Plants of Current Interest - March

March’s collection of unmissable plants.

March holds the beginning of spring. The clocks change, the spring equinox takes place, and our plants begin to bloom. Make the most of the extra daylight and the beginning of the new season at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, by exploring our stunning selection of plants. Read on to find out about some of our favourite plants this March.

Iris reticulata

(EYE-ris reh-tick-yoo-LAY-tuh)

This is a wonderful dwarf bulb, a bulbous iris species native from Turkey through to Iran, yet perfectly hardy in the UK. Flowers can vary in colour from white and yellow to blues and purples. Because of their size, you will require a good amount for the average garden flower bed, as they are slow to bulk up. There are many named varieties and are readily available from garden centres. Usually sold as dormant bulbs in autumn, but many nurseries will sell them in pots, in flower too.

Cornus mas ‘Spring Glow’

(KOR-nus mas)

This species of flowering dogwood is native to Europe and is commonly known as the Cornelian Cherry, as it is often grown for its edible fruits. This is a plant that is easily trained, so can be grown as a small tree, or coppiced and kept as a multi-stemmed shrub. They can also be fan trained as a wall shrub in place of a climber.

Prunus cerasifera ‘Hessei’

(PROO-nus ker-SEE-fer-uh )

The Cherry Plum is a cherry relative from Europe that has naturalised here in parts of southern England. They are one of the easiest cherries to grow and very early to come into flower. Small, dark purple plum-like fruits follow the flowers and can vary in flavour from very sweet to quite bitter. The variety ‘Hessei’ is a rare cultivar with variegated foliage and pink-purple bracts on the flowers.

Helleborus argutifolius

(hel-eh-BORE-us ar-gew-tih-FOH-lee-us)

This is a species of Hellebore native to Corsica. The green flowers may not be the showiest of blooms, but the whole plant makes a real statement on a dull winter’s day! The toothed, evergreen foliage looking quite exotic and tolerant of a good amount of shade. Check out the many Helleborus hybridus varieties flowering around the Gardens.

Leucojum vernum

(LOO-koh-jum VER-num)

Although sometimes mistakenly thought to be a giant Snowdrop, this is actually a bulbous, spring flowering perennial known as a Snowflake. Naturally occurring throughout southern Europe, but now naturalised in the UK, North America and Scandinavia. Flowering period is slightly longer than the Snowdrop.

For more information about our plants of current interest, have a look at our guide and map.