Best bulbs to plant in March — 5 beautiful options for filling your garden with summer blooms

One of the best ways to gear up for a beautiful summer garden this month? Get on board with some of the best bulbs to plant in March.

That's right — if you're wondering what to plant in March, there are plenty of summer-flowering bulbs, tubers and corms you can add to your list.

To give you a little inspiration, we’ve spoken to the experts and rounded up the best bulbs to plant in March for a beautiful summer garden.

There’s just one thing to bear in mind — you’ll need to make sure the ground isn’t frozen before planting most of the bulbs on this list.

1. Crocosmias

If you've spotted them at your local garden centre and you're wondering when to plant crocosmia bulbs, you can get started this month if the weather is mild.

Crocosmias, also known as montbretia, are known for their signature red and orange blooms on arching stems. They make a striking feature in garden borders.

'These corms, often referred to as solid bulbs, thrive in full sun to encourage vibrant flowering,' says Liam Cleary, garden retail director at Old Railway Line Garden Centre. 'Plant them about 7-10cm deep, covering with light, well-draining soil.'

Where to buy crocosmia bulbs:

• J. Parker's: Shop a vibrant selection of crocosmia bulbs.
• Crocus: Crocosmia 'Prince of Orange' produces flowers the colour of molten lava.

2. Lilies

If you're hoping to learn how to grow lilies for the first time this year, they're an excellent choice for March planting. You'll have to hurry, though, because we've almost reached the end of the planting window for lily bulbs.

'Lily bulbs usually bloom through summer and autumn, depending on the type, so should be planted from late autumn to early April,' explains Jamie Shipley, gardening expert and managing director of Hedges Direct. 'Therefore, March is nearly your last chance.

'Lilies are very hardy, so they can cope with the cold temperatures of late winter.'

Where to buy lily bulbs:

• Crocus: Shop a beautiful range of lily bulbs. Personally, I want to give Lilium 'Roselily Anouska' a try.
• J. Parker's: Browse lily bulbs by type, from Asiatic to Oriental varieties.

3. Gladioli

Gladioli are loved for their tall, colourful flower spikes which bloom in the summer. You can learn how to plant gladiolus bulbs this month, as long as the weather is in your favour (they hate the frost).

If you're planting gladioli bulbs in March, they'll do better in pots to start with.

'Pots are a good idea to start them off so you can move them inside if the temperatures dip again,' explains Mark Dwelly, head gardener at Audley Villages. 'These tall flowers are often a popular choice to add dimension and depth to a garden!'

Planting a few bulbs at a time will extend your displays, too. 'If you stagger your planting, they will provide a succession of wonderful cut-stems to display indoors,' says Alex Biggart of 123 Flowers.

Where to buy gladioli bulbs:

• Sarah Raven: Plant Gladiolus 'Evergreen' for unique green flowers.
• Crocus: Grow mixed gladioli corms for a rainbow of coloured blooms.

Mark Dwelly

Mark Dwelly got into gardening after paying attention to green spaces when playing golf. He went to horticultural college and his career stemmed from there. After looking after the grounds of a private school, he then started at Audley Stanbridge Earls, looking after 32 mixed acres of woodlands, lakes and vast gardens. He since has been promoted to Head Gardener for the group.

4. Ranunculus

March is one of the best times to plant ranunculus bulbs, according to garden experts.

'Although ranunculus bulbs can be planted in autumn for spring flowering, they can also be planted in early spring for summer flowering,' says Jamie from Hedges Direct.

Many ranunculus varieties can tolerate a light frost, but if your area is set to suffer any hard frost, it's probably safer to hold off planting for a little while longer.

Where to buy ranunculus bulbs:

• Crocus: Plant Ranunculus 'Paeony Mixed' for colourful summer blooms.
• Dobies: Ranunculus 'Red' looks striking in pots or borders.

5. Agapanthus

Agapanthus is commonly sold as a bare root plant, but you can grow them from bulbs, too — and they’re among the best bulbs to plant in March.

‘Agapanthus is a hardy bulb, making it ideal for the milder spring climate,’ says Liam from Old Railway Line Garden Centre. ‘Choose a location with light shade and plant the bulbs pointy-end-up, about 5cm deep.’

Agapanthus produces delicate, spherical blooms which look right at home in a garden border.

Where to buy agapanthus bulbs:

• B&Q: Plant white agapanthus bulbs or the blue-flowered Agapanthus 'Donau' bulbs this month.

FAQs

Is it too late to plant bulbs in March?

If you're talking about the rules around when to plant bulbs for spring, yes — we've missed the planting window for most spring bulbs now, and many will already be starting to bloom.

For summer bulbs, however, the world's your oyster — in fact, if anything, it might be too early to plant some summer bulbs (if the frosts keep hanging around). While keeping an eye on the weather, you can plant the bulbs on this list from March onwards.

Will you be adding summer bulb-planting to your list of jobs to do in the garden in March?