What are you looking forward to in the garden in 2026?

[AntiqueVases]

Hello all

This will be only my 2nd year with my own garden (small tho it is)! So this year was just a trial run where I bought a ton of stuff which which I have already had a steep learning curve!

I'm looking forward to:

• seeing what in my pots survived winter! (Experiments include: venus flytrap and houseleeks)
• installing a flowerbed out the front which is just currently grass
• seeing my daffodil/tulip/crocus/iris bulbs come up
• seeing if my Forget Me Nots flower (I planted them in March 2025 in memory of my late cats)
• seeing my new bushes (pittosporum, rhododendron) get bigger and possibly flower - I installed them this year - the previous owner of this garden was terribly minimalist and cut everything back to stumps and had huge gaps between things so I'm hoping to see a lot less bare soil and fence this year and lots more greenery!
• seeing if my new cherry tree blossoms (I bought it as a bare root and put it in a big pot a few weeks ago). And seeing if my oak and maple trees start to grow - each is currently a stick 20cm high!
• seeing if my thistles and seaholly survive/flower. They are currently just tiny plants.
• seeing if my HRH Princess Catherine rose grows/flowers (bought as a bare root)
• Seeing if I can keep the lavender alive which I bought this year (my absolute favourite plant I think, I'm obsessed with the colour and scent!) My other favourites are: heather, holly, ivy
• Trying to grow tomatoes and strawberries for the first time (did chillis this year and they worked fine)
• Getting into a nice wee routine of watering/feeding and having a nice organised shed with tools and supplies of things like compost and grit.

And in terms of my indoor plants, seeing if my cactii flower and whether I can keep my terrarium, moss and airplants alive.

What are you looking forward to in 2026?

I'm also looking forward to watching along with Gardeners World and Beechgrove every week and then putting it into practice!

Watching my 36283725258 tulip bulbs come up. Along with all the Narcissi and other things.

Im looking forward to watching the Ladybirds go through the cycle of being nymphs and becoming ladybirds. I only noticed one at first last year then they were everywhere.. I became a ladybird geek.

Planted 3 camassia bulbs today so fingers crossed but I'm looking forward to those!

Also - every one of your enthusiastic threads

@Agapornis haha yes indeed, can you tell I'm an "all or nothing" person?!

I've been wondering if a thread next year dedicated to gardening programmes on the telly and radio would be of any interest to anyone.

I'm looking forward hoping to not letting the garden get quite so ahead of me next year.

My Princess Anne standard rose, treated myself to a bare root one in November and have planted her in the border by my summerhouse.

I have tubs and tubs of tulips waiting so looking forward to their show. This year I've put them out of direct weather as its so wet here. Be interesting to see how they get on compared to last years who weren't so protected.

I've taken cuttings of my pelargoniums which I loved this summer so looking forward to seeing if they make it. Currently they are in my potting shed.

Needed more pots so have planted out the plants into my borders, there is a Phoenix acer that I'm looking forward to seeing how that gets on.

Sounds like a plan! You take the lead and I shall follow along!

Well... I retire at the end of April, so this year I will actually be able to enjoy the garden properly. So looking forward to it.

I also have a huge number of bonsai trees which all need considerable attention, and for the last few years it's been a struggle keeping up with it all, so I will have the opportunity to spend more time on them too.

@Hedgesgalore you will see on my tulip thread that I put my planted tulip bulbs in the shed to keep them away from heavy rain and mould started growing on the compost!

I see from googling that your Princess Anne rose will be a similar colour to my Princess Catherine* rose!

*yes I know that's not her title as she's not a blood princess but I luff her. I do also like Princess Anne, she comes to Scotland a lot, came to my school once.

I have finally chosen a small tree for my front garden- looking forward to getting that in and then planning the rest.

hoping my jasmine planted on front balcony last year will flower, it put on plenty of growth but I’m concerned the container might be too small

hoping to see results from the evergreen clematis I cut back hard last year as it was all top heavy and rampant

I have an area of very old brick wall to to repair

Oh no that's a shame (about mould on tulip pots) Hopefully they will be ok for you.

Mine are outside but snuggled down between the narrow side of my garage and a very tall conifer hedge on the other side so sheltered from the heaviest of my Welsh weather.

{mooches off to google Princess Catherine rose}

I have bought a huge selection of mediaeval/ Tudor herb seeds, to grow my own apothecary garden.

@TheAutumnCrow that sounds incredibly unusual and interesting!! I want to know everything, do please start a thread with photos!

@Hedgesgalore google says the mould might be beneficial!

Okay dokey, I'll start it on NY day. Hopefully that'll give me enough time to think of a better title than Gardening Programmes 😆

@B0D what tree did you choose?

@TheAutumnCrow you've reminded me to resume my search for Primula vulgaris seeds, they're not easy to come by. I was given some dug up naturalised plants (legally, from someone's garden) a year or two back but the flowers turned out to be pink. I've been doing a bit of earth disturbing at the front so have bought poppy seeds in the hope they'll grow there. I'm desperate to scatter them now but doubt they'd survive.

@AntiqueVases Princess Anne was opening a new arena for a Riding for the Disabled organisation near Edinburgh a couple of days ago 🐴

I'm going to train my established Charles de Mills rose like Niff Barnes, in circles and loops up an arbour. Can't wait to see if it works and how much it blooms. I have a Souvenir du Doctor Jamain on the other side which I suspect will object to any attempt to force it into shape but we'll see.

I am also looking forward to fewer Japanese anemones, having had a massive dig out, but I suspect they will win.

@AntiqueVases and @NebulousSadTimes, thank you!

I’ll find the seed envelopes and list them shortly.

I’ve got seeds for:

Asclepius (Red)
Borage
Betony
Chamomile (German and Roman)
Chervil
Comfrey
Hyssop
Rue
Marjoram (Sweet)
Verbena
Valerian
Various wildflowers
Various other herbs like dill, rosemary, thyme
Various spices like cumin

Any additional ideas welcome!

I’m going to have a pond dug. First time ever I’ll have had one

I’m hoping my lilac will flower. It’ll be it’s 3rd year but no flowers yet.

I’m also planning an arch over a bench with roses or something similar growing over it. I already have the bench

@NebulousSadTimes
crab apple “wedding bouquet “ . I was looking for something native with lots of interest and the right side of 5m

@TheAutumnCrow
Sounds amazing! do you have a big sunny plot? I’m envisioning a walled garden

It’s a pretty small garden, really, walled & fenced & catio-ed! Lots of large ceramic pots, too.

I read a Historic England / English Heritage web page and became enthused.

Lovely