Seed Ordering 2026: What I'm Growing This Year

The annual ritual. The seed catalog appeared in December, and I've been adding and removing things from the order for weeks. Here's what I've settled on for 2026.

Tomatoes

The Brandywine is coming back — absolutely no debate on that. I'm also keeping the Sungold because life without Sungolds in August feels bleak. The new addition this year is San Marzano, the classic Italian plum tomato. Long, meaty, low in water — perfect for roasting down into sauce. I want to make a proper batch of passata to store for winter.

Vegetables

Borlotti beans are back. Two cucumber plants, maximum. I'm adding courgettes this year for the first time — I've been intimidated by them because they're famous for producing more fruit than anyone could possibly eat, but I've decided to embrace that. The plan is to harvest them small, when they're at their best.

I'm also trying beetroot for the first time. I love eating it but have never grown it. It's apparently very straightforward, and I like the idea of having those deep purple roots to pull out in autumn.

Flowers

This is new for me — I'm adding a small patch of cutting flowers to the allotment this year. Zinnias and cosmos specifically, both of which are easy to grow and produce flowers from midsummer all the way to frost. The plan is to have fresh flowers on the terrace table all summer. Practical, beautiful, and good for the pollinators.