With as many magazine subscriptions as I get, it’s exciting to see what each title will deliver in terms of covers monthly, seasonally or bi-monthly (depending on publication schedules).

Where many months’ covers seem to be dictated in part by holidays–October, November, December, even February, for example–”off” months can be more of a mixed bag, like March. Sure there were some very general themes across several covers and some straddled the seasons, but there was enough variety–and hit-or-miss–among them to make picking the month’s best covers fairly simple.

1. Martha Stewart Living magazine: Another month, another great cover. The simple and seasonal elegance of the colorful veggies that front the March 2011 gardening issue may even lull non-green thumbers into planting a crop of their own this season–or at least incorporating more farm-fresh goodness into their diets.

2. Eating Well magazine: Similar to the Martha Stewart Living cover, this March/April issue puts asparagus center stage. This eye-catching image, and bright pink blurbs and masthead, hint at the upcoming season change, while still bridging the transition between the two exceptionally well.

3. Bon Appétit magazine: Ooey, gooey mac-and-cheese is a can’t-miss comfort food standby, and this March cover swears it’s the tastiest version ever made. While it may be more suitable for a fall or winter cover than one beckoning warmer weather, you still can’t go wrong with this dish–or this kind of presentation.

4. Better Homes and Gardens magazine: Teals, corals and whites pop off this March cover that makes the cut mostly for its colors. Still, the composition is a slight change from the publication’s often very symmetrical layout, and who could begrudge a fresh new start to spring?

5. Vegetarian Times magazine: More asparagus (and other veggies) are served up front and center on this March issue. Cool shades of blue and coral are seasonally noncommittal, making for a smooth transition from thinking about strategies for keeping warm to beating the heat. (Well, soon enough anyway.)

6. Food & Wine magazine: There’s still a chill in the air for some readers, so this March 2011 cover featuring soups and salads in front of a glowing fireplace doesn’t seem too out of place. It’s cozy, yet its sky blue masthead and accents seem assuring that a change of seasons is on its way.

7. Southern Living magazine: For some subscribers, celebrating strawberries and pound cake in March may seem a little premature. But not here in the South, where we’re already experiencing spring-like weather–or at least hoping our atypical winter weather is behind us.