With days getting longer and the sun getting warmer, there can be no doubt that spring has well and truly arrived. 

Many spring flowers, including daffodils, crocuses, early tulips, dwarf iris and crown imperials will burst into flower bringing colour and fragrance to gardens. The blossom of early-flowering cherries and ornamental quinces will be at its best and the silky catkins of pussy willow will be dusted with yellow.

The weather in March is best described as changeable. One day will be warm and sunny, the next may well bring snow showers. Overall though, temperatures should be rising. It’s not uncommon to have a few days when temperatures top 15ºC. And because the days are getting longer, the number of hours of sunshine will increase. Nights are still likely to be on the chilly side though and frost is common, so don’t be tempted to put tender plants out of doors just yet. Keep checking your local weather forecast so that you can protect vulnerable plants when there’s a cold snap.

March can be a windy month with gales most likely near the coast or on high ground. March winds can be bitterly cold. Rainfall tends to be slightly lower than February, but in recent years, the amount of rain falling in March has varied hugely from one part of the country to another.  Snowfalls have become increasingly rare, except in Scotland. If snow does fall, it is unlikely to last except on the hills.

Essential Jobs Checklist for March Apply plant foods to established borders Mulch bare soil Continue to prune overgrown and late-flowering shrubs Continue pruning roses Cut back perennials and grasses that were left over winter Divide overgrown clumps of perennials Dead-head daffodils Plant summer-flowering bulbs Sow hardy annuals out of doors Continue sowing bedding under cover Sow vegetables in prepared beds out of doors Protect fruit blossom from late frosts Treat moss on lawns Re-seed bare patches on lawns Start repotting houseplants Begin watering cacti after the winter break Check pond pumps and get them running Make sure the birds have plenty of food and fresh water

Last Chance to… Prune late-flowering clematis Dig over vegetable beds Prune gooseberries