March is the month when the Spring bulbs are out and start to give a good show. If you were on the ball and planted plenty of bulbs at the end of last year when the garden was looking dead and rather wet then the large amounts of sunshine in February (though not excessive warmth) may have helped push your displays on into bloom.

However, this is not the case everywhere by any means, as it is not really the amount of sunshine at this time of the year which brings the bulbs on. The temperature of the air and soil is the deciding factor, along with a good supply of moisture in the ground- though not too much. If anything the ground has actually been a little too dry recently, with the lack of expected rainfall in most parts. As I have mentioned regularly in the last few weeks in the 'blog' I put together here, although it was exceptionally sunny in February (East Anglia saw over twice the average sunshine it would normally expect for example) it was also very dry generally (again east Anglia saw less than a third of its average February rainfall). The temperature has been only a little above average overall, although Scotland, is is true has been fairly mild (and, incidentally, quite wet in the west). With generally dry ground, at least in the south and central parts and average air and soil temperatures, (not forgetting the sharp frosts a few weeks ago) things have not progressed quite as much as might have been expected then. It is still difficult to say how this bodes for the Spring, though it does seem unlikely to be especially wet.

Soil temperatures are the overiding factor however, in relation to what your garden does. Meteorologists and horticulturalists measure soil temperatures at various depths, though at 5cm and 10cm are the most common- these are the most important depths in relation to potential corm and root growth. We sell a range of thermometers and probes you can use if you would like to regularly measure and plot your own soil temperatures. If you are unsure which to use, just give us a ring and ask.

March is when the soil temperatures start to rise, especially at the crucial 5cm depth, the spring bulbs come out and really start to give a good show (all being well). If you were on the ball and planted plenty of bulbs at the end of last year when the garden was looking dead and rather wet then the large amounts of sunshine in February (though not excessive warmth) may have helped push your displays on into bloom.

Anyway, if you didn't plant your own selection, haven't got a garden or just feel like you want to be dazzled by more bright colours don't forget those Spring bulb festivals I mentioned, all on this month. The Ambleside Daffodil and Spring Flower Show, Ambleside, Cumbria, the Spring Bulb & Daffodil Weekend, at Sherborne Castle, Sherborne, Dorset, the Snowdrop Festival, Edinburgh as well as the Spring Floral Festival Week in both Jersey and Guernsey are all bound to provide a great show. Hopefully, along with the ever strengthening March sun by Easter time, it'll be 'sunglasses on' all the way!