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Our favourite March plants
- BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
Published: Friday, 10 February 2023 at 4:12 pm
Discover plants that are looking glorious this month, chosen by the Gardeners' World team and our friends in the gardening world.
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Whatever the weather, March marks the start of spring! And for us gardeners, the excitement is palpable. New shoots are erupting everywhere and there's a burgeoning array of plants to bring colour to our gardens. Here, we share our favourites. There's something for every space, whether you want a pot to brighten a patio or a statement shrub to bring years of pleasure. Our choices include recommendations from the Gardeners' World team and familiar faces from across the gardening industry.
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Find more March inspiration:
- Plants for beautiful March pots
- Flowers to pick in March
- What to do in March
Almond tree
Almond trees grow best in milder areas, training against a south-facing wall will help protect it
Chosen by Sue Kent, Gardeners' World presenter
My almond tree, covered in blossom, is a real March highlight for me, especially as the blossom was an unexpected bonus! I planted the tree because I love growing my own food and harvesting my own nuts is a step nearer self-sufficiency – and luckily squirrels don’t seem to like them.
- How to grow an almond tree
Chrysosplenium macrophyllum
Also known as giant golden saxifrage, it's perfect for brightening a shady corner in February-March
Chosen by Nick Bailey, Gardeners' World presenter
I did a double take when I first encountered this bergenia-looking perennial, thanks to its unique green-white umbel-like flowers studded with pink stamens! Ideal for dappled shade, its large and lush leaves eventually form a ground-covering carpet.
Bellis daisies
This hardy perennial makes a cheery addition to pots and borders, flowering in spring and autumn
Chosen by Sinead Fenton, Aweside Farm manager
I find myself breathing a large sigh of relief once the Bellis daisies begin springing to life after their winter dormancy. Their vibrant and fluffy pink, red and white flowers uplift the spirit after those long and grey winter days and I find myself with a new found spring in my step once they arrive.
Narcissus 'Tête-à-Tête'
At only 15cm tall, Narcissus 'Tête-à-Tête' can be grown in pots or at the front of borders
Chosen by Kevin Smith, head of content
Great value, easy to grow and full of spring cheer, this mini daff has been my go-to choice for as long as I can remember. I grow Narcissus 'Tête-à-Tête' in plain terracotta pots and place them on the deck, right outside my kitchen window – the perfect way to enjoy them without having to venture into the cold!
- How to grow daffodils
Chaenomeles
Flowering quince chosen by Catherine Mansley
Chosen by Catherine Mansley, digital editor
Flowering quinces provide such a welcome burst of colour, with their chunky pink flowers, held on bare stems. These are the ultimate unfussy plant, they will grow in almost any soil, in sun or partial shade, and you can train them into an informal hedge or to grow up a wall.
Holly
Only female holly plants bear berries, and it can only do so if there is a male plant growing nearby
Chosen by Jaime Johnson, outdoor educator and blogger
Common holly is famous for its red berries in autumn and winter, but early spring is when I most enjoy this evergreen shrub, with its spiky elliptical leaves. Ilex aquifolium is slow growing and often outcompeted in hedgerows but in march; when deciduous plants are only just budding, the glossy leaves really stand out. In woodland settings, this is a great time of year to spot tiny saplings making the most of the limited tree canopy and burgeoning sunlight hours of spring.
- 10 holly trees to grow
Primula Pretty Polly
Primula Pretty Polly is a giant, double polyanthus, with up to 15 flowers on a single stem
Chosen by Michael Perry, presenter and plant lover
A real step forward for plant breeding, and bred just outside Cambridge. A Polyanthus-style stem, topped with double flowers, in all sorts of chic colours. It makes a joyful punctuation to a cool season bedding scene, or why not give it pride of place in a pot on an outdoor table top.
- How to grow primulas
Clematis 'Apple Blossom'
Clematis 'Apple Blossom' produces a mass of small flowers. It is vigorous and can grow to 3mx5m
Chosen by Emma Crawforth, horticultural editor
Almost out of nowhere, a blanket of pink-blushed flowers overwhelm my garden fence, saying "spring is here!" This evergreen climber is only frost-hardy, so grow it in a sunny, sheltered spot where you can enjoy its almond scented flowers.
- How to grow clematis
Leucojum aestivum
Snowflakes need moist, bog-like soil to thrive, and can be planted 'in the green' after flowering
Chosen by Lily Middleton, content creator
I'll never forget the time when, early in my career, I mistook a snowflake for a snowdrop - never again! They tend to be bigger than snowdrops, with green markings on their flowers, and are a wonderful addition to the spring garden.
- How to plant snowflakes
Narcissus pseudonarcissus
Our native daffodil looks wonderful naturalised in grass as it would grow in the wild
Chosen by Oliver Parsons, horticultural sub-editor
It's been a cold, wet winter, and it seems like spring may never happen again. Then it happens - you're walking to work through a park one morning and these beauties are there for you, shouting their little yellow heads off and cheering everyone up as they go. And it means it must be my birthday soon, too.
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- Top 10 daffodils for your garden
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