Every year the garden teaches us something new, and 2026 was a year of building. We added a new planting bed, some new hardscape and a better setup for starting plants. The result was our best cutting season yet. Here's how the year unfolded.

 

Winter prep: a gift for the birds

The season started early, in February, with a new heated bird bath. Now our feathered visitors have fresh, unfrozen water all winter long. It sits among the trellises and feeders, and it kept the garden lively even under snow.

 

April: waking up the tubers and starting 83 plants

In early April we pulled the dahlias out of their winter storage and repotted them after overwintering. Then we set them out to soak up the sun in front of the building.

 

Our other big upgrade this year was the new sprouting cart. It's a rolling, covered shelf unit that works like a mini greenhouse and gives our seedlings a warm, protected start. We also set up a dedicated potting station and ended up with 83 potted plants lined up and ready to grow.

 

A brand-new plot by the telephone pole

The biggest new feature of 2026 was a new planting bed out by the telephone pole. It's a former patch of bare ground that we planted with snapdragons and sunflowers. In April it was just rows of tiny seedlings. By July it was the showstopper of the whole property (more on that below!).

 

Spring color: tulips, daffodils and a giant worm

The spring bulbs came through beautifully. Pink tulips popped up amongst the coneflowers, and the tulips along the lawn edge looked great. The first harvests of daffodils and tulips were already filling bud vases indoors by mid-April. A double tulip showed off in late April, and a special fragrant daffodil was a favorite. While we were out there, we also found one very healthy giant worm, which is always a good sign for the soil.

 

May: the native garden hits year two

Our native garden is in its second year, and it's filling in nicely. By late May the amsonia was blooming in soft blue clouds. The peonies popped just in time to take over as the tulips faded. We also started seedlings in our annuals location, and the front plot got its summer planting. Angela summed it up best: "the garden looks awesome!"

 

Before we added the new stepping stones, we took photos to mark where the spring bulbs are, so next year's planting won't disturb them.

 

The late-May bouquets had some of our best color combinations: peony, salvia and baptisia, plus a big allium bouquet. We also put the dahlias in the ground on May 28, right alongside the tomatoes.

 

June: new flagstone, sea holly and happy volunteers

In June the new flagstone path went in. It winds through the garden bed, so we can reach the flowers without stepping on anything. The sea holly was a new star this year. It has spiky, silvery-blue flowers that look amazing in arrangements, especially paired with thyme and snapdragons.

 

The garden also gave us some free plants. Volunteer cosmos reseeded themselves, so we transplanted them into open spots. And the cutting room was busy as we turned each harvest into bouquets.

 

A crazy storm rolled through too, but the garden weathered it just fine.

 

July: sunflowers tower and the garden is booming

By July, the new telephone-pole plot had completely transformed. Sunflowers towered overhead with snapdragons blooming at their feet. Inside, the counters were booming with bouquets of dahlias, zinnias, sunflowers and coneflowers. We also tried a softer pastel color palette of peach zinnias, pale coneflowers and celosia.

 

August: sunflowers beneath the power lines

August kept the bouquets coming. By August 4 the counter was lined with jars of dahlias, zinnias and sunflowers. Out at the telephone-pole plot, the sunflowers stood tall beneath the power lines, and a soft lemon-yellow variety turned out to be one of our favorites.

 

September: pastels, harvest days and great arrangements

September was all about soft pastel colors: peach and blush zinnias, creamy dahlias and strawflowers. The arrangements were great, and the garden became a shared project. We had an employees' pick day, and Laura came back from her harvest with an armful of sunflowers. By late September there was lots of aster in the vases, along with some gorgeous pinks.

 

Outside, the vines put on a late show against the sky: red firecracker vine and purple hyacinth bean. The dahlias did so well that they ended up a little crowded, which is a note for next year's spacing.

 

Looking ahead

The work for next year has already started. We weeded the beds and added manure for next spring, and we plan to elevate the flagstone walkway slightly. Next year's spring bulbs are already mapped, the dahlias will go back into winter storage with more room planned for them, and the native garden will head into its third year. Thanks to everyone who planted, weeded, watered and took a bouquet home. See you in the garden in 2027!