When you visit a native plant nursery, you’re not just picking out plants. You’re stepping into someone’s life work—a story shaped by soil, seasons, pollinators, and community.
In Minnesota, we are lucky to have many quality native plant nurseries across the state. These businesses and retailers, small and large, are growing more than flowers. They’re growing habitat, knowledge, and relationships between the people and ecosystems right outside their doors.
Here at Blue Thumb, we’re celebrating March as Native Plant Nursery Month. We asked some of our nursery partners to share how they got started, why native plants matter to them, and what they’re excited about this year. Here’s what they had to say.
Blazing Star Gardens, Twin Cities Metro/Southern MN (Blue Thumb Partner)
Dustin Demmer, Owner
Dustin’s journey began with Minnesota GreenCorps, where he worked on rain gardens for cities. There, he discovered something that changed his path: “These are perennials like most other landscaping plants, but they also have pollinator and wildlife value — why aren’t we planting them in all gardens, not just rain gardens?”
In 2013, he founded Blazing Star Gardens to help bring native plants back into yards, neighborhoods, schools, and parks.
Blazing Star Gardens specializes in growing plugs — small, palm-sized plants that are budget-friendly and ideal for creating larger, denser plantings. They’ve also developed a free online Garden Design Tool that helps beginners visualize plant height and shape — a resource now used by gardeners across the country.
For Dustin, the mission runs deeper than aesthetics: “Getting native plants back into our communities is more than providing food and habitat for pollinators — it’s about connecting people with native plants that they might never get the chance to see in natural areas.”
This year, he’s excited about launching larger lawn replacement kits with low-growing sedges and shorter flowers — making full yard transformations more accessible and affordable.
Ecoscapes Sustainable Landscaping and Native Nursery, Twin Cities Metro (Blue Thumb Partner)
Craig Stark, Owner
Craig’s passion for plants grew into a mission: designing landscapes that are both beautiful and ecologically responsible. About ten years into running Ecoscapes Sustainable Landscaping, he encountered a challenge — sourcing high-quality native woody plants. So he started growing his own.
What began as a way to supply landscaping projects has grown into one of the largest selections of native woody plants in the state, alongside a carefully curated collection of herbaceous natives.
“Native plants are THE answer. I am thrilled when my clients tell me how many pollinators they have seen after a new planting, or when their children are able to have the thrill of chasing butterflies around their yard, when before there were barely signs of life.”
Ecoscapes also offers a dropsite in Burnsville, helping keep delivery costs down for customers throughout the growing season.
This year, they’re gearing up for the Blue Thumb Fall Plant Sale after a successful season last year. (Date to be announced soon—subscribe to the Metro Blooms newsletter to get updates!)
Mother Earth Gardens, South & Northeast Minneapolis, MN (Blue Thumb Partner)
Karen O’Connor, Co-Owner
Mother Earth Gardens began with two good friends and a shared mission: to provide the Twin Cities community with high-quality, sustainably grown plants and organic gardening supplies. What started as a small operation has grown into a thriving, year-round garden center with two Minneapolis locations. Over the years, they’ve become a trusted resource for native plants and eco-friendly gardening practices — and through it all, they’re still good friends.
“Many people don’t realize that Mother Earth Gardens is a year-round resource,” Karen shares. While spring and summer are bustling with organic annuals, vegetables, perennials, and native plants, the winter months are just as vibrant. They offer locally sourced holiday greens, seed-starting support, engaging workshops, and an extensive collection of houseplants, pottery, and gifts throughout the year.
“Native plants are at the core of our mission because they are vital to health: the health of our local ecosystem, as well as to our own physical and mental well-being,” says Karen. Mother Earth Gardens is passionate about making eco-friendly practices both accessible and appealing, empowering gardeners to create beautiful, sustainable landscapes that actively contribute to the environment while also creating happy, active relationships.
Northern Holler Nursery, Burnsville, MN (Blue Thumb Partner)
Preston Drum, Owner
Preston grew up around plants — literally. His parents were horticulturists, and instead of a swing set, he had a greenhouse in the backyard.
After careers in music, art, and teaching, he found himself returning to gardening — and eventually to native plants — after experiencing ecoanxiety and wanting to make a tangible difference. When he couldn’t find the species he wanted locally, he began growing them himself. That experiment became Northern Holler.
His nursery operates out of his home, surprising many visitors — and supported by a positive relationship with the City of Burnsville. Northern Holler partners with the city’s Department of Natural Resources to grow local ecotype seedlings for park restoration projects.
“When you plant a native garden,” Preston shares, “you are literally creating opportunities for survival in a world that overlooks, neglects and actively ruins the natural world.”
