Four Flower Bulbs and Tubers to Plant in March for Summer Blooms

Oliver Grant • September 24, 2026 23:26

With the right planting plan in March, you can fill this gap beautifully.

Once the first spring bulbs have finished flowering, beds and balcony planters can often look completely bare. Yet this is exactly the moment to set the course for a garden that flowers continuously throughout the year. By choosing four particular flower bulbs and tubers in March, you can bridge the colourless spell and enjoy an explosion of blooms in your outdoor space from June well into autumn.

Why March is a game-changer for summer-flowering plants

March marks the most important stage for many summer-flowering plants: the ground begins to thaw, sunshine becomes stronger and the days grow longer. Planting now means flowers will not be delayed until late summer, but will instead bring colour from the start of the warm season.

Without planting in March, many amateur gardeners face a colourless lull lasting several weeks – precisely when the patio is used most.

Most summer-flowering tubers and bulbs should be planted between early March and around mid-May. If you wait until late April or May, the first blooms often do not appear before July. By then, daffodils and tulips have long vanished, leaving beds and planters looking unexpectedly sparse.

There is a straightforward way to avoid this: these four groups of bulb plants create a relay of flowering, carrying the garden from the first weeks of summer into autumn.

The four best choices for planting in March

Dahlias: bursts of colour for sunny beds

Dahlias are among the most dependable stars of summer. They grow from tuberous root sections that should be encouraged into growth in March. Ideally, start the tubers in pots under glass or in a bright, frost-free cellar.

Begin in pots in March, using slightly moist compost and keeping them frost-free
Transplant them into beds or large containers from mid-May
Depending on the variety, they flower from June to October
They need plenty of light and nutrient-rich soil

Their vast range of varieties offers something for every taste: from small pompom types and star-shaped flowers to huge rounded blooms suitable for cutting. Starting in March ensures a lengthy flowering season and helps conceal gaps between perennials and roses.

Begonias: unsung heroes for shade and north-facing balconies

Begonias generally thrive where other plants struggle. They are especially valuable in shaded courtyards, on north-facing balconies and along dimly lit sides of the house. Place their tubers in shallow trays or pots in March, with the rounded side facing upwards, using loose, lightly moist compost.

Keep the containers somewhere bright but frost-free, such as on a windowsill, in a stairwell or in an unheated conservatory. Move the plants outdoors after the last frosts. Regular watering will reward you with an almost uninterrupted display of flowers lasting into autumn.

Begonias are ideal gap-fillers for places where there seems to be no suitable flowering plant.

Lilies: elegant structural plants with the added benefit of fragrance

Lilies add height and elegance to borders. Plant their bulbs in March at a depth two to three times their height. They need freely draining soil, as they cope poorly with waterlogging. Depending on the variety, they suit either sun or partial shade.

A particular advantage is that many lilies flower when the garden can otherwise be a little quiet. Some varieties open their buds in late spring, while others concentrate their flowering in high summer and early autumn. This makes it possible to target specific weeks when there are few other blooms.

March: plant the bulbs, loosen the soil and work in a little sand if you have heavy clay
Early summer: the first flowers appear on early varieties
High summer: the main flowering period for many Asiatic and Oriental varieties

Peonies: an investment in many future springs

Peonies are less an immediate solution than a long-term investment. Planting them in March provides abundant spring and early-summer flowers in the years ahead. They require patience, as it often takes two to three years before they reach their full potential.

These perennials need a place where they can remain for a long time, as they strongly dislike being moved. Once established, they form larger clumps every year and produce impressive, often fragrant flowers. They are essential for gardeners thinking not only about the current summer, but also about the seasons to come.

How these four plant groups close the flowering gap

With a little planning, these four groups can create an almost seamless flowering calendar. As spring bulbs gradually fade, pre-started dahlias and begonias take over. Lilies extend the season vertically, while peonies provide a lavish start to early summer in subsequent years.

Plant	Planting time	First flowering	Typical position
Dahlia	March (in pots), outdoors from May	June	Sun to partial shade, nutrient-rich soil
Begonia	March (indoors), balcony/bed from May	June

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