As winter fades and spring approaches, March is the perfect time to wake up your garden and prepare for the growing season ahead. Whether you’re reviving your lawn, pruning shrubs, or planting for pollinators, these essential March gardening tasks will help set your garden up for success.
🌦 Climate Considerations for March 2025
In recent years, warmer springs have shifted planting and maintenance schedules slightly. With milder temperatures arriving earlier in some areas, tasks like pruning, lawn feeding, and planting hardy flowers can be tackled sooner. However, be mindful of late frosts, which can still occur, especially in the Norwich area.
💡 Check the latest UK frost dates: Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) – Frost Protection Guide
1. Lawn Care: The First Mow & Essential Treatments
March is the ideal time to start tending to your lawn after winter wear. Follow these steps for a lush, green lawn this spring:
✅ Mow carefully – Set your mower blades higher than usual for the first cut to avoid damaging grass weakened by winter.
✅ Scarify & aerate – Remove moss and thatch with a rake or scarifier, and aerate the soil to improve drainage.
✅ Feed your lawn – Apply a spring lawn feed rich in nitrogen to promote healthy new growth.
✅ Overseed patchy areas – If your lawn is looking thin, overseeding with grass seed will encourage thicker, even growth.
💡 Read more on spring lawn care: Gardening Know How – Spring Lawn Care Guide
2. Pruning & Cutting Back for Healthy Growth
March is the best time to prune and tidy up shrubs, trees, and perennials:
✂️ Prune roses before new growth takes off.
🌿 Cut back ornamental grasses to encourage fresh shoots.
🍇 Trim fruit bushes like currants and gooseberries for better yields.
🌳 Tidy hedges before birds start nesting (check for active nests first!).
💡 Learn how to prune different plants correctly: RHS Pruning Advice
3. Planting for Colour, Pollinators & Veggie Growers
March is the perfect planting month for flowers, shrubs, and vegetables.
🌼 For a Colourful Garden:
- Primroses, pansies, and daffodils – for an instant splash of colour.
- Hardy perennials like lupins and delphiniums – for long-lasting blooms.
🐝 For Pollinators:
- Lavender, buddleia, and hellebores – attract bees and butterflies.
- Wildflowers – sow native wildflower seeds to encourage biodiversity.
🥕 For the Veg Patch:
- Sow seeds indoors: Tomatoes, chillies, and aubergines need an early start.
- Direct sow outdoors: Carrots, radishes, lettuce, and spinach can go straight into the ground if mild.
💡 Find the best plants for pollinators: The Wildlife Trusts – Pollinator Planting Guide
4. Preparing Beds & Soil for the Season Ahead
A healthy garden starts with healthy soil! This month, focus on rejuvenating your garden beds:
🪴 Mulch around plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
🌿 Compost old plant material rather than sending it to landfill.
🔄 Rotate crops in your vegetable beds to prevent soil depletion and disease.
💡 Best mulching methods: BBC Gardeners’ World – Mulching Guide
🌱 Get Involved in a Local Gardening Project
Looking to improve your gardening skills while supporting the community? Join the Norfolk & Waveney Mind Community Roots project! Learn how to grow fruit, vegetables, and flowers while helping to maintain a beautiful green space.
🔗 Find out more
5. Tidy Paths, Patios & Fencing
Your hard landscaping needs attention too! March is the best time to freshen up patios, fences, and driveways before summer arrives.
🚿 Pressure wash patios and decking to remove winter grime and algae.
🪵 Check fencing for damage – repair or replace loose panels.
🧹 Clean out gutters and drains to prevent blockages.
💡 How to clean patios naturally: RHS – Cleaning Hard Surfaces Guide
🌼 March & Spring Gardening Events in Norfolk
Looking for inspiration for your garden or a fun day out? Check out these fantastic gardening events happening in Norfolk this year!
📅 Norfolk Garden Show 2025 (July 11-13, 2025) – Norfolk Showground
🌿 Discover beautiful plants, garden accessories, and expert talks at one of Norfolk’s biggest gardening events. A must-visit for keen gardeners!
🔗 Visit Website
📅 Visit to Holkham Hall & Walled Garden (Reopening late March 2025)
🏡 Get inspired by the stunning Walled Garden and parkland of Holkham Hall. Perfect for design ideas and historical gardening inspiration.
🔗 Event Details
6. Encourage Wildlife Into Your Garden
Spring is a critical time for wildlife, pollinators, and birds. Here’s how you can make your garden a wildlife-friendly haven:
🐦 Put up bird feeders & nesting boxes to support early nesters.
🦔 Leave a wild corner for hedgehogs and insects.
💧 Create a water source – a shallow dish of water can help thirsty bees and birds.
💡 Support garden wildlife with simple changes: RSPB – Wildlife-Friendly Gardening
🌿 Join a Local Gardening Club!
Want to learn more about wildlife-friendly gardening? Join one of Norwich’s local gardening clubs for expert talks, plant swaps, and community events.
- Norfolk and Norwich Horticultural Society – nnhs.org.uk
- Cringleford and Eaton Gardening Club – eatonvillage.co.uk
- Thorpe and District Gardening Club – facebook.com
🌱 March Gardening Checklist
✅ First mow & lawn feed
✅ Prune shrubs, roses & hedges
✅ Start vegetable seedlings indoors
✅ Direct sow hardy vegetables & flowers
✅ Mulch & refresh soil in flower beds
✅ Clean patios, fences & gutters
✅ Set up bird feeders & nesting boxes
🌿 Need Help With Your Garden? Let Us Do the Hard Work!
Spring is a busy time, and getting your garden ready can take time and effort. If you need a hand with:
✔️ Lawn care & feeding
✔️ Hedge cutting & pruning
✔️ Garden makeovers & maintenance
✔️ Pressure washing patios & paths