Many Many Plants added to our Lineup for 2026!

We're excited to open this season with so many new plants. Our growers have significantly expanded their catalogue of plants, and so we can as well. You can browse the new plants most easily on our website by following the menu items through Shop - New for 2026 - New Items. (Link) Here are some of the highlights. Really, I tried to keep this short, but I'm in love with so many of the new additions. Please don't make me choose!

New Native Plants - Our Growers went a little wild

Over the last few years the demand for native plants has simply exploded, and growers are stepping up to keep pace. We have some new asters to add to the others we already had. You may have noticed that asters are getting renamed to either Eurybia or Symphyotrichum, so look under those latin names if you can't find your Aster. This year we have added Short's Aster and Heart Leaved Aster. You'll also find that we have White Heath Aster, New England Aster, Large Leaved Aster, White Wood Aster, and Smooth Aster among our native asters, and several cultivars of those as well. So many asters! There is an aster for every garden.

We also have some new goldenrods. You might think of goldenrod as that huge thug that grows along the side of the highway. Actually, it's a whole family of plants called Solidago, and many are better behaved. To add a boost to your fall pollinator support and feed those butterflies, native bees and wasps, and, well everyone else before the snow flies, consider adding Stiff Goldenrod (Solidago rigida), Upland White Goldenrod (Solidago ptarmicoides) or Zigzag Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis).

There are a couple of native plants that I recommend for a wet spot in your garden, Hoary Vervain (Verbena stricta) Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) and Sweet Gale (Myrica gale). I've had hoary vervain in my own garden for a few years in a very sub optimal spot where it has too much competition and doesn't get enough sun, but it survives none the less and flowers every year.

Many New Shrubs

Our shrub supplier is huge. There is no possible way we could add all of their plants to our store. So, instead, every season Marg and I take a look and make a selection. If you are looking for any particular shrubs, please let us know and we'll be happy to take a look to see what is available for you. To that end we've added a selection of Rhododendrons, Roses, and Lilacs (Syringa) to our website. Such beautiful flowers to bring to your garden.

We've got new hydrangeas, Bush Honeysuckle and small Nativars.

New Hydrangeas

Including Bouncy, Bubble Bath, Dragon Baby, Hot Sauce, Toy Soldier Oakleaf have been added to our website. There is a constant stream of new hydrangeas appearing from the various breeders. These look the most promising to me. If you have heard about another, again, just ask us.

More Bush Honeysuckle

Bush honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera) has been a favourite of mine for years, because it is a native shrub that has a bronze tinge to its leaves. Almost every other native shrub is, well, just green. Bloomin' Easy has come out with the Firefly series of bush honeysuckles with more strongly coloured leaves that are a cross between Diervilla lonicer and Diervilla sessilifolia (both natives). These are good strong growers with yellow flowers.

Small Nativars

There are a couple of small shrubs that deserve special mention. There is a new version of Fragrant Sumac, ( Rhus aromatica Lacette) that stays smaller and has more finely textured leaves. Also, we should be able to get the "Gro Low" Fragrant Sumac that was out of stock for most of last season.

Proven Winners has come out with a small cultivar of Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa Low Scape Snowfire) that will give a good show of white spring flowers followed by black berries and great fall colour.

New Versions of Old Favourite Perennials

Every year there are new perennials brought to market. Our grower tends to be a bit conservative, and is likely to wait a season or two to see how plants do elsewhere before bringing them into her lineup. So, I have quite good confidence when she does. Usually the new cultivars come with new colours, better vibrancy, new heights or disease resistance. This year the lineups of Hyssop (Agastache), Garden Phlox, Beardtongues (Penstemon), Catmint (Nepeta), Bee Balm (Monarda), and Tickseed (Coreopsis) have some new items.

The Mondarda bradburiana has amazing leaves with a purple hue throughout the season.

The new Delphinium, Laser Beam, positively glows.

If you are looking for something a little different, check out Turkish or Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis). Years ago someone sent me a photo of phlomis asking what it was - it took me two years to find out! Now I have the yellow one in my garden. It did take a couple of years for it to get settled, but now it blooms reliably and I have moved a division elsewhere already. (This photo is from my garden!)

Given the lingering winter weather, now is a great time to put your feet up and visit your favourite virtual garden center.