As the first spring rays break through and the weather warms up, it’s time to start planning summer flowers. The bulbs you plant change with the seasons and March is the ideal time to ensure blooms all season long.
It’s costs a fraction of the price to plant bulbs now rather than buying them from garden centres. To help people create a beautiful oasis in full bloom, the gardening experts at Yell have compiled a list of expert-approved tips for a vibrant, growing season this year. March is a fabulous time to plant summer-flowering plants like lilies, dahlias and more.
Tips for planting in March in the UK:
March is a great time to plant bulbs and tubers that will bloom in late spring, summer, and autumn. Since the soil is starting to warm up but frost is still possible, it’s best to choose hardy or semi-hardy varieties.
Alliums, lilies, gladiolus, crocosmia, and dahlias are good summer-flowering bulbs to plant this month. If the ground is still cold and wet, start tender bulbs like dahlias and begonias indoors.
Soak bulbs in a bucket or tray of water – doing this will wake them up and give them a good start when planted.
When you’re ready to plant, choose a sunny, well-drained spot for summer bulbs such as alliums, lilies, gladiolus and dahlias. Even if you have a shady garden, flowering bulbs can still be planted here – the pros recommend snowdrops, bluebells, lily of the valley or cyclamen
Plant bulbs at least twice their depth for best results.
Planting tips for a low-maintenance garden
A small, easily manageable outdoor spaces is appealing to many. So what advice do experts have for planting a low-maintenance garden?
- Plant in groups – bulbs look best in clusters of five to 10, rather than scattered.
- Mix early, mid, and late-season bloomers – this ensures a long-lasting floral display throughout the season.
- Leave foliage to die back naturally – this allows the bulb to store energy for next year.
- Mulch in autumn – helps retain moisture and suppress weeds.