6 Plants to Inspire your 2026 Garden

6 Plants to Inspire your 2026 Garden

Author: Golden Acre Home and Garden November 14, 2025 Duration: 23:26

Have you ever stood in the nursery aisle feeling totally overwhelmed by choices? Do you have a Pinterest board full of inspiration but not sure how to narrow it down? Well, the National Garden Bureau (NGB) just gave us the ultimate planting list for a little inspiration. They recently announced their official "Year Of" selections for 2026, and it’s a super helpful list covering everything from shade lovers to spicy edibles.

The NGB picks a handful of plants each year across six major categories—annuals, edibles, bulbs, perennials, shrubs, and houseplants—to shine a spotlight on, giving us all permission to become experts on these specific beauties. I don't know about you, but it's nice to find these lists for a little nudge to get the ball rolling on a planning sesh.



----------------------

CONNECT WITH US

Thank you so much for supporting our podcast and for making the world a more planty place. Please subscribe, leave a rating or review and listen in for new gardening discussions every week! Golden Acre Home & Garden is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and open 362 a year for all your home and garden needs!

Show Notes | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.goldenacre.ca/podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thehelpfulgardenerspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave us a Voice Note: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.goldenacre.ca/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


CREDITS

Hosted by: Brandi Warren & Colin Hayles

Voiceover by: Kaelan Shimp⁠⁠

Music by: Forestmusic



Ever find yourself staring at a wilting houseplant or a patch of backyard dirt, unsure where to even begin? That's the exact spot where The Helpful Gardeners finds its footing. This isn't a lecture from a distant expert; it's a conversation between two people who genuinely love turning spaces into places. Colin brings his certification and decades of hands-in-the-dirt knowledge from working in all sorts of climates, while Brandi comes at it with a beginner's curiosity and the willingness to ask the questions you might be thinking yourself. Each episode of this podcast from Golden Acre Home and Garden feels like pulling up a chair in a friendly, sunlit shed. You'll hear practical, real-world advice on everything from landscaping fundamentals and seasonal garden tasks to keeping your indoor jungle thriving. They tackle specific problems, share successes and failures, and break down complex topics into manageable steps. Released three times a week, this regular dose of guidance aims to build your confidence, whether you're cultivating a windowsill herb garden or planning a major backyard overhaul. Tune in for the kind of relatable, grounded chat that makes the whole process feel less like a chore and more like a rewarding discovery.
Author: Language: en-ca Episodes: 100

The Helpful Gardeners
Podcast Episodes
BONUS: Garden Surprises [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:49
Have you seen mystery items pop up in your garden? A shell? A peanut? A new plant? Let us know!Leave a Voice Note: ⁠⁠⁠⁠LINK⁠
GARDEN COURT: Curb Your Appeal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:55
What's the deal with curb appeal? We delve into the subjective nature of curb appeal, the balance between personal expression and neighborhood harmony, and the local regulations that govern property aesthetics. What are…
BONUS: Springo! Signs of Spring [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:06
Colin found another sign of spring in his garden this week! What are you seeing in your community?
Let's Google It [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:21
Google is a common tool for gardeners to diagnose plant issues which can be helpful especially for those weird questions you feel dumb for uttering out loud, but it can also problematic as some scenarios require a fuller…
BONUS: Flower Dating Reality TV [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:55
I think it's time to get back in the garden... Brandi has been deep in the reality TV and it's gone too far...
Engaging with Nature: Earth Week [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:42
The gardeners are on the road this week in downtown Calgary for Earth Week at the Core Shopping Centre! Exploring a fun craft for the kiddos, some fun Earth Day activities across Canada, and 11 low effect ways to celebra…
BONUS: Colin's Sign of Spring [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:33
What is your first signal that spring is here? Find out what Colin and Brandi consider to be theirs!
Spring Awakening: What to Find at Your Local Garden Center [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:16
As the spring growing season gets underway, what can you find growing at your local greenhouse? The gardeners explore iconic spring flowers, the benefits of buying some of your annuals early, climatizing or hardening off…
Who’s Been Digging in the Dirt? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:31
Someone was lurking in Brandi's garden this week...We're explore some of the common critters you may find in your backyard at any time of the day and what they may be interested in. What kind of natural deterrents and pr…
BONUS: We Went to a Seed Swap [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:54
Brandi and Colin BOTH attended their first seed swap a little while ago! Find out what their experiences were like!Check out our episode on Seed Swaps!