We are in the midst of a polar vortex. The only thing getting me through is daydreaming about gardening, watching gardening videos, researching new garden ideas, and setting my 2026 Garden Resolutions. One week until the sun again rises before 8:00am. Two weeks until the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. We just need to last a little while longer!

Gardening Trips and Tours

One of the highlights of my summer is going to the annual Battle Creek Garden Tour put on by Leila Arboretum Society with my Mom. We always have the best time, and come out with so many different ideas! It’s an incredibly inspirational journey. Of course, the 2026 Battle Creek Garden Tour is on the top of my list of what to do this year (here’s last year’s visit, in case you’re interested!).

Battle Creek isn’t the only garden tour, though. In 2026, I’d like to see if we can’t go on one more tour somewhere not too far away.

I follow Garden Crossings YouTube channel online and it is amazing. This summer, I’m going to take Mom over to Zeeland to visit the Garden Crossings store and gardens.

Better Stay Up on Cemetery Pots

Year before last, I did fantastically with the six cemetery pots we maintain for family and friends. At the end of the season, there were still flowers alive in all of the pots! Last year got away from me unfortunately. This year I have a better plan! I want to spend more time riding my bike during the summer. I’ll drive to the cemetery, park, and go on a bike ride. Then, I’ll bike through the cemetery and water the pots before ending my trip! If I can find it, I’d like to try planting Jamesbrittenia Safari Dusk in a couple of the pots. It likes full sun and can handle some dryness.

New Side Garden

Last year I had planned on putting in the new side yard garden, but ran out of time and energy. This is hopefully the year! We’ll plant some shrubs, trees, and ornamental low grasses.

Revamp Back Gardens

Since the willow trunk fell last year, I’d like to add some larger pots to that area. I attended the Michigan State University Extension program Plant Quest 2026 this month, and the first presentation was on incorporating traditional houseplants or tropical plants into your outdoor gardens. Last year I had massive elephant ears that were amazing. I saved the tubers, but who knows if they will survive as I never have luck with that. But if they do, they will join Persian Shield and Fuschia Gartenmeister (provided I can find them) in pots in the back.

Move and Divide Front Gardens

The front gardens consist of two parts, the main garden which surrounds the vegetable garden (fenced area), and the border garden along the drive and porch. Over the years, some of the plants have become HUGE and crushed out other plants. This year is a year of moving and dividing. The yucca at the bottom of the drive border will be pulled and moved to the back yard. I’ll be putting down cardboard and soil on that bed to hopefully finally (!) choke out the lily of the valley, and will be planting Peach Melba Crocosmia in the space, along with some asters. In the photo above, I’ll be removing the metal edging, and in the dirt space I’ll be planting some creeping thyme which should flow right into the yard, as well as a few plantings of Lemon Coral Sedum (if I can find it). In terms of items crowded out or overgrown, I’ll need to divide the daisies in the driveway border and pull the Autumn Joy Sedum from up near the porch. Both of those will either go back by the yucca, or wind up out at the shelter. Our maple by the veg garden is growing leaps and bounds, and I know at some point in time the veg garden won’t be able to have vegetables any more and a lot of the garden in that area will become more shady. As it is, I water that bed regularly, but the drive border is hot, dry, full sun and stands on its own.

Vegetable Garden

We’ve been contemplating putting in a greenhouse where the vegetable garden now sits. With the maple, it wouldn’t be a long-term solution but it could be a great place to do some seed starting and expand the growing season earlier in spring and later in autumn. I’m giving more thought this year to what we grow our vegetable in. For a few years we’ve used those grow bags. I have been looking into instead using large jute bags they use for coffee bean transportation for the roasters. I have heard if you double them up, they can last a season or more as long as you don’t try to move them. And when they give out, they can be composted. Bob shared with me information about new pesticides that have been approved for use in the US, and it is concerning. Having a greenhouse or cold frame could be the thing that allows us to safely keep eating lettuce and arugula in colder months. Something else I’d like to try this year was a tip given by my friend Susan. She places two cloves of garlic in each of her veg containers, and says it grows along with the veg and seems to stop some of the insects from bothering the plants. I think it’s well worth a try! Last year’s tomato worms were disgusting!

Other Gardens

I have some ideas and plans for gardening at the shelter as well. I have been going back and forth between cardboard or tilling. I’d like to turn some of our invasive fields-gone-wild into native wildflower fields that help pollinators. And I’d like to make the beds by the front of the building and the pots look even better this year. I’ve also sent Mom so many ideas for her garden, I’d like to help her make some of them happen. Because isn’t gardening with others always more fun?! Let me know what items are on your 2026 Garden Resolutions list!