An Early, Early Look at 2026 Projects and To-Do List - January 2026

Each year, I try to create a garden to-do list that forces me to prioritize what I work on and by publishing it here on the blog, creates a situation where I become accountable to delivering on the items in the list. 

That final to-do list is based on a process where I think-thru (and write out) some priority projects in the Winter/Spring.  And, starting in 2024, I also created a draft version of some potential items that I called an "early look at potential projects".  I did that same thing in 2025 with another 'early look' that ended up having 18 items in bullet-list format.  I think that almost every one of the eighteen ended up (in some form) on my final list, so the exercise was useful.

That list last year was posted in March.  We're sitting here in the early days of January.  So, I'm going to call this one an "Early, Early" list.  And, I'll reserve the right to update this with an 'early list' later this Spring.  

The easiest place to start is my with my scorecard from last year.  I ended with eight (8) incomplete items on the list:

4. Finish garden edits from 2024. Incomplete.  The 'nook' rallied on its own.  I added a few more All Golds from the Morton Sale and three upright blue conifers near the pizza oven.  But, have more to do:  move Alliums, add grasses.  

7. Add more "Garden Personality". Incomplete.

10. Work on garden "Legibility". Incomplete.  Not enough repetition.  Not enough edges. 

12. Create/expand the Patio bed. Incomplete.  But, something I will do in Fall.

17. Upgrade the Lights and Water feature. Incomplete.

23. Fall project: More Lazy bed extensions. Incomplete.  Snow came early.  Will have to do this in January.  

24. Plot the garden path on the north side. Incomplete.  Did I do anything for this?  No.  But, did I plant anything in the way?  Also no.

25. Plant fall bulbs. Incomplete.  Didn't plant ANY. 

I'm going to compile my list into geographies/areas of the garden, just to make it easier (for me).  I'll include these in some of the sections below.

Backyard:

• #4 from above.  Finish the edits.  That means the pizza oven bed and tree swing bed.  Plant the stachys around the 3 Wichita Blue Junipers, too.  
• Amend and expand the pizza oven beds.
• #12 above: Expand the patio beds.  
• #23 above.  See expand patio beds. 
• Finish the pizza oven.  Soapstone counter/landing is installed.  It looks great.  Finish the brick veneer. And the roof.   Install the peel racks.  Think about the kitchen area, too. 
• Install an arbor.  And a garden bench.  I was gifted both of these for X-mas.  Install them.  Not sure where, yet...  Could this be the answer for #24 above:  a garden path?
• #10 above:  Legibility.  Use edging.  Wood ones.  Or metal ones.  Pick a spot.  Boardwalk?  Lindens?  Patio?
• #17 above:  Do something better with water.
• Use the vertical garden for cut flower accent plants. Try to find Pennycress.   Load up a row with eucalyptus.  
• Three-part compost project:  Turn the bins, make a new sign and clean-up the feet of the bins.
• Build a cut flower garden near the patio.  Raised beds?  
• Use more annuals.  White Polka Dot plant for repetition brightens up shady spots.  Inferno Coleus is a star. 
• Repetition, not diversity.  Chartreuse on the Loose Nepeta is one to keep buying.   More Lucky Charm Anemone, too. 
• Replace Oakleaf Hydrangeas. Dang rabbits. Maybe add a few Thujas, too. 

Sideyard:

• Renovate the back-half of the gravel path with fabric and fresh gravel.
• Build another fairy garden building for personality (#7 above).
• Plant boardwalk (again).
• Extend dahlia beds on northside.
• Plant the old and new dahlias.  But, build the frames EARLY in the season.

Front yard: 

• Extend the island bed, the Saratoga Ginkgo bed and the front porch bed.
• Amend the IB2DWs soil for dahlias.
• Plant MORE dahlias up here.
• Plant more coleus.  Inferno is a star. 
• Conifers should come first.  And, maybe another Korean Maple?
• Store peonies for later in the season. 
• Plant a bulb lawn in front.  Eek. 

Containers:

• Do better ones, of course.
• Try a dwarf Ginkgo in a container. 

That's 28 items (so far).  Time to edit and prioritize.