What we do…
Plants.
We grow and sell native and edible plants. Visit our online store.
At Northern Holler Nursery and Gardens, we specialize in growing open-pollinated, wild-type indigenous plants of North America placing an emphasis on plants that historically occur in the eco-regions of Minnesota. With an eye on resuscitating suburban and urban landscapes we seek to provide connections between people and the places where they live by offering an array of native plants that grow in the Tallgrass Prairie, Oak/Pine Savanna and Eastern Deciduous Forrest environments. We never use herbicides, fungicides, or pesticides such as neonicotinoids and when possible, we opt for sustainable fertilizers and growing mediums.
Consultation and Design.
Need help getting started on a project we offer consultation services for residential customers, businesses, municipalities & non-profits. We offer FREE 30-minute onsite walk-throughs for TC metro area customers. Written estimates and drafted plans subject to labor fees.
Our naturalistic gardens not only appeal to human sensibilities but also aim to support the systems of nature that should be occurring around us. Our sustainable and low-impact methods prioritize closed-loop ecological principles that attract wildlife, conserve water and bolster biodiversity. Oh, and you can eat some of these plants too!
Garden Installation.
We design and install native gardens, naturalistic gardens, edible gardens, prairie plantings, hell strips, rain gardens, bioswales, lawn/turf replacement (with natives), wildlife habitats, woodland gardens, invasive removal & replacement, natural areas, pond & lake shoreline and riparian areas, raised beds. Grown from seed, plugs, potted plants, bare root and local transplants when applicable. Inquire with via email for more details!
Stewardship & Aftercare.
Garden Maintenance and Natural Area Stewardship.
Remodeling and maintaining existing gardens.
Invasive removal & native replacement plans.
Light tree work & shrub pruning.
Composting systems consultation.
Stewardship plans for new gardens.
Garden Expansions and Editing
Direct and dormant seeding
Planting potted annuals, bulbs, bareroots, woodies and perennials.
Spring cleaning.
Summer services: editing, pruning, chopping, weeding, transplants, hole-fillers.
Weeding.
Education.
Workshops and speaking engagements.
Volunteerism.
Working with community. Planting gardens labor free for schools and non-profits. Invasive species management.
What we DO NOT do:
"Mow, Blow and Go" - Traditional Turf Maintenance with mowers, string trimmers and blowers. We only mow areas if it’s necessary for a project or as it relates to a specific garden design maintenance plan like mowing establishing prairies.
Hardscapes like retaining walls, fireplaces, fountains and patios. We do design pathways and egress in our gardens using permeable materials.
Construction of structures like pergolas, gazeboes, decks and fences. We can do some light construction as it relates to specific designs including short fences, gates, raised garden beds, etc…
Wood chip mulching. Green or living mulch is the most sustainable choice. We use ground covers and layered planting techniques to shade out weeds, retain moisture and improve soil health. We only use mulch during initial installations to protect new transplants.
Irrigation. Our plantings are designed to survive without supplemental watering after the 1st year with the exception of severe drought conditions.
Spray chemicals. No pesticides, No herbicides, and no synthetic fertilizers. Weeds are controlled by manual removal, the introduction of completive native plants, and mowing. Insects are kept in check by creating a healthy and sustainable ecosystem with natural predator competition.