From the Cut Flower Garden: March Moments

March always feels like the garden is stretching its arms after a long winter nap — a bit sleepy at first, but suddenly bursting into life when you're not looking! This month has been a mix of a bit of tidying, getting my hands back in the soil and the kind of quiet optimism only gardeners understand.

Now that we’re tipping into April and everything’s revving up, I thought I’d start sharing a monthly update from my little patch — what I’ve been up to, what’s working (and what’s not!), and a few bits to look out for next. Whether you’re just starting your cut flower journey or have been at it for years, I hope you enjoy these notes from my garden. Let’s dive into March!

🌱 Planting Out Ranunculus

First up — the ranunculus have gone in! These slightly fussy beauties have been tucked into one of the beds I prepped earlier in the year, and fingers crossed they'll reward the effort with those dreamy, ruffled blooms come late spring. I always find them a bit of a leap of faith — those claw-like corms don’t look like much, but wow when they get going!

🌸 Hardening Off the Autumn-Sown Seed Babies

This month, I’ve started the process of hardening off my autumn-sown hardy annuals. It’s one of those jobs that requires a bit of patience — in and out they go, like garden toddlers — but it’s so worth doing properly. A few trays of Ammi, Snaps, and Larkspur have been enjoying some sheltered sunshine and gentle breezes, and they’ll be ready to go in the ground very soon.

Are you hardening off anything at the moment? It always feels like a mini milestone when those little plants finally stretch their roots into the soil.

✂️ Pinching Snapdragons

I gave my Snapdragons their first pinch this month too! If you haven’t done this before — it’s exactly what it sounds like. Once they’re about 10–15cm tall, I simply pinch out the top growing tip above the 2nd set of true leaves, to encourage bushier, stronger plants. It can feel a bit brutal (I always the close my eyes the first time), but it really does help them branch out and produce more flowering stems later on.

And bonus — you can pop those pinched bits into compost to root them for extra plants!

🌾 Tidying Up the Perennial Bed

This month also saw a big tidy-up in the perennial bed. I left most of last year’s growth standing over winter — partly for the wildlife, partly for the lovely seed head silhouettes — but March is the perfect time to cut it all back and give the new growth some room to shine.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about that moment when you clear away the old and spot those little green shoots poking up. Hello again, you beauties!

🌼 Seed Sowing

March wouldn’t be complete without seed sowing! I’ve started some of my half-hardy annuals this month — Cosmos, Zinnias, Penny Cress, Panicum Frosted Explosion, Strawflowers and a few cheeky early Sunflowers. I’ll sow more in April, but it’s nice to have a few trays making a start!

If you’re just starting your seed journey, don’t worry if things feel a bit overwhelming — there’s plenty of time, and honestly, a little chaos is part of the fun.

🥃Feeding Fridays Are Back

A firm favourite in my weekly garden rhythm — Feeding Friday! I’ve started feeding my overwintered plants and anything that’s actively growing again. A balanced liquid feed works wonders for giving them a little boost, especially after months of grey skies and soggy roots.

It’s also just a nice reminder to pause and check in with everything once a week — a little moment of ritual in a season that’s about to get nice and busy.

🌿 Looking Ahead to April

Next month is when everything really kicks off — lots of plants will be hardened off, the seedlings will need potting on, and I’ll be juggling watering, sowing, weeding, and whispering sweet nothings to my Dahlias. But for now, I’m taking a moment to enjoy the calm before the beautiful storm.

📬 Want More of This Each Month?

I’m planning to turn these monthly updates into a regular thing — a little behind-the-scenes peek into what’s happening in my cut flower garden, and hopefully a source of encouragement for yours too.

If you’d like these updates sent straight to your inbox, pop over and sign up to my newsletter here:

👉 www.homegrownblooms.co.uk/newsletter

Think seasonal tips, favourite varieties and a more detailed look into what's happening in the garden each month. I’d love to share this year's growing season with you.

What’s been happening in your garden this March? Tell me in the comments — I always love a nosey and to hear what you're up to in the garden.

Wishing you happy, healthy seedlings and here's to a fab April 🌸

— Kate x