This year, he’s declaring it “the year of the goldenrod,” highlighting the ecological importance of these keystone plants. “Goldenrods are beautiful, charismatic, and tough as nails!” Preston shares. They support dozens of insects with their leaves (acting as nurseries for larvae and caterpillars) and their flowers (through nectar and pollen for overwintering queen bees and migrating butterflies. Check out Northern Holler to see what goldenrods they have to offer this year!
Prairie Restorations, Locations across MN (Blue Thumb Partner)
Ron Bowen, Founder
Prairie Restorations began in 1977 with a clear purpose: to address the rapid loss of native plant communities and the impacts that loss has on ecosystems and quality of life. Founder Ron Bowen recognized that restoring native landscapes was essential work that needed to be done.
Over the past 50 years, Prairie Restorations’ work has helped restore thousands of native plant communities while supporting hundreds of jobs and inspiring the growth of many new businesses.
“People don’t typically realize that we are the first full service restoration company in North America, probably in the world,” Ron shares. While the company first focused on prairie restoration, their work has expanded to include wetlands, woodlands, and shoreline plant communities—reflecting a broader commitment to restoring Minnesota’s diverse native landscapes.
“There are countless reasons that native plants matter,” says Ron. “Pollinators, beauty, species support, soil conservation, and just plain ethical obligation are some.” For Prairie Restorations, restoring native plants helps ensure our ecosystems continue to thrive for generations to come.
Explore Prairie Restorations’ PRESTO plant selection guide to learn which natives are best suited for your location.
Special offer for the Blue Thumb community! Prairie Restorations is offering 10% off herbaceous plants in stores and online with code BLOOM10. (Excludes trees/shrubs & store merchandise. Offer expires August 31, 2026).
Windflower Natives, Fergus Falls, MN (Blue Thumb Partner)
Alex Blondeau, Owner
Originally trained as a theologian, Alex’s pathway to Windflower Natives began when his interests around healing, growth, and attention “started taking a very practical form in the land itself.”
When Alex began working with ecological restoration more directly around 2021, he noticed a gap: while many people wanted to plant native species, it wasn’t always easy to find healthy, well-grown plants. What started as growing plants for personal and local restoration projects gradually grew into Windflower Natives.
Today, Windflower Natives specializes in regionally native prairie plants, grown with an emphasis on root health, seasonal timing, and ecological function. What hasn’t changed is Alex’s core approach: “paying close attention to the plants themselves, letting their behavior shape the system, and treating the nursery as an ongoing experiment rather than a finished formula.”
“People are often surprised by how much uncertainty and experimentation goes into a small native nursery,” Alex shares. “For every plant that does well, there are trays that fail.” But that accmulated knowledge of what doesn’t work helps Alex learn what each species needs to become resilient and transplantable.
Last fall, the Windflower Natives team completed a new greenhouse that Alex is eager to put to full use. “Many of the difficult-to-propagate species are very fussy,” Alex shares, “so I’m very excited to see how much of an impact this will have on their success!”
Windflower Natives can build custom orders for folks just getting into native plants and unsure of where to start. Check out the link at the top of their home page.
The Garden By The Woods, Chanhassen, MN
Linda Walton, Buyer & Marketing Coordinator
The Garden By The Woods began 25 years ago as a family landscape design and installation company. In 2012, they expanded into a sustainably focused retail garden center in Chanhassen, creating a space where education, beauty, and ecological stewardship come together.
Today, they offer an extensive assortment of Minnesota native plants alongside eco-friendly soils, amendments, and garden treatments. Their experienced staff helps customers plan, plant, and care for gardens designed to thrive in Minnesota’s conditions.
Linda shares: “We feel passionate about Minnesota native plants — they are not only beautiful and bring pollinators to your garden but also survive our weather extremes.”
For The Garden, native plants are both practical and powerful — resilient in harsh winters and hot summers, while creating vibrant, living spaces filled with pollinators.
For the fourth year, The Garden is partnering with the City of Chanhassen on the Eco Gnomadic Gnome Adventure, a creative, community-based program running Earth Day through the Summer Solstice that invites residents to explore local parks, learn nature facts, and earn free Minnesota native plants through engaging activities. Learn more here!
Grow Native, Mankato, MN
Jen Selvey, Owner
Grow Native began with a simple intention: restore a prairie. When life finally gave Jen the time to begin restoring her own native prairie, she started small — winter sowing a variety of species and planting them out so they could naturally reseed themselves. Soon, she had more seedlings than she needed.
“So maybe I could make a little cash by selling the overstock seedlings,” she thought. That small idea grew into a native plant nursery helping others create pocket prairies and rain gardens — while her own prairie patiently waits its turn.
Winter is one of Jen’s busiest seasons. “The answer to the question ‘What do you do all winter?’ is ‘I sow thousands of seeds!’” Many native seeds require stratification — extended periods of cold before they’ll germinate. So while the landscape looks quiet, Jen is busy sowing seeds from November through February.
