At the beginning of March our thoughts turn to to Spring as we start to see buds forming on branches, Wood Anemones flowering in the cool shade of the woods, Primroses and Violets carpeting banks and verges, and birds starting to get busy repairing nests and sing out in their full song as if practicing for the Dawn Chorus in early May.

March brings longer days and shorter nights, earlier sunrises and warmer days if not with lots of rain as Mother Nature washes our Earth clean of debris released when the frozen frosted ground srated to warm up. March is symbolisedas planet Mars, God of War and Agricultural Guardian in folklore, highly regarded by the Romans. It is  tradition that he was born in March and, therefore, the month was named for him.

March brings the first new shoots of Daffodils, Irises, Violets, Blackthorn blossom, golden Dandelions and the first of the Ferns with their spiral crosiers starting to push up out of the ground in hedgerows, public pathways and woodland.

Wild Garlic flowers flourish towards the end of March as Bluebell buds are making their way towards the sunshine. Wild Garlic flowers can be eaten as you find them or harvesting selectively (always leaving plenty) to take home.

There are so many tasty ways to include Wild Garlic, Dandelions and other wildflowers and foraged herbs into your diet. They are packed with goodness so do lots of research and check out my healthy recipes on the blog.

You can find gardening tips. vegetables, herbs, fruits and nuts in season, and things to forage, in my Almanac for March (2023).

Poem for the month

Read or listen to my first poem - Welcome March - a celebration of traditional folklore and the beginning our most exciting and magical times of year.

Recipe for the month

Try my recipe for Dandelion Flower Water - every part of the plant (including roots) can be used for healing and nutritional benefit. Flowers and stems can be used to make a delightfully refreshing and powerfully invigorating drink.

Dandelion flowers cleanse the organs, in particular, the stomach and intestinal tract, gallbladder, bladder, lungs, uterus and heart. The stems of Dandelions cleanse the denser organs of the spleen, liver and brain by pushing out substances that are no longer useful.

Steeping Dandelion flowers and stalks overnight in filtered water releases a rich source of minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients. You can also eat the Dandelion flowers afterwards as they provide an excellent source of fibre. 

Dates for Moon phases

New Worm Moon - Sunday 10 march

Full Worm Moon - Monday 25 March

Spring Equinox - Wednesday 20 March

Earth’s two hemispheres receive the Sun’s rays equally, meaning night and day are equal in length. 

The clocks go forward by one hour at 1am on 31 March 2024.

Times for Sunrise & Sunset (Devon)

First Dawn - 6.58 am

First Sunset - 5.56 pm

Last Dawn - 6.52 am

Last Sunset - 7.46 pm