certainly no expert but I do have the luxury of dabbling and experimenting to find out what works and what doesn’t! xx
Lisa Marie Alioto says
Gorgeous flowers – I particular like the Chionodoxa, which was a new one for me.
Lisa says
Thank you – yes, they are really sweet 🙂
Bexa says
Aww yay, another instalment of your beautiful garden, Lisa! The perennial hellebores are gorgeous, especially the one in your cover photo, it’s so interesting and unique. It really feels like Springtime is on its way with all the cheerful bright yellow flowers everywhere 🙂 It’s lovely to see so much activity in your pond too, it certainly looks like it’s going to be a very busy place this year – will look forward to seeing the Instagram updates! I’m loving the bee and butterfly home too, that is such a sweet idea. Thank you for sharing your pretty garden and hope you and Flora enjoy the new series of Gardener’s World this month too <3 xxx
Lisa says
Aw, Bexa, thank youuuuuuu so much! You always leave the loveliest comments, I’m so glad you enjoyed our March update, we’ve been very lucky this year and been blessed with masses of early Spring colour 🙂 And I cannot believe how much frogspawn we’ve got either, they’re only tiny little ponds, haha. Thank you again for your lovely comment xxx
Kayleigh Zara says
Your garden updates always give me so much envy and your plants always look so beautiful! You have so much in bloom considering the weather which I think is amazing x
Lisa says
Oh, that’s such a lovely thing to say, thank you so much, we are very lucky that our garden is fairly sheltered so the weather hasn’t had too much of a negative effect! X
Mariam says
Your garden looks beautiful! Living in an apartment I don’t have this, but I do have a lot of indoor plants that liven the place up a lot. Thank you for sharing!
bossbabechroniclesblog.com
Lisa says
Thank you – and I can sympathise, I lived in a flat for 15 years and had to make do with a window box!
Ash says
I love your bee home! Your garden is always so beautiful
Lisa says
Thank you so much, so kind 🙂
bournemouthgirl says
I love that you haven’t just got yellow flowers blooming in your garden. You have a range of colours to brighten up your garden, especially when the weather hasn’t always been the brightest so far this month. Thank you for sharing Lisa xxx
Lisa says
We are very lucky, I mean I know yellow is traditionally a Spring colour, but I do love pinks and blues too, so I’ve tried to plant for them as well – luckily it seems to have worked this year! Thank you, Lauren xxx
Tea Spangsberg says
What a beautiful garden. I miss having outside space to enjoy so much. I really hope I get a balcony when I get a new apartment so I at least can enjoy a little 🌸
Lisa says
Thank you, Tea, and I hope you get a balcony too, there’s so much you can do with small spaces, fingers crossed for you 🙂
Crystal says
I’m so happy spring is returning! Your garden is beautiful already. That little frog pond is so cute.
Lisa says
Thank you so much, that’s very kind – and yes, the frogs seem very happy with us!
Ashleigh Davis says
Oh my gosh Lisa, what I would do to have a garden like yours! Your perennial hellebores look beautiful! Although, I am not too full of my gardening knowledge I know a pretty garden when I see one! Yours looks truly beautiful! Thank you for sharing, Can’t wait to read your next update 🙂
Ashleigh x
Lisa says
Oh thank you so much! I’m no gardening expert either, I just plant what I like and hope it grows, haha. So far so good, not too much has died 🙂 Thank you again xx
Under Flowery Sky says
Beautiful phots and the little house. Can’t wait to see my flowers
to bloom..
Lisa says
Thank you so much.
Jaya Avendel says
What a beautiful abundance of tete-a-tetes! The little splashes of yellow are most welcome on the lawn, though our daffodils have not flowered yet. Only the green stalks have pushed out of the ground.
Chionodoxa is a pretty flower; I love the lavender shade and would wear a dress with the same patterns as the petals.
On the subject of frogs, we hear spring peepers by night now, singing their musical sounds. All those frogs look so happy in your pond. 🙂
Lisa says
Oh goodness, Jaya, thank you so much, your comment is like one of your poems! We are very lucky with all our spring bulbs, whether our tulips come back this year is doubtful though but we shall see. And you’re right, frogs at night really do sing in chorus 🙂
Charity says
Oh my goodness! Your garden is gorgeous! I am loving all those pretty blooms. I am definitely ready to start putting some plants out on my porch. I don’t really have a garden but I have two porch spaces and love filling them with plants and flowers!
Lisa says
Aw, thank you so much, that’s very kind 🙂 Your porch sounds lovely, I do sometimes wish we had a smaller space, it would be a lot less work for a still wonderful effect!
Britt K says
You really have all that blooming already? We’re in a warmer area of Canada but we’ve just seen the snow finally go away a week or so ago… We haven’t hit the point of the flowers blooming yet.
Lisa says
Yes, we’re lucky, the legacy of a relatively mild (albeit wet) winter. Keeping my fingers crossed we don’t get a really cold snap now though!
