There’s a shift in the air by March — not quite spring, not quite winter, but something in between. At Gamekeeper’s Cottage, it’s the month when the garden begins to stir. The mornings are brighter, the birds louder, and the garden, though still bare in places, starts to feel alive again.
The daffodils were out in full force — great bright clumps of them shining against the still-wintry grass, as if someone had painted sunlight straight onto the ground. They never fail to lift the heart — cheerful, easy, and quietly defiant in the face of the late frosts.
With the weather just about on side, it was the right time to get a few things in the ground. A handful of ramson bulbs were planted beneath the new native hedge — tucked in among the young hawthorn, blackthorn and guelder rose where, in time, they’ll form a soft carpet of spring green and white. A little later, snowdrop pips went in under the old tree — that wonderful, twisted old soul that anchors the centre of the garden. They won’t flower this year, but with a bit of luck, they’ll settle in quietly and return each February, unannounced but very welcome.
Sections of turf were also dug out in preparation for new garden paths. It’s heavy, deliberate work, but rewarding — the slow process of defining where the beds end and the walkways will go. With each spadeful, the shape of the garden becomes a little clearer.
For those interested in seeing how this all came together, I filmed the work and shared a video over on the Gamekeeper’s Cottage YouTube channel. You can watch it here. It’s a gentle film — daffodils, digging, and a bit of hopeful planting as the season begins to shift.
So much of gardening in March is about preparing. You can feel the pace starting to pick up, but there’s still a little time left for quiet, thoughtful work — before the real rush begins.