Meet me in the garden: 2026 Gardening Guide and Calendar

What if your garden could be more than plants? What if it could be your sanctuary, your classroom, your pantry and your link to generations past? That's the spirit behind the 2026 Gardening Guide and Calendar from the UC Master Gardeners of Placer County. With the theme "Meet Me in the Garden," this edition celebrates connection between people and plants, nature and community, beginners and lifelong gardeners. Each month blends local know-how with UCANR research. Think of it as a friendly coach by your side: practical, inspiring, and tuned to Placer County. A year of inspiration January opens with Nostalgia Gardening, including heirloom favorites like roses, lilacs, lavender and hollyhocks that carry family memories into today's landscapes. February spotlights Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a science-based way to identify pests, protect beneficial insects and choose least-toxic controls. March helps you recognize and manage invasive weeds before they take over. April introduces Wellness Gardens, designed to engage the senses, reduce stress and support health. In May, you'll learn how to keep fruit trees small and productive with simple pruning strategies that make harvesting easy. June celebrates seasonal eating from farmers' markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and local farms that keep our food fresh and our community strong. July offers hands-on tips for shade cloth and mulching to help plants cope with extreme heat. August turns to firescaping and defensible space, including new Zone 0 guidance for the first five feet around your home. September proves that beautiful, bountiful gardens can thrive in tight quarters with containers, vertical supports, and dwarf varieties. October focuses on keystone species, native plants that anchor ecosystems and sustain pollinators. November digs into the soil ecosystem, from compost and organic matter to the living microbes that make roots and gardens thrive. December closes with watershed mindfulness: slow it, spread it, sink it, store it. More than a calendar The Guide and Calendar is also a window into what Master Gardeners do. Our trained volunteers share research-based gardening knowledge through talks, workshops, school partnerships, and weekly farmers' market booths. We love helping neighbors solve real-world problems such as choosing the right plants, conserving water, building healthy soil, and managing pests safely. Visit our Loomis Demonstration Garden to see ideas in action: pollinator habitats, water-wise plantings, compost systems, edible landscapes, and more. Join us for Second Saturday tours or schedule a group visit. We also offer Reminiscence Gardening sessions in senior communities. These are sensory-rich activities that reconnect residents with the sights, scents, and textures of a garden. Signature events bring the community together. The free Garden Faire each April features timely topics, demos, kids' activities, and local vendors. The annual Mother's Day Garden Tour showcases inspiring home gardens and helps fund our educational programs. Why this guide matters The 2026 Gardening Guide and Calendar isn't just about plants. It's about people and places. It encourages first-time gardeners and gives seasoned hands fresh ideas. It strengthens neighborhood ties, builds resilience, and turns yards into habitat and harvest. Whether you want to honor a grandparent with hollyhocks, outsmart gophers without harming pollinators, or redesign your yard to be more fire-wise, this guide is a trustworthy companion for the year ahead. Month by month, it offers clear steps and gentle reminders to pause, dig in, and grow. Where to find it Look for the 2026 Gardening Guide and Calendar at local nurseries, farmers' markets, and community events, or visit pcmg.ucanr.edu for online purchase. Let 2026 be the year we meet in the garden, with each other, and with the joy of growing something that matters.