Bright Lane Gardens Blog

Gardening, landscaping, and more on Northern Michigan living.

Bright Lane Gardens Blog

Gardening, landscaping, and more on Northern Michigan living.

  • The eye-catching jack-in-the-pulpit boasts showy flowers that grow in shade. This is a native flower to North America.

Best Native Perennials For Shade

Best Native Perennials For Shade Best Native Perennials For Shade Native plants are a beneficial addition to any shady landscape. These plants [...]

  • A greenhouse at a plant nursery Traverse City, Michigan.

Plant Nursery Traverse City

Plant Nursery Traverse City Plant Nursery Traverse City Traverse City Plant Nurseries: A Guide To Regional Plants and Gardening Tips Traverse [...]

  • Blackberries ripening in a Michigan yard.

Blackberry Growing Guide

Blackberry Growing Guide Blackberry Growing Guide Growing Blackberries Growing blackberries can be a rewarding experience, and it is a great way [...]

  • Appetizers and desserts adorn plates in an outdoor setting at a Michigan Small Event Venue

Michigan Small Event Venues

Michigan Small Event Venues Michigan Small Event Venues Finding The Best Venue For Your Special Occasion There are many event venues [...]

  • A tomato plant and marigold flower planted side by side for companion planting.

What Is Companion Planting?

What Is Companion Planting? What Is Companion Planting? What Is Companion Planting? Companion planting is an ancient agricultural technique that involves [...]

  • Bumblebee on a coneflower in a sustainable garden.

How To Practice Sustainable Gardening

How To Practice Sustainable Gardening How To Practice Sustainable Gardening What Is Sustainable Gardening? Sustainable practices have started to become commonplace [...]

  • A row of panicle hydrangeas blooming after a fresh pruning in the springtime.

How To Prune Hydrangeas

How To Prune Hydrangeas How To Prune Hydrangeas Hydrangea Growth And Pruning Hydrangeas are immensely popular flowering bushes that are a [...]

  • A hand trowel and custom soil blend made for growing blueberries.

Top 5 Organic Fertilizers

Top 5 Organic Fertilizers Top 5 Organic Fertilizers  Why Do Plants Need Organic Fertilizer? Plants need organic fertilizer to obtain the [...]

  • A bright yellow forsythia branch after pruning.

When To Prune Forsythia

When To Prune Forsythia When To Prune Forsythia Forsythia Forsythias are beautiful, deciduous shrubs that produce masses of yellow flowers in [...]

When To Prune Lilacs

When To Prune Lilacs When To Prune Lilacs Fragrant Lilacs Lilacs are beautiful, fragrant shrubs that produce clusters of blooms in [...]

  • A spring flower pops up in a bed of mulched leaves.

How To Mulch Leaves

How To Mulch Leaves How To Mulch Leaves Using Leaves As Mulch Mulching leaves is an easy and environmentally friendly way [...]

  • Ripe elderberries ready for harvest in Michigan

Elderberry Growing Guide

Elderberry Growing Guide Elderberry Growing Guide Our Complete Elderberry Guide Elderberries are a fruit that have been used for centuries in [...]

  • Stunning blueish purple hydrangea blooms that have changed color with soil acidifier.

How To Change Hydrangea Color

How To Change Hydrangea Color How To Change Hydrangea Color Hydrangeas Can Change Color! Hydrangeas are one of the most beloved [...]

  • A young deer with its tongue out in Northern Michigan

Deer Resistant Landscape Design

Deer Resistant Landscape Design Deer Resistant Landscape Design Oh Deer! Deer are a common sight in Northern Michigan, and while they [...]

  • View of landscaping around the edge of a home in Michigan.

Michigan Landscape Design

Michigan Landscape Design Michigan Landscape Design What Is Landscape Design? Landscape design is the art of arranging and modifying outdoor spaces [...]

  • Several bright red strawberries hang from a plant ready to be picked!

Strawberry Growing Guide

Strawberry Growing Guide Strawberry Growing Guide Grow Fresh Strawberries In Northern Michigan There is truly nothing better than fresh strawberries on [...]

  • Outdoor table setting for a bridal shower.

Best Events For Outdoor Venues

Best Events For Outdoor Venues Best Events For Outdoor Venues Outdoor Event Venues When it comes to hosting events, outdoor venues [...]

  • A female American Robin perched in a native tree with berries in the winter.

Planting Native Plants To Attract Birds

There are several native plant species that provide a one-stop-shop for our local birds. Native plants help to provide shelter and building materials for our flying friends, which offer ideal nesting sites for many bird species. Above all, native plants are hosts to an abundant source of food!

