As the frosty weather begins to thaw, it’s the perfect time for green-fingered enthusiasts to start planting bulbs and sowing seeds. Spring is knocking at the door, heralding the season of gardening revival.

With just weeks to go, searches for “gardening tips” have skyrocketed by +205% over the last week, indicating that gardeners are eager to gear up for the new growing season. To help out, Yell’s gardening gurus have advised how to prep your garden for spring. For those looking to inject some vibrant spring hues into their gardens, now’s the prime time to plant an array of bulbs and tubers.

What bulbs to plant in March

As March rolls in, it’s crucial to think about your summer blooms. Opt for summer-flowering bulbs such as dahlias, begonias, gladioli, lilies, peonies, and polianthes.

Immerse them in a bucket or tray filled with water to stimulate their growth and ensure a strong start when they are planted. Proceed to plant your bulbs in the garden towards the end of May.

Searches for “what bulbs should I plant” typically surge by 59% between March and April. While garden centres might offer fully bloomed summer flowers later on, purchasing them at that time can be costly. 

Planting in spring, however, offers a cost-effective alternative, ensuring your garden transforms into a blooming paradise by summer without breaking the bank.

Quintain Living, the firm responsible London’s Wembley Park, has shared some expert gardening tips on how to cultivate a vibrant garden from this point forward.

For a splash of spring colour, now is the perfect time to plant a range of bulbs and tubers, such as begonias, snapdragons, and the delightful five-petalled Laurentia.

These can be potted and placed on a warm windowsill, where they will flourish and gradually brighten your home as the seasons transition. Consider incorporating geraniums into your collection – their vivid colours will help uplift the mood during the chillier months.

A brilliant strategy to optimise space and ensure a continuous display of blooms is to layer your bulb planting.

Start with early-flowering varieties like daffodils and hyacinths, then introduce a layer of late-blooming bulbs, including irises, tulips, lilies, and alliums. Choose durable late-flowering bulbs – the dark, velvety Queen of Night tulip is a spectacular choice – which will extend the period of colour in your garden.

Anyone with balconies or allotment beds should introducing some late winter plantings. Crocuses and alliums not only add visual appeal, but also provide early nectar source to essential pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Long-lasting plants such as dahlias, salvias, and heathers are excellent for pollinators throughout the shifting seasons, and their rich hues offer a real feast for the eyes.