diff --git a/_includes/components/sections/recent-posts.njk b/_includes/components/sections/recent-posts.njk
index 6997c06..afb4b25 100644
--- a/_includes/components/sections/recent-posts.njk
+++ b/_includes/components/sections/recent-posts.njk
@@ -61,12 +61,12 @@
             <time-difference><time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
               {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
             </time></time-difference>
-            {% if post.data.category %}
+            {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
             <span class="post-categories">
               {% if post.data.category is string %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
               {% else %}
-              {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+              {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
               {% endfor %}
               {% endif %}
@@ -101,12 +101,12 @@
             <time-difference><time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
               {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
             </time></time-difference>
-            {% if post.data.category %}
+            {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
             <span class="post-categories">
               {% if post.data.category is string %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
               {% else %}
-              {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+              {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
               {% endfor %}
               {% endif %}
@@ -146,12 +146,12 @@
             <time-difference><time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
               {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
             </time></time-difference>
-            {% if post.data.category %}
+            {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
             <span class="post-categories">
               {% if post.data.category is string %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
               {% else %}
-              {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+              {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
               {% endfor %}
               {% endif %}
@@ -186,12 +186,12 @@
             <time-difference><time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
               {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
             </time></time-difference>
-            {% if post.data.category %}
+            {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
             <span class="post-categories">
               {% if post.data.category is string %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
               {% else %}
-              {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+              {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
               {% endfor %}
               {% endif %}
@@ -227,12 +227,12 @@
             <time-difference><time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
               {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
             </time></time-difference>
-            {% if post.data.category %}
+            {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
             <span class="post-categories">
               {% if post.data.category is string %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
               {% else %}
-              {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+              {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
               {% endfor %}
               {% endif %}
@@ -272,12 +272,12 @@
           <time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
             {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
           </time>
-          {% if post.data.category %}
+          {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
           <span class="post-categories">
             {% if post.data.category is string %}
             <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
             {% else %}
-            {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+            {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
             <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
             {% endfor %}
             {% endif %}
@@ -303,12 +303,12 @@
             {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
           </time></time-difference>
         </a>
-        {% if post.data.category %}
+        {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
         <span class="post-categories ml-2">
           {% if post.data.category is string %}
           <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
           {% else %}
-          {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+          {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
           <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
           {% endfor %}
           {% endif %}
diff --git a/_includes/layouts/post.njk b/_includes/layouts/post.njk
index 34439f6..2864de1 100644
--- a/_includes/layouts/post.njk
+++ b/_includes/layouts/post.njk
@@ -31,13 +31,13 @@ withBlogSidebar: true
     <time-difference><time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ date.toISOString() }}">
       {{ date | dateDisplay }}
     </time></time-difference>
-    {% if category %}
+    {% if category | withoutGardenTags %}
     <ul class="post-categories flex flex-wrap gap-2 list-none p-0 m-0" role="list" aria-label="Categories">
       {# Handle both string and array categories #}
       {% if category is string %}
       <li><a href="/categories/{{ category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ category }}</a></li>
       {% else %}
-      {% for cat in category %}
+      {% for cat in (category | withoutGardenTags) %}
       <li><a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a></li>
       {% endfor %}
       {% endif %}
@@ -233,11 +233,11 @@ withBlogSidebar: true
     {% if gardenStage %}
     <span data-pagefind-filter="garden-stage">{{ gardenStage }}</span>
     {% endif %}
-    {% if category %}
+    {% if category | withoutGardenTags %}
       {% if category is string %}
       <span data-pagefind-filter="category">{{ category }}</span>
       {% else %}
-      {% for cat in category %}
+      {% for cat in (category | withoutGardenTags) %}
       <span data-pagefind-filter="category">{{ cat }}</span>
       {% endfor %}
       {% endif %}
diff --git a/articles.njk b/articles.njk
index 300fcbc..27b054f 100644
--- a/articles.njk
+++ b/articles.njk
@@ -37,12 +37,12 @@ permalink: "articles/{% if pagination.pageNumber > 0 %}page/{{ pagination.pageNu
         <time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
           {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
         </time>
-        {% if post.data.category %}
+        {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
         <span class="post-categories">
           {% if post.data.category is string %}
           <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
           {% else %}
-          {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+          {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
           <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
           {% endfor %}
           {% endif %}
diff --git a/blog.njk b/blog.njk
index 7b8bb8e..14d21ee 100644
--- a/blog.njk
+++ b/blog.njk
@@ -69,12 +69,12 @@ permalink: "blog/{% if pagination.pageNumber > 0 %}page/{{ pagination.pageNumber