For Jen, native plants are about joy and connection. “The close proximity of native plants gives rise to enjoying butterflies, fireflies, birds, caterpillars, and the chance to smile. Plants are a great reason to slow down, marvel, take a deep breath and just appreciate.”
This year, she’s excited to expand her community presence — selling plants at the New Ulm Farmers’ Market on Thursday afternoons, in addition to her regular markets in St. Peter and North Mankato. She’ll also offer limited retail hours at her Mankato greenhouse on Friday and Saturday afternoons this spring!
Middle Fork Farm, Rochester, MN
Angela Smith, Owner
Angela Smith’s path to running a native plant nursery has taken a few meaningful turns. Her first career was in academia, but after her family relocated from Baltimore to Minnesota 13 years ago, she took a leap of faith—purchasing land near Rochester to begin farming organic vegetables. Over time, Angela Smith’s deepening commitment to ecological restoration led her to focus more fully on native plants, offering them at the Rochester Farmers’ Market and through her online store.
“A lot of people don’t realize how much work is still required to run a nursery in the middle of winter,” Angela shares. While the fields rest, she is ordering seeds and supplies and preparing for the intense greenhouse season ahead. Native species often require specific treatments to germinate, and Angela spends time testing different methods to give each species its best chance to thrive.
Middle Fork Farm’s mission is to cultivate a deeper connection between people and the natural world by growing native perennial plants and food crops that support biodiversity, restore ecosystems, and create more resilient landscapes and communities. Located along the Middle Fork of the Zumbro River, the farm’s prairies, oak savanna, wetlands, and woodlands inspires Angela’s daily work. She sees native plants as one way to make things better for other species, who “have a right to exist and thrive just as much as we do.”
“The feeling of awe that I get from being in native landscapes and seeing all of the life sustained there is immeasurable.”
MNL (Locations Across the Upper Midwest)
MNL began in 1998 with a single location, a small team, and a clear mission: to expand native habitat across Minnesota. Since those early days, the organization has steadily grown while staying grounded in that same purpose. Today, MNL operates across the Upper Midwest and manages thousands of acres dedicated to native seed production—supporting restoration projects and native plantings across the region.
When MNL staff tell people they work in a greenhouse, they often hear, “Oh, that must be so peaceful.” But large-scale native plant production is complex—there are many mechanical components and logistical challenges, and the plants are constantly moving through the assembly line as they develop from seeds to seedlings to mature plants. But while nurturing millions of native plants isn’t always peaceful, it’s extremely rewarding.
For the team at MNL, supporting native plants means supporting the broader network of life that depends on them—including humans. “We believe that by nurturing plants and other organisms, we’re also nurturing our humanity,” shares Ridge Campbell, MNL’s Greenhouse Manager. “Together, we must strive to not only create a better environment for ourselves, but we must share our resources to create a better environment for all the creatures who exist alongside us.”
Looking ahead, the team is excited to once again be part of the Minnesota State Fair. Visitors will be able to explore blooming garden displays, and purchase live plants and other fun merchandise! Find their new exhibit location near Little Farm Hands on Underwood Street.
The Mustard Seed Landscaping & Garden Center, Chaska, MN
Kelly Lorenz, General Manager
When a local grower retired, The Mustard Seed expanded into growing native perennials — and now also offers native trees and shrubs. Their retail nursery surprises visitors with its depth — plant displays tucked behind the front buildings, spaciously arranged, with colorful resident chickens adding charm along the way.
Kelly reflects: “We get one Earth and our actions now may seem tiny in the grand scheme of our large planet… We want to make a positive impact, so our future generations have the same (or better) beauty to live in.”
Each spring, the team looks forward to hearing customers share stories and photos of returning blooms and pollinators — stories that feel like extensions of their own gardens.
Prairie Moon Nursery, Winona, MN
Prairie Moon Nursery traces its roots back to prairie restoration advocates Doug and Dot Wade, students of conservationist Aldo Leopold. In 1982, their son Alan began selling native seeds out of his living room as part of the Wiscoy Valley Community Land Cooperative in rural Winona, Minnesota.
More than 40 years later, Prairie Moon offers the largest native plant collection available for retail sales in the United States — over 700 North American species — and remains 100% independently owned. Prairie Moon has built a national reputation for clean seed and reliable plants used by national parks, municipalities, teachers, farmers, and backyard gardeners.
They share: “Native plants are foundational to our ecosystems, supplying food and habitat for local wildlife… They are often better suited to the local climate and soil conditions, which means they require less resources to thrive.”
