Gardening by Month - March

It’s time for spring colour in the garden, and Garsons is full of inspiration for the gardening season ahead. You can’t beat flowering shrubs in springtime, which bring colour, structure and height to the garden.

It’s Mother’s Day on 30th March, so choose a gorgeous shrub as a gift or treat yourself. Our plants of the month are the rhododendron and azalea, with 20% off for Garsons cardholders. Now is also a good time to plant roses, so have a browse around the selection. With a little attention, roses bloom for a surprisingly long time.

Planting shrubs in spring gives them a good start before the drier weather, but make sure the frosts are over. Roughly dig the soil first and mix in a generous layer of manure. During dry spells, make sure new additions have enough water until they become established.

Give your established roses a prune to encourage bigger and more prolific blooms. It’s easier than you might think, so dust off your secateurs! Secateurs should be sharp enough to cut cleanly through the stems because ragged cuts might encourage disease. If yours have seen better days, invest in a new pair for the season ahead.

Newly planted roses can also be pruned. You can go as low as eight to ten inches

from ground level – don’t worry, new shoots will emerge. For established roses, cut off about a third to a half of the length of each branch. This encourages healthy new growth and a well-shaped shrub. Little or no pruning is needed on miniature or patio roses.

Planting containers is a way to create colour and interest in a small space. Flowering pots beside your front door give a cheery welcome or position them to brighten up your patio. Try filling a container with one type and colour of plant and then combine different sizes and shapes of containers. For the best impact, be bold with your planting and keep it simple.

Primroses look charming planted in clusters, especially the soft yellow English primrose. They flower for weeks on end and often spread, which makes them great value. Combine primroses with other cottage garden flowers including violas, forget-me-nots and Sweet William. Fill some pots with primroses for a splash of spring colour that last for ages with a little care.

However you fill your garden, you can count on Garsons for everything you need to get planting. Until next month, happy gardening!