Welcoming a New Bloom and Planning a 2026 Garden.

Cordova Garden Series Pt. 4

Since last week, our family has welcomed a beautiful new addition, which has naturally slowed things down a bit. My focus has shifted from hands-on physical work in the garden to slower, more reflective activities—like garden planning and taking stock of my seed collection. Fortunately, I measured the garden space right after we moved into our new home, so I didn’t need to venture out into the cold to do it now.

I began by sketching the growing area as accurately to scale as I could. My plan is to create around seven 3x8-foot in ground beds and seven 3x12-foot beds. I’ve also allocated ten 3-gallon grow bags, I have an idea for a dedicated potato patch, and I’ll use the raised patio area for vertical growing—making the most of every available space.

With the layout in mind, I started thinking about what I’d like to eat this coming spring. For me, that means plenty of greens and root vegetables, along with some early flowers and a few herbs. Certain spring and summer crops can be started indoors early, but not quite yet—not in mid-December, anyway.

My early-start list includes hardy favorites like kale, collards, various lettuces, and snap peas. For herbs, I’ll begin with parsley and cilantro. And for flowers, I’m excited to get snapdragons, lavender, and calendula going—these are just the beginning.

Next up is a full seed inventory, a task I’ve been meaning to tackle for ages. Thanks to this quieter period, I finally have the time. It should take about a week. I’ve been collecting and buying seeds for years, and since last year I’ve been diligently saving my own. The collection has grown substantially, but I want to be intentional: use the oldest seeds first (first in, first out) and replenish any favorite varieties that are running low.

For example, I know Cora adores the ‘Champagne Bubbles’ cherry tomato, so that’s definitely staying on the grow list—and I’ll make sure to save seeds from it again. Remarkably, just two or three cherry tomatoes can provide enough seed for one or two seasons.

Proper seed storage is key, too. Keep them dry, dark, and cool. Despite the “packed for” dates on commercial packets, seeds don’t truly expire; their germination rate simply declines over time. When that happens, you can compensate by sowing a few extra seeds to ensure good success.

Once the inventory and planning are complete, I’ll move on to starting seeds and finalizing the layouts for my spring, summer, and late-fall gardens. Stay tuned—next week I’ll dive into the details of my seed-starting process, how I organize everything, and how I set up my indoor growing space for the 2026 Cordova Garden. I can’t wait to see how it all turns out. No matter what, something will grow—and it will be beautiful!

Until then,

Serena | The Wild Bloom Garden and Farm Café