If you caught my last garden post, you know I’m growing with a purpose, every plant and flower plays a role in my cake decorating. Some become buttercream flowers, inspire color palettes, and other make their way into recipes.
Last time I talked about peonies, hydrangeas, lilies, sunflowers and marigolds, all of which are still very much part of the plan. Right now though, things are in that in-between stage. We’ve had late snow and cold temperatures, and while I’m just starting to see signs of life outside, everything I started indoors is now outside all day and getting close to staying out all night. (zone 4 problems)
The good news is that everything I started indoors is now pretty much outside all day and getting close to staying out all night.
In This Post
Spring 2026 Garden Update
The marigolds didn’t take long to sprout. These were seeds I saved from last year, so they are very fresh and germinated fast. I ended up with around 20 plants that almost all have flowers, and have been visited by spring bees already. They should hopefully (if weather stays nice) get planted outside in the next couple of weeks.
A fun fact about marigolds: if you save seeds from a hybrid variety, the blooms can revert back to traits from a parent plant rather than matching what you grew. The ones I started with a couple of years ago turned out to be hybrids, so every year has been a bit of a surprise.
This year I ended up with some bi-colored blooms, which means mine cross-pollinated somewhere along the way last year since I didn’t have any last season. I’m kind of obsessed with them.
I’ve been watching for any signs of growth from my perennials, and things are finally starting to move. My peony has growth above ground, and my phlox is coming back too. The raspberries (which I forgot to mention in my last post) are also starting to sprout.
I’ve also partially uncovered my hydrangea. There are still some cool temperatures in the 14-day forecast, and I’m, not taking any chances.
New Garden Additions
Bulbs, Corms and Tubers: The Flower Side of The Garden
I was at the store picking up more soil to pot up the marigolds and came home with a few extra things. No regrets. 😅
Ranunculus: I picked up an assorted mix, so I genuinely have no idea what’s coming up and I love that. I already piped ranunculus in Part 2 of my 100+ Buttercream Flower Challenge, but never from real-life reference. I pre-sprouted around 30 corms expecting a few losses and to my surprise, I only lost one to rot. Now I have more ranunculus than I know what to do with. What I find interesting about these is how there seems to be a variety of leaf shapes. I’m excited to see what the blooms look like for each, and what colors will emerge.
I’ve never grown these before, but from what I’ve read, they don’t like the heat. I’m hoping the blooms establish before the heat hits in June.
Dahlia Edinburgh: I piped a cactus variety dahlia in Part 3 of my 100+ Buttercream Flower Challenge, but this one is a decorative variety in deep purple petals with white edges. That color fade is going to be really interesting to work with in buttercream. I took the extra sprouts and rooted them in a separate pot, so I have a couple dahlia plants to work with. I usually buy dahlias already started, so growing them is new for me.
Some others that will be going in the ground soon:
Gladiolus Orleans: honestly the one I’m most curious about from a piping perspective. The way the florets open along the stem is going to make for a fun challenge to translate. I haven’t had glads in my garden for a few years, and I cannot wait for these.
Yellow County Lily: adding to what’s already growing, because more lily varieties means more reference. I’ve also been looking for a taller variety in general, and this one is supposed to reach anywhere between 30 to 48 inches. When I moved a couple of my existing lilies to make room, they already had sprouts on them just below the surface.
Liatris: can’t say I have ever seen these in person before, but I was intrigued by the texture and shape of it. Something a bit different, and I’m not sure how I will incorporate these into decorating.
The gladiolus, liatris, and lily bulbs have all gone in the ground now, the waiting game begins.
Overall, I think I have a nice mix of colors and textures, which are from TASC.
Seeds and Herbs: The Baking Side of The Garden
Not everything growing out here is purely for decorating reference.
I’ve started lavender seeds which have sprouted into the tiniest, most fragrant little plants. I started them partly for decoration and partly for recipes.
I also started some mint and zucchini, which will absolutely make their way into some tasty recipes later in the season, so stay tuned for that!
And…I may have planted a pumpkin. I saved seeds from a Baby Pam I grew last year, so I had to try at least one. Between pumpkin spice cake, pumpkin pie, and edible squash blooms, it felt like the right decision.
Pansies and violas are still on the buy list. They’re one of my favorite edible flowers, and honestly one of my favorite flowers to pipe in buttercream too, so they earn their spot on both sides of this garden.
Final Notes
It’s so very easy to go into gardening a little blindly and end up with more than you planned for. More seeds, more plants, more ideas than you know what to do with. But honestly, that’s part of the fun.
This garden isn’t just growing, it’s part of the creative process. Every bloom turns into an idea, whether that’s a new piping technique, a color palette, or a recipe. Which, aside from just standing outside and admiring everything, is my favorite part.
The gladiolus actually brought back a memory. Years ago, my cat used to sit out in the garden with me, sniffing the flowers and rolling around in the dirt. I still have a photo of her inspecting some gladiolus cuttings from my old balcony garden.
It’s a good reminder that this space has always been more than just plants.
Happy decorating (or gardening)! 👩🌾
