Share
Dig It
March '25 in the Garden
March in the Garden 2025 SHORT NOTES
Spring is in the air! DIG IT’s Peter Brown and Chris Day guide us through the month of March looking at events far and wide to visit, including the US and Australia, the latest news stories and the jobs to be getting on with in the garden.
What’s on
1st March: The Alpine Society’s Early Spring Show at Chelmsford City Racecourse, Chelmsford, Essex.
1 - 9th March: Philadelphia Flower Show, Pennsylvania Convention Centre, US.
15th March: Orchid and Terrarium Workshop Day at Buckingham Garden Centre with Manos Kanellos.
16th March: Rare Plants Fair at The Bishop's Palace, Wells, Somerset.
17 - 23rd March: Hever Castle's Dazzling Daffodils, Hever, Edenbridge, Kent.
21st March Garden Re-Leaf Day 2025 The annual Greenfingers Charity flagship fundraising event.
26 - 30th March: Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens, Australia.
29th March: Rare Plants Fair at Evenley Wood Gardens, Brackley, Northants.
News
Britain's bestselling non-fiction writer Dr David Hessayon has died aged 96 - after selling 67 million gardening guidebooks worldwide.
RHS reports a 21% surge in applications across its School of Horticulture programme
Peat-free education collaboration launches a new concise peat-free guide.
TV personality Fiona Bruce will be joining the National Garden Scheme (NGS) as an ambassador.
Storm Eowyn topples more than 10,000 National Trust trees.
Petition for a total ban on neonicotinoid puts pressure on government.
National Trust announce 10-year green plan.
Beloved Barnsdale Gardens established 40 years ago by horticulturist and star broadcaster Geoff Hamilton, faces closure if 67-acre solar farm is built.
Hillier’s woodland themed garden to be created at BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair.
Jekka McVicar launches her 10th thyme variety, Thymus Jekka’s Bee Happy.
Johnsons new Cutting Flower seed range now in Garden Centres.
2025 Sweet Pea season at Eaton Walled Gardens.
Best houseplants for productivity.
Coffee and cocoa prices doubled due to extreme weather.
New heritage pear Cornishgold ™ launched.
Alan Titchmarsh gets nod in latest BAFTA winning Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl film.
DIG IT Top 5 Our top selling Dahlia varieties from last year were No 5 Thomas Edison, No 4 Topmix Yellow, No 3 Anne Joy, No 2 joint Collerette Kelsey, Lady Liberty, Red Hot Chilli, Vera Frost and Xanthe and No 1 White Perfection.
People mentioned: Jekka McVicar, Jessica Naish, and Nick Hamilton.
Products mentioned: Premier Christmas decorations, Rotavator, Cloche, Potato growing bags, Peat free composts, Root Trainers and Bird nesting boxes.
Plant mentions: Apricot, Peas, Beans, Artichoke, Asparagus, Tomatoes, Courgettes, Pumpkins, Squash, Seed Potatoes, Carrots, Fennel (Bronze), Maidenhair fern (Adiantum), Quickthorn, Blackthorn, Rhubarb varieties - Champagne, Timperley Early and Stockbridge Arrow, plastic dustbins as Rhubarb forcers, Hazel and Birch for pea sticks, Sweet Peas, Strawberries, Raspberries, Chinese money plant (Crassula), Monstera, Sansevieria, Boston fern, Prayer plants, Spathiphyllum, Lilies, Dahlias, Freesia and Gladioli
Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music.
