This Month

Spring begins in earnest during March as the growing season accelerates Trees begin to bud and the garden is transformed by carpets of vibrantly coloured spring bulbs & early flowering clematis.

Plant focus

Clematis armandii

Type of plant: Climber
Exposure: Full sun, Partial shade
Hardiness: Hardy
Soil type: Dry, Chalky/alkaline, Well-drained/light, Clay/heavy
Height: 9 m
Spread: 4.5 m

One of the first to flower, Clematis armandii brightens up the garden in early
spring with its fragrant white flowers which smell like hawthorn blossom. Its
long, mid-green leaves look attractive all year round and new leaves & shoots
have a lovely coppery tint.

As this vigorous climber is on the tender side, it is best grown against a sheltered wall away from cold winds. It requires little pruning other than the removal of any dead or damaged growth after flowering.

Design Uses

- Winter Interest & early spring flowers
- Scent early in the year
- As part of a white garden theme
- Makes an effective screen
- Covering for walls & large areas of trellis
- Shelter for birds

Jobs for March

Pruning shrubs

Prune away one or perhaps two flowering shoots from large mahonia each year, after flowering. This will encourage a succession of new replacement shoots to grow up from the base. Old, leggy shoots can be cut right down to ground level or you can stagger the length of stems to create a more interesting shape. The stems of dogwoods, willows, hardy fuchsias and ceratostigma should also be pruned back hard this month to encourage fresh, brightly coloured new growth.

Planting trees

Finish planting bare-rooted fruit trees by the end of March. Container-grown trees can be planted out at any time of year.

Transplant evergreens

The soil starts to warm up in March, so this is an ideal time to transplant evergreen shrubs and conifers or to plant new ones, including hedges. Planting early means new roots start to grow almost immediately, helping the plants to establish quickly.

Mulch

Spread a mulch of garden compost around the base of fruit trees, shrubs and roses. Avoid piling the mulch up against their stems, as this could cause the bark to rot.