Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Nelson.
Angela, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Our Owner & Horticulturist, Angela Nelson, received her bachelor degree in horticulture science from Michigan State University and is also a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. She has over 30 years of experience in the green industry working and volunteering with plants, gardens, and landscaping.
Angela began her nursery operations in 2018, as she was finishing her last semester at Michigan State University, where she earned her Bachelor Degree in Horticulture Science.
While working her way through college, Angela worked at the MSU Arboretum and interned in the Annual Gardens at the MSU Horticultural Demonstration Gardens. For several years, she was also a student teaching assistant for the winter tree identification course.
Angela is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie tribe of Chippewa Indians, and attributes her heritage as a reason why she has such a passion for our native Michigan flora… …although she didn’t realize it, at first!
Angela returned to her roots and found her love for native plants, insects and wildlife while she worked for a local nature center during her time at college. While working there, she was given the opportunity to design, install and maintain a public butterfly house. This experience broadened her knowledge of our Michigan native (and non-native) pollinators and how they tie into our local eco-systems.
While installing the butterfly house, Angela had a hard time finding the straight species plants that are needed by our native butterflies for egg-laying. When she did find native plants that weren’t cultivars, she had to drive a long way, and that usually meant that the plants weren’t grown or sourced locally. Often times, the plants she found were so small that they didn’t survive the season or took too long to mature. It was, also, tremendously difficult to find plants that were grown completely insecticide-free and safe for caterpillars to eat. However, these challenges pointed her in the direction of bringing strong-rooted, garden-sized, healthy, pesticide-free straight species native plants to the general public in and around her home of the beautiful eastern lower peninsula of Michigan.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not long after opening the nursery, Angela was diagnosed with breast cancer. Thankfully, she is able to count herself among the many brave cancer survivors who have fought and beat the disease. With the help of her amazing support system, especially her husband Jim, Angela forged on and kept the nursery operating during treatment.
Being a cancer survivor hasn’t slowed her down, either! In fact, this year she launched a sister company in answer to one of the biggest challenges of owning a nursery: the seasonality of the business. Because we can only sell plants for a limited amount of time per year, there are several months during the fall and winter when there is no incoming revenue.
Angela A’s Floral and Botanical Farm is an opportunity to offer products made with our native plants, such as jams, jellies, and syrups. It is also a chance for us to practice and share Anishinaabe agriculture and to explore other plants that don’t necessarily fall under the native umbrella.
Angel A’s also offers grave blankets and floral arrangements that blend native plants with more mainstream varieties. With these cross over products, Angela hopes to raise awareness about native plants and ecology while also extending the seasonal revenue stream.
We’ve been impressed with East Michigan Native Plants, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are a native plant nursery offering over 100 species of perennial wildflowers, grass, trees, and shrubs that are native to Michigan. These native plants fit beautifully into existing landscapes and have evolved to thrive in our Michigan climate. Once established, they need little to no intervention.
One of the reasons that we are so passionate about what we do is that native plants are essential to supporting the ecosystems and food webs of Michigan. Much of the native vegetation has been removed or destroyed due to development and being outcompeted by introduced plant species from other countries. The wildlife that depend on these plants for survival are also in decline because the plants they have coevolved with have become increasingly scarce.
Our nursery helps make it possible for homeowners and community organizations to help restore our beautiful landscapes and to ensure future populations of the wildlife with whom we share this land and depend on for our own survival.
All of our native plants are grown from Michigan genotype seed that is hand collected by us primarily on our own property. Seed collection from other properties is performed with the permission of the land owner. If extra seed is needed, we purchase un-treated seed from reputable companies and use Michigan and Midwest genotypes and sources whenever possible.
With the exception of spring seedling starting, we primarily grow our plants outdoors in order to emulate their natural environmental conditions. Native perennials are overwintered outside in true winter conditions.
In the early spring months, our low tunnels are covered (as pictured here), cleaned and inspected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture. These thin poly-plastic coverings are in place only until Memorial Day, when they are removed and replaced by shade cloths, which cover them for the rest of the growing season. This helps to prevent high heat and sun scalding of plants and eliminates their need for extra water. Other than shade cloths and watering when needed, our native plants are grown in the outdoor environmental conditions of our Michigan climate.
Due to our small parking area, we host guest retail shoppers by appointment only. Private shopping is available Wednesdays through Fridays during the growing season (May 15th – Oct 1st), and also on weekends whenever we are not booked for fundraiser sales. Many weekends we are on the road with our full mobile nursery doing fundraiser events and pop-up sales around Michigan, we try to get to as many areas as we can each season. We also have occasional “open house” dates at the nursery when appointments are not necessary.
Angela also offers home consultations as well as garden design and installation services. She does workshops and presentations for organizations, schools, and garden groups as well.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
One of my favorite childhood memories is “driving” with my dad. I was probably somewhere between five and eight years old, and on the way home from church on Sunday mornings, out on the quiet country back roads of Michigan where there were hardly ever any other cars, I would beg, “Dad, can I drive? Can I drive, Dad? Please?” He didn’t always say yes, but when he did, I was so excited. I’d sit on his lap with my hands on the steering wheel and steer the car down the road, of course with plenty of help from him. I don’t even remember being able to see over the steering wheel very well, but I know that, at the time, I was absolutely convinced I was driving. It’s such a simple little memory, but all these years later, it’s one I still hold close. I sure do miss my dad.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.eastmichnatives.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eastmichnatives/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EastMichNatives
- Other: https://store.eastmichnatives.com/