More episodes
View all episodes
12. My Tomato leaves have gone purple and its RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
34:21||Season 6, Ep. 12Peter and Bill chat about some news items. Chelsea is sold out and opened to the general public Tuesday 19th May. Our friends at Malvern Garden Buildings have a stand and are exhibiting again. It may be a controversial year as one of the designers is getting criticised for using an AI app to design gardens. Peter has found a new range of pencils from Sprout World that have seeds in the end so you can grow things from your old pencil. Bill suggests writing labels from the top down and put a date on it so you know when you started them. It is also very important to protect your young seedlings from late frosts. Young plants still need protection.If you fancy visiting a Garden, Aspley Guise has many houses with open gardens on 24th May. Ramsden near Witney Oxfordshire also has 15 gardens open on the 24th. On the 30th gardens are open in Moggerhanger Bedfordshire and Carterton in Oxfordshire. If these aren’t local to you have a look at the NGS website, Pumpkins Beth’s website or the Open Gardens website.Sir David Attenborough has had his 100th birthday.Taylors bulbs have won a Gold medal at the RHS Malvern show, next for them is the Chelsea Show, could it be another Gold Medal?Peter learns the fact that his Tomatoes are too cold as the undersides of the leaves are going purple and the fact that he might be overwatering his Courgettes. If you have lost seedlings in the recent cold spells, you still have time to replant seeds or pop in to your local Garden Centre and buy some young seedlings.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music.11. What we like at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026
28:56||Season 6, Ep. 11In this episode Bill and Peter discuss the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Bill has had personal experience of displaying hanging baskets at the show and shares his thoughts and memories of how much effort and work goes into putting the show together. In this show we discuss some of the gardens that caught our eyes from Tech Mahindra’s Hedgerow in the Sky balcony exhibit that takes inspiration from British hedgerows and shows what can be done with a small space. We also both liked the Tokonoma Garden - a Japanese courtyard garden - full of beautiful plants, a water feature and pathway. It creates a peaceful space with beautiful colours where families can gather and spend time together.The Children’s Society Garden is another garden that Bill likes. It is a restorative garden where hopefully todays children can find a positive space to contemplate in. Its planting is full of yellows and purples and greens which will help children feel safe, seen and supported.10. Germination and Spring Lawn care
48:01||Season 6, Ep. 10In this episode Peter chats with Bill about his recent Sweetcorn planting and why he failed and yet Bill had a totally different result.For places to visit locally, we have 80 West Hill Aspley Guise 31st May and Latimer Park Farm, Chesham, 30th May. If you fancy something different then have a look at Pumpkin Beths What’s on page or The National Gardens Scheme.Bill gives us some great tips on early season lawn care and there is still time to plant a few bedding plants like night scented stocks, impatiens and cosmos. It’s also time to start succession planting your vegetables and you can put your runner beans and broad beans in.9. Brassicas
37:51||Season 6, Ep. 9Keukenhoff Tulip Gardens in the Netherlands is open with amazing displays of Tulips until the 10th May 2026Pashley Manor Gardens Tulip display is an amazing display of over 4000 tulips in Essex.The NGS Open Gardens are opening all over the uk clink on the link to find out more.The RHS Malvern Spring Festival opens on 7th to the 10th May and then we have the great RHS Chelsea Flower Show, 19th – 23rd May.SBM have launched the new Thermocell Bug barrier, a new product that creates a shield of up to 20ft, helping you enjoy the outdoors without being bitten by mozquitos.The Garden Centre is stocking a new range of Juices and Wines from Biddenden in Kent, one of the oldest vineyards in the UK, which produces a beautiful wine called Ortega. We stock a good range of grapes which should do well in the UK.Another item for your plate is a Bacon and Chilli relish from Mr TrotterThere is a new range of Weber wood pellet smoker barbeques which we don’t have in stock as yet but hopefully we will do soon. They are very easy to use and will be demonstrated by Jamie Oliver on Channel 4 soon.Brassicas, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kales - it’s a big family, and it’s time to think about planting. David likes the Greyhound Cabbage and Peter loves a Cavolo Nero or as he knows it Curly Kale. We also chat about Purple Sprouting Broccoli and, as with so many young vegetables, how to keep the slugs away with copper tape, Enviromesh and Slug Gone wool pellets which are are non chemical ways of deterring them. We both love how Romanesco Cauliflower grow and create such an amazing pattern.We also learned that the Thomson and Morgan Tomtato is no longer in production, as it is around this time of year they used to hit the shops.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music8. Its time to get sowing
39:33||Season 6, Ep. 8Pumpkin Beth – Plant Fairs and seed swaps we found this page on Beth’s website that has masses of places to visit, seed swaps, open gardens. The website also has lots of interesting articles and news.Grantham Garden Centre reopens its doors with it’s new name and having undergone lots of work.River View at Goldings in the Clyde valley also opened its doors on Good Friday.Oakwood Clydedales have been out working in some of London’s Parks, they are out cutting the meadows and harrowing which creates less soil compaction and is better for the environment. Respyre is a Dutch company that has a new environmentally friendlier type of concrete Façade and Roofing product that allows moss to grow on it’s surface helping absorb moisture and lower noise levels in urban areas.Ames group which was Apta, La Hacienda, Artivesi, Kelkay and closed as the American company that owned them put the company into administration so if you need any items from any of these companies get them soon before they disappear from the market.Flymo have released a cordless battery powered mower.Peter has sown some 8 Ball courgettes, David likes the fact that courgettes grow quickly and produce masses of lovely tasting produce. It is also the time of year to plant lots of other vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, gherkins, and winter squashes to name a few. Be careful of frosts as lots of vegetables will struggle to cope if they get frosted and also try and keep the slugs away as well. The Garden Centre has a great range of seeds from Mr Fothergills and Franchi. David points out that seedlings must be handled very delicately when pricking out. Rhubarb is sprouting and it’s a great time to plant strawberries.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music7. Bill, A New Expert
