The annual UMass Garden Calendar, a long-standing tradition from UMass Extension, is back for 2026.

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Extension specialists have once again compiled the latest collection of uplifting images of garden and landscape plants well-suited for the Northeast for the new edition of the calendar, while also including its hallmark of timely, research-based home gardening tips on each day of the year, such as when to fertilize, how to manage pest infestations, or when to be especially tick aware.

New for the calendar in 2026 is a feature article about “Bees in the Massachusetts Garden.” While many are familiar with honeybees and bumblebees, there are hundreds of native bee species with fascinating traits and unique habitat needs. The calendar explains many “bee facts,” including that over 400 bee species call Massachusetts home, most bees in Massachusetts nest in the soil, that native plants are important resources for native pollinator species and that bees are active from spring through fall, so nectar and pollen-rich plants are important throughout many seasons.

The 2026 calendar offers insights as to what bees eat, where they live, and which plants are the best choice for supporting native pollinators. It also includes objectives for a bee-friendly garden, such as management practices, how to provide nesting substrate and provides examples of floral resources.

Each month of UMass Extension's Garden Calendar features:

• One large, inspiring garden image plus information about the image
• Daily gardening tips for Northeast growing conditions
• Daily sunrise and sunset times
• Phases of the moon
• Plenty of room for notes
• Low gloss paper for easy writing

The UMass Garden calendar, a wall calendar that measures 12.5” wide x 19” long when open, is $16 per calendar and wholesale pricing is available for businesses and retailers. Shipping is free on orders of 1-2 calendars throughout the season, and shipping will be free on orders of 3-10 calendars through Oct. 31.

To order the 2026 UMass Garden Calendar, visit the UMass Extension website.

Proceeds from the calendar’s sales help support the ongoing work of horticultural Extension at the UMass Amherst.