Shrubs and plants flowering in March

March is the beginning of Tulip time in the garden. There is  a vast array of colours.  Illustrated is the unusual Tulip Estella Rijnveld Parrot.

More about the different types of tulips and  how to grow tulips.  There are only a few tulips which return after the first year of planting more about perennial tulips 

It may be bright and a bit blowsy, but Forsythia is a welcome splash of colour, reliable and very easy to grow. 

It can be planted and trained as a hedge. There is also a less common, white variety, which is slightly less hardy and fragrant  called Abeliophyllum distichum, available to buy from Crocus.

By March we are awash with Daffodils bringing colour to gardens everywhere.

In addition to colour, many daffodils are scented. Illustrated is Narcissus scented 'Fragrant Rose' and there are many more well worth cultivating.

Magnolia has beautiful often scented flowers which appear early and ahead of the leaves. It is easy to be put off Magnolia as being too large for the average garden, but there are several suited to smaller gardens. Available from Crocus ( affiliate links) M Fairy Blush with soft pink flowers 2.4m; M 'Joli Pompom'  3m and even a semi evergreen hedging Magnolia 2.4m

Erysimum, common name wallflowers, is richly scented and long flowering. A short-lived perennial which is still worth growing for its wonderful scent, growing tips. Not all wallflowers are scented,  check the variety. Illustrated is Erysimum 'Artist Paintbox' which is scented and available from Thompson and Morgan.

This is a small Iris growing to just a few centimetres.

Notwithstanding its small size, it packs a punch with its iridescent blue flowers ideal alongside low growing daffodils. 

It makes a nice combination planted with small Tête-à-tête daffodils 

Another bright splash of yellow comes from caltha palustris whose common name Marsh Marigold.

A perennial plant which grows well in boggy areas and streamside.  It will multiply over time to provide a lovely yellow edge to streams and pond, but unlike many pond type plants, it is not invasive.

Ribes sanguineum is a commonly grown, deciduous spring flowering shrub. It produces the best flowers when grown in full sun and it is fully hardy.

Some people find the smell off putting a bit  "catty".  If you are walking past gardens on s spring morning and wonder  about this smell, its probably Ribes.

Illustrated is Beginia 'Bressingham white'. Bergenia is easy to grow in sun or shade. It is a perennial with large leathery leaves and flower in shades of pink, red, magenta and white. It is a grow anywhere plant except boggy conditions.

There are a number of varieties of Spiraea which flower at different times of the year. This is Spiraea 'Arguta' which is spring flowering, deciduous, with arching branches covered in very white flowers.

It looks much nicer than my photograph and is available from Crocus

There are many different types of Primula. They are spring flowering, mostly perennial but the Polyanthus varieties is usually treated as spring  bedding. 

Check out the different types of Primula and how to grow them