If you think of flowers in March in the UK garden, your mind will rightly jump to Daffodils and Tulips. They are the flowers that herald the beginning of spring and bring some colour to our gardens at the end of a long grey winter.
For the most part, a lot of shrubs act as the backdrop to the beautiful herbaceous flowers that steal the show through spring and summer, but at this time of year when the borders are still waking up, these shrubs can also put on a show of beauty.
Camellia is a genus of flowering shrubs with a range of flower types. All Camellias are evergreen with glossy, generally dark green leaves. Flowers range in colour from white through pink and red and yellow. A beautiful display in the spring garden. Does well in shade, though needs some sun for best flowering. Avoid planting in direct early morning sun as this may damage the petals.
Chaenomelese are a genus of plants related to the quince, hence it's common name 'Japanese quince' or 'flowering quince'. Bearing pretty cup shaped flowers on bare stems in spring, these beautiful flowers are very eye catching. Flower colours range from white, pink, red and salmon. Plant these at the back of a shrub border or in a woodland setting. I think they look best trained across a wall or fence in sun or light shade.
Flowers are edible in small quantities as a garnish, and the quince-like fruit are good for jams.
Move over Daffodils - if it's spring yellow you like then Forsythia is your plant. This shrub is covered in yellow flowers before the leaves in early spring. Grow this as a shrub in a large border (they are vigorous growers), or trained into a hedge (a bright yellow hedge in spring is a sight).
Ribes sanguineum, common name 'flowering currant' or 'redflower currant'. While the berries can be eaten, they have little flavour, and this is not to be confused with the red currant, Ribes rubra.
These plants put on a spectacular display of bright pink flowers in spring which is a very welcome shot of colour from March into April.
This small evergreen shrub earns it's place in the garden through it's gorgeous scented flowers. Daphne has very fragrant white and pink flowers. Plant near a path or door to enjoy the beautiful scent.
My favourite scented plant for the winter garden. While these flowers may not be the best looking, they pack a punch with scent. Similar in form to the flowers of witchhazel, these little pink and white flowers can be smelt from a distance. Plant in your front garden to get the benefit of them every day, and watch people stop on the pavement with their nose in the air to see where that delicious smell is coming from.
If you are looking for a Sevenoaks garden designer who can update your current garden borders and bring more seasonal interest and colour to the garden please get in touch with me by email charlotte@charlottehendersongardendesign.co.uk, or call 07813 882 747 to arrange a consultation.
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