Sargent’s Nursery, Red Wing, MN
Sarah Blue, Landscape Design & Perennial Manager
Sargent’s Nursery Inc. will celebrate 100 years in business in 2028! Over the past century, they’ve built their business to be a Minnesota destination nursery and garden center.
Since 2020, they’ve expanded their native plant collection to include both regional natives and North American species suited to Minnesota’s growing zone. Their knowledgeable staff is eager to help customers find the right plants for their projects.
Sarah shares: “Native plants provide the best food resources for our native wildlife and provide a vital function of improving soil and water quality with their generally robust root systems. Seeing the interaction between native plants and wildlife is a joy.”
This year, they’re excited to be expanding their native perennial display area and selection!
Shoreview Natives, Two Harbors, MN
Dan Schutte, Owner
Shoreview Natives began as a hobby in 2008 and officially became a business in 2015. In 2020, Dan transitioned to developing the company full-time. While working as the environmental education specialist at North Shore Community School, he began growing native plants as a hands-on teaching tool for elementary students. What started in the classroom expanded into a home-based hobby in Lakeside, Duluth, and is now a full-scale plant nursery and ecological landscaping company.
Today, Shoreview Natives is involved in native plant and pollinator habitat projects throughout Minnesota. They offer retail sales at their Two Harbors nursery, wholesale plants for contractors and greenhouses, full-service garden installations, and educational workshops focused on growing and establishing native plants.
One misconception they often encounter is the idea that “native” means wild or messy. “In reality, native plants can achieve nearly any aesthetic or design goal while typically outperforming traditional garden plants and providing significantly greater ecological benefits,” Dan shares.
Their knowledgeable team enjoys helping customers bridge the gap between interest in native plants and the tools, resources, and confidence to grow them.
This year, Shoreview Natives is excited about collaborations with regional groups, including a partnership with Carlton County to transition most county-owned turf grass into pollinator habitat! As they put it: “Native plants aren’t just about gardening—they’re about building resilient, beautiful systems that support life.”
Sunshine Gardens, Pine River, MN
Bonnie Hiniker, Owner
At Sunshine Gardens Nursery and Landscaping — located halfway between Pine River and Longville — Bonnie Hiniker grows more than 140 kinds of native plants and is heading into the nursery’s 29th year in business. Sunshine Gardens began as a source of seeds, seedlings, trees, and shrubs for local conservation partners including NRCS and SWCD offices. Today, the nursery continues to help gardeners across the region create habitat, having supported pollinator plantings in more than 20 Minnesota counties.
Bonnie places special emphasis on collecting and growing local ecotypes, often gathering seed herself throughout north-central and northwestern Minnesota—sometimes by kayak—to ensure plants are well adapted to the region’s Zone 3 conditions. She grows many species from seed she collects locally, including sedges from Hand Lake in Cass County and shoreline plants like Northern blue flag iris, one of her favorite species for stabilizing lakeshores.
Bonnie’s goal is simple and heartfelt:
“My goal is to see monarch butterflies every day — even when I’m down in Florida for a few weeks for a respite from the cold.”
For Bonnie, native plants aren’t abstract. They’re about daily encounters with beauty, wildlife, and the living landscapes that connect people to place.
Rooted in Community
Each of the nurseries we heard from has been on a different journey—from backyard greenhouses to statewide restoration partnerships, and living room seed sales to engaging deeply with community. But the common thread among them is care—for land, wildlife, and people.
Minnesota’s native plant nurseries are more than retail spaces, they are places of learning, experimentation, and joy when the first bumblebees return in spring. Our Minnesota native plant nurseries are what makes our statewide-strong movement to plant for pollinators possible.
If you’re considering adding native plants to your yard this year, start local. Visit a nursery near you — ask questions, listen to their stories, and bring your curiosity! And if you don’t live near a Minnesota native plant nursery, many offer delivery. With pre-orders also opening for many nurseries, now is the perfect time to make purchases for spring planting projects.
Want to learn more about shopping from native plant nurseries and setting up your native plants for success? Blue Thumb is hosting a free webinar with Windflower Natives, Landscape Alternatives, and Northern Holler Nursery on Friday, March 20 at noon! Register here.
Related Resources
- Lawns to Legumes Minnesota Native Plants and Retailers List
- Spring Native Plants Sales in Minnesota
- Featured Nurseries and Retailers (in alphabetical order):
- Blazing Star Gardens
- Ecoscapes Sustainable Landscaping and Native Nursery
- The Garden By The Woods
- Grow Native
- Middle Fork Farm
- MNL
- Mother Earth Gardens
- The Mustard Seed Landscaping & Garden Center
- Northern Holler Nursery
- Prairie Moon Nursery
- Prairie Restorations
- Sargent’s Nursery
- Shoreview Natives
- Sunshine Gardens
- Windflower Natives