March can be a fickle month with sudden cold windy blasts from the east and frosty snaps – yet with a hint of Spring. The sun is starting to warm the earth and waiting for buds to swell on branches can feel like forever – but it is starting to happen and there is always something new to experience in the garden this month.

Already in our long borders, herbaceous perennials including peonies, hemorocallis (day lily) irs and aconitums (monkshood) are bursting through the soil accompanied by multitudes of spring bulbs (alliums and bluebells).

It is the best time to prune late summer flowering shrubs such as buddleias, fuchsias, caryopteris and hydrangeas now the worst of the winter frosts are over. Also, coppice shrubs such as comus, willows and corylus grown for their winter stems.

Lawns will benefit from a little tlc this month. Lightly scarify the lawn to remove any thatch and winter debris before mowing. After you dig out the lawnmower from the back of the shed, check that the blades are sharp and replace if necessary.

If your mower has height adjustment, set to the highest cut and gradually reduce over the coming weeks.

Overgrown lawn edges can look unsightly and make an otherwise healthy, well-cared for garden look untidy. For a professional finish, re-cut the edges of your lawn each spring and always trim overhanging grass after mowing.

Spring is just around the corner – happy March gardening!

As warmer weather approaches it is time to take a look at your garden and prepare it for the coming gardening year. Spring is just around the corner, and before all your plants begin to grow again it’s the ideal time to take a fresh look at your beds, tidy up the winter debris and move around or plant new specimens according to your planting plan.

Begin tidying old leaves left on herbaceous plants by cutting with shears, and rake out rubbish and leaves that have collected under shrubs. This helps prevent pests and disease harbouring in piles of rotting vegetation. Do bear in mind that weeds will still grow this time of year, especially if this month stays frost free and damp.

It’s an ideal time to plant any new bare-rooted specimens, such as deciduous trees and shrubs along with roses. These will benefit from the addition of slow-release fertiliser to the surrounding soil, which in turn should be applied to all your beds.

it is also time prune late-flowering clematis. These flower on the current year’s growth, so cutting the stems hard now will prevent plants becoming tangled and untidy. Cut back to the hard woody stems, removing any green growth from last year.

Since we have many frosty days this month, it’s a great time to find a comfy sea, a steaming cup of coffee and cake – and look through the seed, plant and landscaping catalogues to let your imagination run wild and decide how you can improve your garden this coming year.

Roll on Spring!