Susanne says
I love spring when everything start to bloom 😍 and your garden is so beautiful, I love the tête a tête (And especially the name they have in English 😅) I wish you best of luck with your sweetpeas and I hope they still come out well. 🤗
Lisa says
Thank you, Susanne, that’s very kind of you – and yes, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the sweet peas, perhaps they might get stronger when I put them in the greenhouse, I live in hope! 🙂
Claire says
Your Garden always looks so lovely but at this time of year everything is so green and full of promise.
You are going to have a lot of frogs very soon!
Lisa says
Thank you, it does look very green thanks to all that rain. And yes, I know, the ponds are FULL of tadpole jelly!
Manon says
Spring is my favorite season and your garden looks so pretty! My favorite march flowers are anemones.
Lisa says
Thank you – and yes, I love anemones too but they don’t seem to do so well in our garden, sadly.
Carolyn says
Your garden is so beautiful! I’m so jealous. I don’t have a green thumb at all (we have several very sad looking plants in our apartment). We’re hoping to buy a house soon, and when we do, I hope to have a garden as beautiful as yours 🙂
Lisa says
Aw thank you, it is a lot of hard work but the end result is worth it. And I’m hopeless with indoor plants, they nearly always die on me, outside is much easier!
Cassie says
What a beautiful garden! We’ve only gotten around to planting trees at our new house. I am looking forward to the possibility of a vegetable garden this year! If we can get the ground prepared in time. Right now it looks like we started a rock garden!
Lisa says
Thank you 🙂 And good luck clearing your rocks, that’s a mammoth job, I don’t envy you one bit!
Fiona says
Oh how I long to move into a house so that I, too, may plant a garden. I love the idea of having a garden of various herbs, but flowers are also nice. I, too, am a fan of the Rip Van Winkle. Admittedly, it’s the name of the flower that first drew me in.
Lisa says
Oh we do have herbs too but they’re not very lush just now, give them a few more months and they should recover! And yes, I LOVED the name Rip Van Winkle when I first found it out 🙂
Miranda Richey says
Your garden is so full of life! Wish I had a green thumb.
Lisa says
Thank you so much, that’s very kind 🙂
Sophie Wentworth says
I say this all the time so I’m getting it over with early this month, I love seeing how Flora’s little patch is doing. I think it’s great that you have that to do together and it’s nice to see her growing her own food too! Very happy to hear her garlic is doing well…
It’s nice to see your garden looking so bright and colourful! We had a big clean up in ours last week ready to start planting a few more things and ripped a few bits out altogether so there’s a little more space to play with this year x
Sophie
Lisa says
Thank you, Sophie! I have to say, Flora is very much a fairweather gardener, haha, but baby steps! And how exciting that you’re going to have more space to play with – will you be posting a garden update, do you think? X
Jantien says
Your garden looks absolutely stunning, love the little chionodoxa especially!
Lisa says
Thank you so much – they’re some of my faves too!
Esmee Rodrigo says
Ahhhh such a lovely post! Spring makes me so happy!
Lisa says
Thank you – it does me too!
Jenni @ I on Image says
Oh my, your garden looks amazing! I love daffodils and could plant a garden full of them xx
Lisa says
Thank you – and yes, daffodils are very rewarding, they just keep coming back! x
Teresa says
Beautiful! These photos got me in such a good mood 🙂 I love Spring, the whole world around comes back to life and everything’s so beautiful again. Thank you for sharing your garden with us. x
Lisa says
Aw, thank you so much, that’s such a lovely thing to say! I’m so pleased you enjoyed this post 🙂 x
Sarah says
Your garden looks great! I love all of the colors. It’s a shame the seedlings ended up getting leggy. Have you tried using grow lights? That can help prevent leggy seedlings. My garden is currently under 2-3 feet of snow, but I have it all planned out for when the time comes.
Lisa says
Thank you so much 🙂 And that’s a good tip, no, I haven’t tried grow lights, that’s one to consider for next year, it’s on my list!
Kelly Diane says
Your garden looks so lovely. I love having daffodils in the garden at this time of year. They are so bright and cheerful
Lisa says
They really are, such a welcome boost of colour – and thank you!
Jess says
All of these flowers are beautiful – I love the yellows, purples & blues! Really gets you in the mood for spring!
Lisa says
They really do, such a lovely combination, thank you Nature 🙂
Andrea Capone says
Your garden is beautiful! I recently sold my home and moved into an apartment so I won’t have a garden this year. Thank you for sharing so we can all enjoy your hard work. 🥰
Lisa says
Thank you, and oh, that’s a shame, I feel your pain. I lived in a flat for 15 years with just a window box so I LOVE having a proper outside space now!
Jenny in Neverland says
There’s far too many frogs in this post for my liking hahaha! Fab post though, as always! I love the Chionodoxa – they’re my fave here, so pretty and I love the colours! <3
Lisa says
I thought of you when I posted that frog picture 🤣 but thank you, and you have excellent taste, I love the chionodoxa too! X
Envy Fisher says
I love seeing these updates on your garden and comparing yours to ours. I think your garden is a bit ahead of ours in terms of blooming flowers, even though we haven’t had any cold days this winter. Also, I haven’t seen frogspawn in ages! I always wanted to get some and see the tadpoles grow up (this is a very normal thing for Dutch kids to do by the way, not sure if that’s just us because of all our canals and ponds), but my mom never let me have any.
x Envy
https://verdwaaldinvertaling.blogspot.com
Lisa says
I think all the gardens around us are a bit ahead, certainly I don’t recall so many daffodils blooming at the beginning of February before. Aw, I wish I could parcel up some frogspawn and send it to you, we have so much, it would never be missed! XX
Bronwen says
These pictures are all so stunning! I can’t wait for spring. B x
http://www.babblesnbooks.wordpress.com
Lisa says
Thank you – although I think Spring is here in our garden, yay!
