There’s something special about March in Tasmania.
The heat softens, the soil is still warm, and the garden begins to shift tone. Colours deepen, the light turns golden, and this is one of the smartest times of year to plant. Roots establish beautifully before winter, giving plants a strong foundation for the seasons ahead. Autumn isn’t the end, it’s a new chapter.
If you’re chasing reliable, long-lasting colour, you can’t go past pansies and violas. These cool-season favourites handle our chilly nights with ease and bring everything from rich velvets and deep purples to cheerful yellows and soft pastels. Violas offer a slightly smaller bloom and softer, romantic feel, while pansies deliver bold impact. Planted now, they’ll carry colour right through the cooler months.
For something a little different, poppies and ornamental kale create beautiful contrast. Poppies bring soft, papery petals and a touch of whimsy, while ornamental kale adds sculptural texture in shades of green, pink and purple. Together they add depth and interest just as summer annuals begin to fade.
Snapdragons add height and drama. Cooler conditions encourage strong stems and vibrant flower spikes, bringing structure to beds and attracting pollinators at a time when the garden is transitioning.
Sweet Peas: Anticipation of Fragrance
March is also the time to grab your sweet pea seeds ready for planting on St Patrick’s Day — a gardening tradition that’s been passed down for generations.
Sweet peas are cherished for their heavenly scent and beautifully ruffled blooms — nostalgic, timeless, and always worth the space. Sown in mid-March, they’ll climb strongly and reward you with armfuls of perfumed flowers through the cooler months and into spring.
A Special Arrival – Gardenia & Bougainvillea
This is also when those slightly more temperamental beauties begin to arrive.
Gardenias and bougainvillea aren’t the easiest plants in our cooler Tasmanian climate — but right now is their window. With the soil still holding warmth from summer, planting now allows roots to settle before the first frosts. Give them a protected position, excellent drainage and plenty of sun, and they’ll reward you once the warmth returns.
Timing really is everything with these two.
Embrace the New Season Bulbs
You’ll start to see new season bulbs arriving — tulips, ranunculi, daffodils, freesias and more. It’s a touch early to plant everything just yet, but it’s the perfect time to prepare. Improve your soil, plan your colour combinations, and deciding where you’d like that spring show to appear. Once planting time hits properly as the soil cools, you’ll be ready to go.
