Monty Don: Why shrubs are the best March investment for your garden

As rows of seed packets vie for attention and online retailers overflow with new varieties, British gardening expert Monty Don directs attention to a frequently overlooked group of plants: woody shrubs. He regards them as a long-term investment that shapes borders for years, rather than supplying colour for just one season.

Why Monty Don chooses shrubs rather than seeds in March

Spring is under way, daylight hours are increasing and the soil is gradually thawing: this is precisely the period Monty Don uses for planting shrubs. While many gardeners are still thinking about tomato seeds and summer flowers, he is already considering structure, permanence and stability in the garden.

“A single shrub can achieve more than ten packets of seed, because it gives the garden shape, height and substance.”

In March, the soil is warming up, while the heat of summer is still a long way off. These conditions are ideal for newly planted woody shrubs: they can establish roots steadily before putting on strong growth in late spring and summer. Frost damage is generally only a risk in exceptional cases, while soil moisture helps plants to settle in.

Monty Don particularly highlights so-called woody shrubs. Their shoots become woody over time, rather than needing to grow entirely anew every year like annual summer flowers. This is exactly what makes them a kind of backbone for a garden, whether it is a small terraced-house garden or a large landscape.

The overlooked value of shrubs in the home garden

Many domestic gardens share a familiar problem: they are full of pots and colourful perennials, yet lack a clear framework and definition. Shrubs address precisely that issue.

• Privacy: Shrubs can form hedges, informal screens or green filters between neighbouring properties.
• Focal points: Individual specimens can draw attention to entrances, patios or paths.
• Seasonal character: Spring flowers, summer berries and autumn foliage colour provide interest through the year.
• Wildlife habitat: Birds, insects and small animals can find both shelter and food.
• Less work: Once established, many shrubs are easier to maintain than borders packed with annuals.

A single planting session in March can therefore become a decision that has an effect for years. Rather than trying to cover the same bare corner with summer flowers every year, a well-placed shrub creates a lasting frame there.

Why Monty Don especially recommends bare-root shrubs

The television gardener particularly recommends bare-root shrubs. These plants are sold without a pot or soil surrounding their roots. They are lifted directly from the field, then dispatched or offered for sale while dormant.

Their advantage is that, after planting, the roots can spread more freely into the surrounding soil rather than circling as they may in a pot. March offers excellent conditions for this, as the soil is cool and usually still well supplied with moisture.

“Planting a bare-root shrub in March gives it a head start before the season properly begins.”

Bare-root plants are particularly appealing for gardeners on a limited budget. They often cost considerably less than large container-grown plants, yet, when handled correctly, establish just as well - if not better.

Monty Don’s planting method: how to plant shrubs correctly

What is particularly useful is the level of detail Monty Don gives for the planting process itself. It is not simply a matter of “digging a hole and putting it in”; several key actions make a difference.

Step-by-step guide to planting a shrub well

1. Remove weeds: First, carefully dig out all perennial weeds with roots from the surrounding area. If couch grass or ground elder remains in the soil, it will later compete heavily for water and nutrients.
2. Make a wide, shallow planting hole: Dig a hole that is wider rather than deeper - around 20–25 cm deep, but substantially wider than the root system. This encourages the roots to grow sideways into the surrounding ground.
3. Loosen the base: Gently break up the soil at the bottom of the hole without compacting it. This makes it easier for roots to penetrate deeper layers.
4. Do not add compost to the hole: Monty Don specifically advises against filling the planting hole with rich compost or “super soil”. Otherwise, the roots may remain in that comfortable nutrient-rich pocket and barely extend into ordinary garden soil.
5. Prepare the roots: For bare-root shrubs, trim damaged root tips and, if necessary, soak the roots for a few minutes.
6. Optional: mycorrhiza: If desired, dust the roots with a mycorrhizal product. These fungi form a symbiotic relationship with the plant and improve the uptake of nutrients and water.
7. Plant slightly high: Position the shrub a little above the surrounding soil level, firming the earth so that it forms a gentle mound. This prevents water from collecting in a hollow around the stem.
8. Water thoroughly: Give the shrub a generous watering after planting so that the soil settles closely around the roots and air pockets disappear.
9. Apply a mulch layer: Finally, spread a thick layer of compost or bark mulch over the soil surface. This retains moisture, suppresses weeds and supports soil life.

The combination of a broad planting hole, little or no “luxury soil” inside it, and mulch on the surface ensures that the shrub adapts to real garden soil from its first day, rather than becoming trapped in the planting hole.

These shrubs will support your garden for many years

Monty Don names several classic shrubs that have performed reliably for decades and are not overly demanding. Many are also well suited to UK gardens.

Shrub	Strengths	Suitable for
Hydrangeas	Lush flower heads, a long flowering season, and some tolerance of shade	Partial shade, front gardens and borders beside the house
Shrub roses	Romantic flowers, fragrance and, in some cases, great resilience	Mixed borders, rose hedges and sunny beds
Viburnum	Fragrant flowers, with some flowering in winter, plus attractive autumn colour	Features beside paths and informal hedges
Mock orange (Philadelphus)	Intensely scented flowers, undemanding and tolerant of pruning	Fragrant hedges, areas near seating and a cottage-garden look

Those with little space can opt for more compact varieties bred specifically for smaller gardens. Many modern hydrangeas and mock oranges remain much smaller than their traditional relatives while still producing abundant flowers.

One shrub can transform an entire garden

Monty Don stresses that even one carefully chosen shrub can noticeably alter the feel of a garden. Consider a bare patio corner: in summer, even the most attractive collection of containers can quickly look haphazard there. Add a fragrant mock orange or a compact hydrangea, however, and it becomes a fixed anchor around which pots, perennials and decorative touches can later be arranged.

“Choosing just one shrub deliberately in March often unknowingly lays the foundation for a completely new feeling in the garden.”

This approach also helps beginners. Instead of becoming overwhelmed by dozens of seed packets, they can focus on one plant that will remain for many years. The learning curve is manageable, yet the effect can be all the greater.

What new gardeners should also know about shrubs

“Woody shrub” may sound complicated, but it simply describes plants whose shoots develop into solid branches. Unlike perennials, they do not die back completely in winter; instead, they retain their framework and produce new growth from it each year. This provides stability, both visually and in terms of maintenance.

There are risks, of course: an unsuitable position, waterlogged soil or extremely dry spells in the first year can weaken newly planted shrubs. Anyone with very heavy clay soil should loosen it particularly carefully and, where necessary, work sand and compost into the wider area rather than into the planting hole. On very sandy soil, a deep mulch layer helps retain moisture.

A practical tip for anyone with little time in March: it is better to plant one shrub thoroughly, water it regularly and mulch it well than to squeeze three into holes that are too small with only half-hearted effort. The success rate rises considerably, and the garden ultimately benefits more.

The result becomes especially interesting when shrubs are combined with perennials and bulbs. Tulips and daffodils can flower beneath a shrub rose in spring; perennials such as lady’s mantle or lavender follow in summer, while the shrub itself provides height. This creates a layered planting scheme that looks lively with comparatively little maintenance.