Joanna Melia says
I love this post, inspirational and helpful. We’ve just moved into a new house so can’t wait to make the garden my own #teacupclub
Lisa says
Oh goodness, thank you so much, that’s so kind – and happy gardening in your new home!
Victoria Austin says
It’s great to see so many bulbs are out in flower (things are really coming out early this year, blossom bush is covered already here). The RIP Van Winkle Narcissus is such a cool shape. I love how you’ve got daffodils in the lawn too (though I can see how it makes lawn mowing problematic!) Reading this totally reminded me I wanted to post a picture of light pink Hellebores from the front garden on Instagram! xx
Lisa says
Spring seems to have arrived really early this year, doesn’t it? I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many daffodils out here before, it’s lovely. Ooh, light pink hellebores sound gorgeous, lucky you! xx
Je says
One look at your garden and it’s obvious that someone (with an extremely green thumb) has loved and taken care of it. Your garden has loads of beauty and character. The Narcissus ‘Rip Van Winkle’ is one of my favorites too
P.S: I’m in love with your solitary bee and butterfly home. Looking forward to more of your garden adventures.
Lisa says
Oh thank you, that’s so kind of you to say so – our garden is very much a work of trial and error, but luckily Nature is extremely tolerant! 🙂
Laura says
Ah, such a lovely blog to read and cheer me up today. I love your tips and the gorgeous photos of those beautiful hellebores on your cover photo. Enjoy!
Lisa says
That’s lovely to hear, I’m so pleased you enjoyed my post!
Adam says
Looking forward to getting back out in the garden a lot. We transformed it last year from a mess, to being 3/4s nice. We can get in finished to a fully nice garden this year
Lisa says
Oh I am too, but I don’t think I’ll ever finish mine, I always have so many project that I want to do, haha!
Gina says
Gorgeous! I can’t wait to have my own little garden – I live in a flat at the moment! x
Lisa says
Thank you – our garden is a bit of a change for me too, we had a window box for 15 years! x
Fransic verso says
You have a lovely garden. With all of these colors, I can imagine how pretty it will be in summer and spring. Here trees are still growing back and it’s heavily raining which makes it little muddy.
Lisa says
Thank you, Jack, that’s very kind, we hope so, fingers crossed! Although wet weather is ideal planting time as the soil will be damp and soft 🙂
Nic | Nic's Adventures & Bakes says
I do like it when everything comes out in the sprinng esp the daffodils, the variety of colours is lovely 🙂
Nic | Nic’s Adventures & Bakes
Lisa says
They’re such a welcome sight, aren’t they? Exactly what’s needed to life the spirit 🙂
Aimsy says
Oh, your garden is beautiful! I love spring when all the flowers are beginning to grow and bloom. I think we have a few daffodils making an appearance now. Let’s hope that was the last of the storms/heavy rain so that the garden can flourish a bit more!
Lovely photos!
Aimsy xoxo
Aimsy’s Antics
Lisa says
Thank you so much, that’s so kind 🙂 I think we’re all looking forward to some better weather and brighter colours to cheer us up at the moment. But my garden always make me feel good regardless! x
Alice says
This is such an adorable and wholesome post and definitely something I needed to brighten up my week! I’m a sucker for yellow flowers, they’re so pretty and eye-catching and it certainly seems like you’ve nailed the perfect ground conditions for them to thrive! I bet Flora is going to have a filled day with all that frogspawn and watching it develop, too 🙂
Alice Xx
Lisa says
Oh wow, thank you so much Alice, what a lovely thing to say! I’m not sure I can take credit for things growing here, I’ve just been lucky with my choice of bulbs :). And yes, I can’t wait for some of that frogspawn to start hatching, I won’t see Flora for days at a time, haha xx
Nancy says
Your garden looks amazing! I love the flowers that bloomed! You can’t go wrong with the different colored bulbs that bloomed. It is so cool that you have a whole set of garden going on. Looking forward to seeing the vegetables bloom! Thanks for sharing!
Nancy ♥
Lisa says
Thank you, Nancy, I do love posting our monthly garden updates, the Spring colours are particularly cheering right now too 🙂
Via Singh says
Spring time is so beautiful with all the colorful flowers all around. Your garden is looking very pretty and pleasant. It is also nice to see Flora’s little garden doing so well. I would be scared of the frogs though. 😉 Lovely post Lisa. I love your garden. Take care and stay safe my friend.
Via | https://glossnglitters.com
Lisa says
Thank you, Via! Ah, the frogs are so cute though, I’m sure you wouldn’t be scared, some of them are smaller than my little fingernail 🙂 Take care too, hope you stay safe xx