             <time-difference><time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
               {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
             </time></time-difference>
-            {% if post.data.category %}
+            {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
             <span class="post-categories">
               {% if post.data.category is string %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
               {% else %}
-              {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+              {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
               {% endfor %}
               {% endif %}
@@ -109,12 +109,12 @@ permalink: "blog/{% if pagination.pageNumber > 0 %}page/{{ pagination.pageNumber
             <time-difference><time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
               {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
             </time></time-difference>
-            {% if post.data.category %}
+            {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
             <span class="post-categories">
               {% if post.data.category is string %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
               {% else %}
-              {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+              {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
               {% endfor %}
               {% endif %}
@@ -154,12 +154,12 @@ permalink: "blog/{% if pagination.pageNumber > 0 %}page/{{ pagination.pageNumber
             <time-difference><time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
               {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
             </time></time-difference>
-            {% if post.data.category %}
+            {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
             <span class="post-categories">
               {% if post.data.category is string %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
               {% else %}
-              {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+              {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
               {% endfor %}
               {% endif %}
@@ -194,12 +194,12 @@ permalink: "blog/{% if pagination.pageNumber > 0 %}page/{{ pagination.pageNumber
             <time-difference><time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
               {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
             </time></time-difference>
-            {% if post.data.category %}
+            {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
             <span class="post-categories">
               {% if post.data.category is string %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
               {% else %}
-              {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+              {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
               {% endfor %}
               {% endif %}
@@ -233,12 +233,12 @@ permalink: "blog/{% if pagination.pageNumber > 0 %}page/{{ pagination.pageNumber
             <time-difference><time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
               {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
             </time></time-difference>
-            {% if post.data.category %}
+            {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
             <span class="post-categories">
               {% if post.data.category is string %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
               {% else %}
-              {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+              {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
               {% endfor %}
               {% endif %}
@@ -278,12 +278,12 @@ permalink: "blog/{% if pagination.pageNumber > 0 %}page/{{ pagination.pageNumber
           <time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
             {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
           </time>
-          {% if post.data.category %}
+          {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
           <span class="post-categories">
             {% if post.data.category is string %}
             <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
             {% else %}
-            {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+            {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
             <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
             {% endfor %}
             {% endif %}
@@ -307,12 +307,12 @@ permalink: "blog/{% if pagination.pageNumber > 0 %}page/{{ pagination.pageNumber
             {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
           </time></time-difference>
         </a>
-        {% if post.data.category %}
+        {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
         <span class="post-categories ml-2">
           {% if post.data.category is string %}
           <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
           {% else %}
-          {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+          {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
           <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
           {% endfor %}
           {% endif %}
diff --git a/bookmarks.njk b/bookmarks.njk
index d1e6dbb..218cf19 100644
--- a/bookmarks.njk
+++ b/bookmarks.njk
@@ -39,12 +39,12 @@ permalink: "bookmarks/{% if pagination.pageNumber > 0 %}page/{{ pagination.pageN
         <time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
           {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
         </time>
-        {% if post.data.category %}
+        {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
         <span class="post-categories">
           {% if post.data.category is string %}
           <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
           {% else %}
-          {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+          {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
           <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
           {% endfor %}
           {% endif %}
diff --git a/content/content.11tydata.js b/content/content.11tydata.js
index 2b485b5..45d36b5 100644
--- a/content/content.11tydata.js
+++ b/content/content.11tydata.js
@@ -14,9 +14,39 @@ const normalizePermalink = (permalink) => {
   return permalink;
 };
 
+/** Valid garden stages — keep in sync with eleventy.config.js gardenStageInfo */
+const GARDEN_STAGES = new Set([
+  "plant", "cultivate", "evergreen", "question", "repot", "revitalize", "revisit",
+]);
+
+const GARDEN_PREFIX = "garden/";
+
+/**
+ * Derive gardenStage from nested tags/categories (e.g. "garden/cultivate")
+ * if the post doesn't already have an explicit gardenStage frontmatter property.
+ * Handles both string and array values for `category` and `tags`.
+ * Works with or without a leading `#`.
+ */
+const deriveGardenStage = (data) => {
+  if (data.gardenStage) return data.gardenStage;
+  const fields = [data.category, data.tags].flat().filter(Boolean);
+  for (const tag of fields) {
+    const clean = String(tag).replace(/^#/, "");
+    if (clean.startsWith(GARDEN_PREFIX)) {
+      const stage = clean.slice(GARDEN_PREFIX.length);
+      if (GARDEN_STAGES.has(stage)) return stage;
+    }
+  }
+  return undefined;
+};
+
 export default {
   layout: "layouts/post.njk",
   eleventyComputed: {
     permalink: (data) => normalizePermalink(data.permalink),
+    // Derive gardenStage from nested tags if not set explicitly in frontmatter.