01:02:12||Season 6, Ep. 7Bill has joined the podcast to share some of his knowledge from a life time in horticulture.In this episode we learn a little about Bill's introduction to growing plants, from his early days of harvesting in school to help feed his fellow pupils to growing flowers, bedding, and vegetables for the commercial markets of London and Birmingham. We talk through some of the changes and improvements to our industry and how the chemicals we can use now are very different to the ones we used in the 70's.We also learn a few tips on which way to wind your plants around canes in the Northern hemisphere and the benefits of different fertilizers and minerals to plants we are trying to grow,Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music.6. Magnolias are in flower so Spring 26 is here
32:26||Season 6, Ep. 6Time to feed your Daffodils as the bulbs have put a lot of energy into flowering and as the flowers are dying off you can give them some foliar feed to help them put more energy into the bulb for another good show next year. It is also worth deadheading them after flowering but leave the rest of the foliage for at least 6 to 8 weeks after flowering before cutting down.It’s time to plant Onions and Shallots, David grows both, sets are quicker so if you haven’t planted any yet it’s probably best to sow sets now. Peter Likes Silverskin Onions but hasn’t grown them yet and Onions are a great way to keep cats off your vegetable patch as cats don’t like the smell of them. If they go to seed either chop the flower heads off early or do as David does and leave them for the bees as they love Onion flowers.Time to get your Sweet Peppers in as they take a while to set fruit, but keep them warm and frost free as they don’t like the cold. Peter loves Padron Peppers so he will be planting his this week.We also need to plant our Globe Artichokes now, a large plant so perfect for people who have lots of space. They make a good plant for the border if you like a nice architectural plant.If you are planting Asparagus crowns early spring is a good time to get them in. They do take a few years to establish before you can crop them but they can live a long time, 15 to 20 years.David shares a new idea for recycling and what he uses to germinate his seeds in. At the Garden Centre we sell Fibrepots which are another great product that you can plant your young plants out in without disturbing the roots. Newspaper pots are another option for those that like to recycle.To plant your seeds in we recommend getting new seed compost each year, to improve drainage you can add Perlite and check the date of the seed as some seeds go off after a couple of years and germination levels drop.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music.5. Gardening and where to go on the 11 and 12 of April 2026
26:46||Season 6, Ep. 5Manos Kanellos is hoping to join us on the podcast in the Autumn to help us with our Orchids, after a very successful Orchid Day and Terrarium workshop at the Garden Centre.Newbury Garden Show at the Newbury Showground, RG 18 9QZ on the 11th and 12 April.The Rare Plant Fair at the Old Rectory Quenington. GL7 5BN on the 12th AprilKingswood Walton and Tadworth Horticultural Society spring show 11th April Easton Lodge Open day 12th April at Easton Lodge, CM6 2BB.6 different gardens are opening in Long Crendon, 12 April as part of the National Gardens Scheme. Squires Garden Centre, Shepperton are hosting the Orchid Society of Great Britian Spring show Beth Chatto’s Gardens are also part of the National Garden Scheme opened by her and Husband Andrew, a 7.5 acre garden in Essex, CO7 7DB on the 14th AprilNewsTo mark World Water Day on 22 March 2026, GARDENA proudly announces the continuation of its global partnership with UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, reinforcing a shared commitment to improving access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene for children and families around the world.Hozelock also make great watering products that we stock at the Garden Centre.Dobies upgrades its Food Halls with a 1.5 million pound investment in 48 stores across the UK.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music4. First early potato and why Independents are still the best.
38:31||Season 6, Ep. 4Events to go and see:Bridgewater Plant Heritage Spring Fair at RHS Bridgewater, Salford, Manchester. M27 2 LJAlpine Garden Society Cleveland show on 4th April at HURWORTH GRANGE COMMUNITY CENTRE, 41 HURWORTH ROAD, HURWORTH PLACE, DARLINGTON, DL2 2BNDorothy Clive Gardens Spring plant Fair on 6th April at Willoughbridge, Market Drayton, Shropshire. TF9 4EUOverstroud Cottage, Great Missenden, Bucks opens on the 5th AprilIn the News:Some Garden Centre Groups have expanded and some have gone, but do they give us the best displays or any better pricing or is that still the draw of the larger independents.Local Councils are now hopefully going to start taking clean, used, non-black plant pots in your recyclingPotatoes:There is still time to get your first earlies in. Swift like it’s name is a great first early as are Pentland Crown and Rocket, best planted with some fertilizer like Q4 or Chicken Manure Pellets, and chitted in a cool, light place before you plant them. David’s favourites to grow are Charlotte and Nicola and he thinks Swift and Rocket are great too, Peter loves Desiree.