The plants at Harlow Carr are benefitting from the longer days

THIS time of year always fills me with happiness and hope; shaking off the long dark nights and welcoming a bit of warmth in the air. As I walk around the garden here at Harlow Carr though, it’s the exuberance of the plants that gives me the greatest joy.

Spring bulbs and plants don’t shout out at you as they do in ‘high summer’. You have to search for a little splash of colour here and there nestling under deciduous shrubs and trees and in pockets of woodland planting.

Underneath the Malus hedge by the productive kitchen garden is a necklace of the diminutive iris, Iris ‘Harmony’. These little iris are the first to flower and have a royal blue flower with a deep yellow stripe down the central fall of each petal. Further on down the path in the old winter garden is an area awash with the little winter aconite: Eranthis hymalis with its cheerful yellow flower and ruff of green petals. More Iris shout out on the other side of the path, this time it’s Iris ‘Katharine Hodgkin’ - pale blue with yellow and darker blue petals delicately nestling under the backdrop of a young eucalyptus tree, its glaucous rounded leaves providing an attractive foil.

Mahonia x wagneri ‘Pinnacle’ stands proud at the bottom of this winter garden area. Its glossy green leaflets are sharply toothed and the flowers burst out in long yellow racemes. Mahonias are evergreen, very good value and hardy shrubs. This one is upright and quite compact and slow growing. Its new young leaves are bronze tinged when they first emerge, turning bright green later - making it a good plant for all year interest.

Head towards the woodland now; but tarry a while at the peat terrace and see if you can spot the trilliums which are just beginning to put on their show, in particular Trillium rivale and Trillium chloropetalum. They are suitable for any corner of a woodland garden or a shady moist patch and are fully hardy. They emerge on short stems and the leaves are often patterned and veined in silver. Trillium rivale are small and a delicate pink. (If you’re growing them at home put them somewhere where they won’t be swamped by other plants) whilst T. chloropetalum has flowers that are the richest crimson, emerging without stalks from the centre point of the leaves.

Walk along the streamside path taking in the pockets of snowdrops until you reach the other end where you can’t miss the striking displays or cornus; close up by the woodland edge, or on the opposite side of the lakeside, colours reflected in the water. Under the cornus on the woodland edge are planted masses of dog toothed violets: Erythronium ‘Pagoda’ green bronze strap-like leaves with a mottled appearance, they carpet this corner of the woodland. Bright yellow flowers are held high, sometimes three or four flowers per plant.

So now you know why my spirits are high - come along and enjoy it too.

With thanks to Katherine Musgrove, Garden Manager at RHS Garden Harlow Carr

JOBS TO DO

• Time to start scarifying your lawns and getting out the thatch to help air get to the roots.

• Cut back and tidy up the last of your perennials now so emerging bulbs can put on their spring displays unhindered.

• Make sure you keep bird baths clean and provide fresh water for birds to bathe in.

For more information on things to do in the garden this month visit rhs.org.uk

DIARY DATES

Sat 28 March - Sun 12 April: The Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt & Easter Family Fun, 10am - 4pm

Throughout the holidays, youngsters can hop through the garden on the trail of the Lindt Bunny, following clues to lead them to a delicious Lindt treat, and there will be plenty of fun-filled indoor craft activities and outdoor workshops for all ages to enjoy. Over the Easter weekend, the Easter bunny himself will be visiting his bunny friends in the garden. *Normal garden admission applies