+    // A post with category: [garden/cultivate, dev] gets gardenStage: "cultivate"
+    // automatically, with no other changes needed downstream.
+    gardenStage: (data) => deriveGardenStage(data),
   },
 };
diff --git a/eleventy.config.js b/eleventy.config.js
index b6526a8..8ee491a 100644
--- a/eleventy.config.js
+++ b/eleventy.config.js
@@ -950,6 +950,18 @@ export default function (eleventyConfig) {
     return stages[stage] || null;
   });
 
+  // Strip garden/* tags from a category list so they don't render as
+  // plain category pills alongside the garden badge.
+  eleventyConfig.addFilter("withoutGardenTags", (categories) => {
+    if (!categories) return categories;
+    const arr = Array.isArray(categories) ? categories : [categories];
+    const filtered = arr.filter(
+      (c) => !String(c).replace(/^#/, "").startsWith("garden/"),
+    );
+    if (!Array.isArray(categories)) return filtered[0] ?? null;
+    return filtered;
+  });
+
   // Collections for different post types
   // Note: content path is content/ due to symlink structure
   // "posts" shows ALL content types combined
@@ -1057,6 +1069,8 @@ export default function (eleventyConfig) {
         const cats = Array.isArray(item.data.category) ? item.data.category : [item.data.category];
         cats.forEach((cat) => {
           if (cat && typeof cat === 'string' && cat.trim()) {
+            // Exclude garden/* tags — they're rendered as garden badges, not categories
+            if (cat.replace(/^#/, "").startsWith("garden/")) return;
             const slug = slugify(cat.trim());
             if (slug && !categoryMap.has(slug)) {
               categoryMap.set(slug, cat.trim());
diff --git a/likes.njk b/likes.njk
index ef4e637..f9ef35f 100644
--- a/likes.njk
+++ b/likes.njk
@@ -37,12 +37,12 @@ permalink: "likes/{% if pagination.pageNumber > 0 %}page/{{ pagination.pageNumbe
             <time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
               {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
             </time>
-            {% if post.data.category %}
+            {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
             <span class="post-categories">
               {% if post.data.category is string %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
               {% else %}
-              {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+              {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
               {% endfor %}
               {% endif %}
diff --git a/notes.njk b/notes.njk
index 1a6ed8d..e4da5d2 100644
--- a/notes.njk
+++ b/notes.njk
@@ -32,12 +32,12 @@ permalink: "notes/{% if pagination.pageNumber > 0 %}page/{{ pagination.pageNumbe
             {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
           </time>
         </a>
-        {% if post.data.category %}
+        {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
         <span class="post-categories ml-2">
           {% if post.data.category is string %}
           <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
           {% else %}
-          {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+          {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
           <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
           {% endfor %}
           {% endif %}
diff --git a/photos.njk b/photos.njk
index 4b0f091..48fd666 100644
--- a/photos.njk
+++ b/photos.njk
@@ -30,12 +30,12 @@ permalink: "photos/{% if pagination.pageNumber > 0 %}page/{{ pagination.pageNumb
         <time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
           {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
         </time>
-        {% if post.data.category %}
+        {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
         <span class="post-categories">
           {% if post.data.category is string %}
           <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
           {% else %}
-          {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+          {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
           <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
           {% endfor %}
           {% endif %}
diff --git a/replies.njk b/replies.njk
index 140d323..6553335 100644
--- a/replies.njk
+++ b/replies.njk
@@ -42,12 +42,12 @@ permalink: "replies/{% if pagination.pageNumber > 0 %}page/{{ pagination.pageNum
             <time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
               {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
             </time>
-            {% if post.data.category %}
+            {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
             <span class="post-categories">
               {% if post.data.category is string %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
               {% else %}
-              {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+              {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
               {% endfor %}
               {% endif %}
diff --git a/reposts.njk b/reposts.njk
index b715e7e..f9e9cb4 100644
--- a/reposts.njk
+++ b/reposts.njk
@@ -42,12 +42,12 @@ permalink: "reposts/{% if pagination.pageNumber > 0 %}page/{{ pagination.pageNum
             <time class="dt-published font-mono text-sm" datetime="{{ post.date | isoDate }}">
               {{ post.date | dateDisplay }}
             </time>
-            {% if post.data.category %}
+            {% if post.data.category | withoutGardenTags %}
             <span class="post-categories">
               {% if post.data.category is string %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ post.data.category | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ post.data.category }}</a>
               {% else %}
-              {% for cat in post.data.category %}
+              {% for cat in (post.data.category | withoutGardenTags) %}
               <a href="/categories/{{ cat | slugify }}/" class="p-category">{{ cat }}</a>
               {% endfor %}
               {% endif %}