Designs by Nature - Huron Shores, LLC

05/30/2026

Weird name(s), cool plant! Dogtooth daisy a.k.a. Sneezeweed a.k.a. Helenium autumnale is a perfectly cheery native of moist soils across the state. It got the name Sneezeweed not because the plant itself causes sneezes, but because of its past use as s***f. Seeds or leaves (sources vary) would be dried, ground, and then snorted to induce sneezing, which we argue would happen using any plant 🥴 Its other common name comes from the resemblance of the petal edges to the ridged molars of a dog. At least the scientific name is pretty!

Dogtooth daisy grows in moist places in the wild, but will tolerate more medium soils in the garden once established. It will grow to 3-5ft, depending on available light, and it's bright yellow blooms are loved by many a pollinator. It's spherical seedheads also provide interest into late fall and winter.

We have dogtooh daisy quarts available now at Kipfmiller's Produce in Alpena. Stop by today and pick up a funky-named native for your home habitat! 🌼

05/20/2026

Exciting news - we now have native plants available at Kipfmiller's Produce in Alpena!! 📣🌱 Quarts of hairy beardtongue, dogtooth daisy/sneezeweed, cardinalflower, and wild petunia are all available now! We also have pollinator garden kits available through preorder, just talk to the good folks at the register.

05/13/2026

Common trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) is now blooming across Northeast Michigan! While we don't grow this species at the nursery (yet!), it's much beloved and a fun one to highlight.

Common trillium is one of 8 species native to Michigan, and as the name suggests, is by far the most common. It is a spring ephemeral, a term for plants that develop, flower, and produce seeds all before the trees leaf out. Other ephemeral species include Virginia bluebells, trout lily, two-leaved toothwort, wild leeks, and Dutchman's breeches.

Like many other ephemerals trillium grows very slowly, taking from 7-10 years to flower. Petal color ranges from white to bright baby pink and the plant itself will be anywhere from 6in - 18in high depending on the site. It prefers moist deciduous woodlands, but can be found in smaller numbers in all sorts of habitats with adequate moisture. 🌿

05/01/2026

HUGE thank you to everyone who came out to Rogers City for our first sale today!!! You all help make my plant dreams a reality :) And an extra-extra special thank you to The Presque Isle Conservation District for letting us tag along with their tree sale! There's plenty of excellent native trees and shrubs left that need a home, so stop by 303 N 3rd St tomorrow from 10-1 to support local conservation 🌱

04/29/2026

📣SALE UPDATES📣
Due to construction at Lakeside Park, our location for May 1st & 2nd has changed to 303 N 3rd St, Rogers City. Our space will be limited at this new location so we have decided to make the sale PREORDERS ONLY. We apologize to any folks that were looking to make day-of purchases, we will catch you later in the season!

04/29/2026

📣SALE UPDATES📣
Due to construction at Lakeside Park, our location for May 1st & 2nd has changed to 303 N 3rd St, Rogers City. Our space will be limited at this new location so we have decided to make the sale PREORDERS ONLY. We apologize to any folks that were looking to make day-of purchases, we will catch you later in the season!!

🌿TREE SALE UPDATE: To facilitate construction work occurring at Lakeside Pavilion, we are shifting our tree sale order pickup location to 303 N 3rd St., Rogers City (the former KJ Auto Repair garage).

Those who ordered native plants from Designs by Nature - Huron Shores, LLC will be picking their orders up at this new location as well!

Same days as before-- May 1st from 10AM - 4PM and May 2nd from 10AM to 1PM.

We will have extras of some species available (no discounts)!

Thank you for supporting the Presque Isle Conservation District during our Spring Tree Sale Fundraiser!

04/23/2026

Hairy beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus) is a little native with a lotta gumption! This species became one of my favorites fairly recently, partly due to it's purple color and fuzzy texture, but mostly due to its extreme hardiness in the garden. This species can tolerate the driest-of-dry soils with ease, and will bloom from June to frost. It reseeds readily and stays on the shorter side (~2ft), making it a great "filler" in the garden.

Like other species in the Penstemon genus, hairy beardtongue is deer & rabbit resistant! Its primary pollinators are bumblebees and solitary bees, who crawl inside of the flower tubes in search of pollen. Many other insects will also be attracted to the blooms, as shown by the young bush katydid in pic 3 🪲

Hairy beardtongue is in our pollinator and critter resistant garden kits. We'll have quarts available later in the season 🌿

04/14/2026

Preorders for May 1st & 2nd pickup in Rogers City are due TODAY!!📣 We will have limited additional quantities available the day-of, so make sure to get your favorites secured now. Questions? Give us a call, message, or email :)

04/14/2026

Sand tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata) is a must-have species for anyone getting into native plants. It thrives in full sun and all but the wettest areas, and attracts a large variety of pollinators. Just ask the pearl crescent butterfly!

Tickseeds got their name from the supposed resemblance of their seeds at the end of season to tick eggs in a nest (I don't quite see it, but sure). Don't let the name scare you away!

Sand tickseed grows as a low mound/circle of spoon-shaped basal leaves before it sends up numerous flower stalks that start blooming in June. Deadheading spent blooms will encourage more to come up throughout the season, making the species' already long bloom time, even longer. When it is finally done blooming, it's a favorite of seed-eating birds like finches and sparrows, who will gladly forage from those supposedly tick-y looking seedheads 🐦

Sand tickseed is a part of both our pollinator and critter resistant garden kits, and we also have it in quarts. Pick some up at our May 1st & 2nd sale in Rogers City 🌿

04/12/2026

It's a rainy day here in Northeast Michigan but as the saying goes, April showers bring May flowers! There's 2 days left to preorder for May 1st & 2nd pickup in Rogers City 🌼🌿