2026's Best New Plants!

While it's a bit soon to start planting, this time of year is great for dreaming and making plans for the upcoming season.

- - Sherri Ribbey

Everyone has tried-and-true favorites, but leaving space for a few new plants is always a good idea—you might just find one that performs even better than your old standbys.

We've researched the new plant offerings for 2026 and have found this year's top picks are a flowery bunch in a wide range of colors, shapes and sizes. Even better, many of them are deer resistant! You'll notice that the trend in compact varieties hasn't slowed down, so whether you have a small garden or are running out of room in a big border, these smaller versions of shrubs and perennials will expand your plant palette. Let's take a look at some fascinating new plants for 2026.

Skyward™ Light Pink speedwell Veronica hybrid

More compact than other veronica varieties, Skyward Light Pink has clusters of spikes starting in late spring, and they keep going through summer, enticing lots of pollinators.

'Passion Hearts' fernleaf bleeding heart Dicentra hybrid This low-growing perennial is tougher than it looks, putting on quite a show near the front of the border. Its ferny blue foliage is topped off with an abundance of heart-shaped bicolor pink blooms in spring, but it doesn't stop there. Flowers keep coming through summer, even in the heat.

Orange Sparkler dianthus Dianthus hybrid Part of the Scent First® series, this fragrant dianthus has unusual orange blooms with hot pink flecks in spring and makes a great cut flower. It reblooms off and on through summer, with silver-blue foliage to keep the garden interesting when the flowers take a break.

'Prairie Princess' ironweed Vernonia hybrid With its smaller size and sturdy stems, this new ironweed doesn't splay open like the species. Its upright stems are covered in late-summer to early-fall blooms, making it a late-season pollinator favorite.