Gruler Gardens

01/19/2025

There was a chill in the air yesterday, but we didn't feel it inside the cozy community room at the Charlevoix Conservation District building in Boyne City. Thanks to these lovely women who came out to share their smiles, laughter, and creativity. What a fun group!

Making wreaths and other beautiful creations with the flowers of summer is a perfect way to connect with nature in the depths of winter. We still have a few spots open at our upcoming pressed and dried flower workshops in February and March. Register today to reserve yours, and be sure to sign up on the Gruler Gardens website to receive news directly via email.

Here's the link: https://www.grulergardens.com/book-online

01/12/2025

This is an amazing graphic. It captures the stark difference in attitudes about how our homes fit in the landscape. Is the homeowner's usage and enjoyment diminished in this example on the right? If there were multiple lots embracing this design, it would create a corridor for wildlife to exist within or on their way to larger tracts of habitat. A connected natural shoreline like this of multiple properties would be a biodiversity bonanza. What is the downside here? More privacy? Better water quality? Less lawn maintenance?

We live in a region with many water bodies and they are all dotted with cottages, second homes, etc. Sorry to say that the trend as properties change hands is more often to wipe the parcel clean and champion the mentality of the left side of this image.

People always ask us questions that suggest they are apprehensive to plant "too many trees". As you can see in this image, or in any healthy woodland in real life, it takes a lot of trees to make good habitat and they are never evenly spaced with tidy mulch rings at the base.

For an excellent read on the research behind Wildlife Corridors, and for the source of this informative picture, visit: https://robertgrooms.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/46/

01/08/2025

There are still a couple of spots open in our upcoming wreath workshop on Saturday, January 18. Space is limited so sign up today! Register for the pressed flower and dried flower arrangement workshops at the same link here https://www.grulergardens.com/book-online Hope you'll join us!

12/31/2024

At the end of each year, I sort through the pictures I've taken and create a file with my favorites. Here are a few that capture special moments of 2024. What a whirlwind it has been! We're so grateful for this life in nature and all of you who have helped to make it possible. Thank you for your kindness and support along the way.

We're planning another great season in 2025 and look forward to sharing new offerings with you soon. In the meantime, we wish you all the best as this year ends and another begins, with all its promise and possibility. Happy New Year!

12/31/2024

A light dusting of snow here on this New Year's Eve morning. Winter beauty all around!

12/26/2024

If you have some time during the holiday break to catch up on reading and webinars, I recommend this webinar on monarch butterflies. Presenter Joe Shorthouse provides information on migration patterns specific to the Great Lakes region and an inspiring discussion of this iconic creature's ecological, cultural, and spiritual significance. Tip: To reduce the viewing time of long videos, click on the settings icon (the spoked wheel on the bottom right) and adjust the playback speed.

"Monarch Butterflies Of The Great Lakes Regions - Spirits On The Wing"SESSION DESCRIPTIONThe monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, is the most iconic and well...

12/24/2024

Wishing you peace and love on this Christmas Eve and in the days to come. May you be comforted by the beauty of nature on these quiet days of winter, a time for healing, reflection, and renewal.

12/15/2024

Greetings from Gruler Gardens

Just a few weeks ago it felt like autumn may never end, but winter has finally prevailed! A thick, fluffy layer of snow covers the gardens now, and underneath the plants are at rest. As I look at this image I am reminded of the thousands of native plants that have left this little nursery with you,....

12/05/2024

I'm excited to share the news that I will have a table at the upcoming Holiday Artist Market at Walloon Lake Winery on Thursday, Dec. 19 starting at 3:00 p.m. I don't do a lot of shows, and when I do, I bring the good stuff! If you're a last-minute shopper this one's for you! I'll have my ever-popular peace lamps, dried flower ornaments, mini-dried flower wreaths, interesting dried arrangements, pressed flower gifts, and a few surprises I know you'll love.

The winery is celebrating with a build-your-own-sangria special, and this venue is always so cozy and welcoming during the holidays. I had a table at their holiday craft event a couple of years ago and it was great fun. Come on out and enjoy the festivities. I hope to see you there!

12/01/2024

After a November that felt more like October, the arrival of winter seems sudden on this first day of December. The gardens are resting under a blanket of snow, and it's time to come inside. I love this change of seasons and the shift of energy that accompanies it. Winter brings precious time to rest and focus inward until the cycle of the seasons begins again in spring.

11/28/2024

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Feeling grateful this morning as I reflect on the many blessings in this life, and for the opportunity to share the beauty of nature. Wishing you all peace on this day of gratitude and sharing.

11/07/2024

There's still time to register for November dried and pressed flower workshops, but seats are limited so reserve yours today! Here's the link for details and registration https://www.grulergardens.com/book-online

10/19/2024

All through the growing season I hang and press flowers to dry, knowing there will come a time when my fresh flowers will be finished blooming until next year. When that time comes I cherish the flowers and grasses I have dried, which are colorful and beautiful in their own way. They're such fun to work with during the long months of winter!

While it's hard to imagine on an unseasonably warm day like today, the grey skies of November will come and the holidays soon after. And there's no better time than November to gather inside and enjoy learning and working with dried flowers! Join me for these upcoming workshops and create your own dried flower masterpiece to display in your home or give as a gift to someone special. See the details and register at https://www.grulergardens.com/book-online I hope to see you there!

10/18/2024

When it comes to autumn beauty, there's no place like home! Basking in the glory of this mild weather - leaves ablaze with peak fall color and blue blue skies. Pure bliss!

10/08/2024

Beautiful clouds over the farm this evening as sunset nears.

10/07/2024

There's a hint of color in the trees, morning frost on the pumpkins, and the blooms of summer have been replaced with seeds. What a season it has been! Thank you to everyone who came out for our plant sales, ordered cut flowers, and shared a kind word. Our customers have become like extended family, and we are so grateful for each and every one of you!

We're already reflecting on the year and thinking about what we want to offer in 2025. If there are plants you'd like us to carry, services you'd like us to add, or changes you'd like us to make, please let us know. We value your feedback! And if you have enjoyed our plants and flowers, we truly appreciate your sharing your thoughts in a Google review. Please help others learn about us so we can continue to grow and provide even better service to our community. Thank you! Here's the link:

https://g.page/r/CU5tB5r7dZZfEBM/review

10/04/2024

Coyote basking in the sun near one of our apple trees. I don't remember having coyotes near when I was growing up here, but now they're all around us. We hear them howling and yipping at night and occasionally see one near our house in broad daylight.

09/29/2024

News from Gruler Gardens

October 5 Plant Sale Preview