There’s something quietly exciting about March. The days are stretching out, the light feels different, and everywhere you look the garden is beginning to stir. After a long winter, this is the month where we roll up our sleeves and properly get going again.

The first job for me is always a good tidy-up. Fallen leaves hiding in borders, broken stems from winter winds and any lingering debris can all be cleared away. It’s amazing how quickly a garden looks revived once it’s had that first spring clean. I also like to lightly fork over beds to improve aeration and work in some well-rotted compost. The soil is warming slowly now, and giving it a nutrient boost sets everything up beautifully for the months ahead.

March is ideal for planting hardy perennials and dividing established clumps that may have become overcrowded. If you’ve got snowdrops or early primroses that have finished flowering, lift and divide them now while you can still see where they are. It’s a simple way to create more plants for free and fill gaps naturally.

The vegetable patch calls too. Broad beans, early peas, carrots and beetroot can all go in once the soil is workable. I like to start tomatoes and chillies indoors this month as well. There’s something deeply satisfying about those first trays of seedlings lining a sunny windowsill.

Lawns will begin to wake up, so give them a light rake to remove moss and thatch, but resist the urge to cut too short. The first mow should be gentle. If you have bare patches, now’s a good time to overseed before the grass really gets going.

Perhaps most importantly, March is a month for optimism. Daffodils are brightening borders, buds are swelling on shrubs and the promise of blossom isn’t far away. Take time to walk around your garden with a cup of tea and simply notice what’s emerging. After all, gardening isn’t just about tasks — it’s about enjoying the rhythm of the seasons.

Spring has officially arrived, and the garden is ready when you are.

Happy gardening, Harold