  • Monarch Caterpillar on Swamp Milkweed by Larkin Kinsella

Benefits Of Michigan Native Plants

Planting native has been a popular topic in recent years. But does it really live up to the hype? The answer is absolutely! From providing habitat and essential food for animals, to their show-stopping blooms, native plants bestow a host of benefits for your backyard and beyond.

  • Monarch butterfly perched on a bright orange butterfly weed bloom.

Growing Native Plants In Northern Michigan

In the past, landscaping and flower gardens were built around non-native ornamental plants with the sole purpose of looking beautiful. Now, however, there is a movement to shift our gardens back to native plants that can look beautiful and improve the overall health of our ecosystem.

  • Long raspberry cane with many raspberries hanging from it ranging from black to red in color. Cane has some green leaves on it and there are several other plants in the background.

Raspberry Growing Guide

There are a few varieties that have been bred to perform well despite Northern Michigan’s weather trends. If you plant a hardy raspberry variety and combine that with the proper soil amendments and care, you’ll be rewarded with a highly fruitful plant that will provide abundant harvests for years to come.

  • A mix of fresh blueberries and raspberries resting in a large, blue bowl.

Grow Your Own Berries In Northern Michigan

A wide variety of berries grow quite well in Northern Michigan. Our sandy soil is mixed with rich nutrients from the lakeshore and the forests, combining to make the ideal medium for growing berries.

  • Several large, ripe blueberries shown on a mature blueberry plant with bright green leaves.

Choosing The Right Blueberry Variety To Grow

Blueberry plants like it here in Northern Michigan. They are a popular, easy to grow fruit that can be a wonderful addition to any backyard. Choosing the right blueberry variety to grow in your space is key to having a large fruit harvest at the end of the season.

  • The eye-catching jack-in-the-pulpit boasts showy flowers that grow in shade. This is a native flower to North America.

Best Native Perennials For Shade

Best Native Perennials For Shade Best Native Perennials For Shade Native plants are a beneficial addition to any shady landscape. These plants [...]

  • A greenhouse at a plant nursery Traverse City, Michigan.

Plant Nursery Traverse City

Plant Nursery Traverse City Plant Nursery Traverse City Traverse City Plant Nurseries: A Guide To Regional Plants and Gardening Tips Traverse [...]

  • Blackberries ripening in a Michigan yard.

Blackberry Growing Guide

Blackberry Growing Guide Blackberry Growing Guide Growing Blackberries Growing blackberries can be a rewarding experience, and it is a great way [...]

  • Appetizers and desserts adorn plates in an outdoor setting at a Michigan Small Event Venue

Michigan Small Event Venues

Michigan Small Event Venues Michigan Small Event Venues Finding The Best Venue For Your Special Occasion There are many event venues [...]

  • A tomato plant and marigold flower planted side by side for companion planting.

What Is Companion Planting?

What Is Companion Planting? What Is Companion Planting? What Is Companion Planting? Companion planting is an ancient agricultural technique that involves [...]

  • Bumblebee on a coneflower in a sustainable garden.

How To Practice Sustainable Gardening

How To Practice Sustainable Gardening How To Practice Sustainable Gardening What Is Sustainable Gardening? Sustainable practices have started to become commonplace [...]

  • A row of panicle hydrangeas blooming after a fresh pruning in the springtime.

How To Prune Hydrangeas

How To Prune Hydrangeas How To Prune Hydrangeas Hydrangea Growth And Pruning Hydrangeas are immensely popular flowering bushes that are a [...]

  • A hand trowel and custom soil blend made for growing blueberries.

Top 5 Organic Fertilizers

Top 5 Organic Fertilizers Top 5 Organic Fertilizers  Why Do Plants Need Organic Fertilizer? Plants need organic fertilizer to obtain the [...]

  • A bright yellow forsythia branch after pruning.

When To Prune Forsythia

When To Prune Forsythia When To Prune Forsythia Forsythia Forsythias are beautiful, deciduous shrubs that produce masses of yellow flowers in [...]

When To Prune Lilacs

When To Prune Lilacs When To Prune Lilacs Fragrant Lilacs Lilacs are beautiful, fragrant shrubs that produce clusters of blooms in [...]

  • A spring flower pops up in a bed of mulched leaves.

How To Mulch Leaves

How To Mulch Leaves How To Mulch Leaves Using Leaves As Mulch Mulching leaves is an easy and environmentally friendly way [...]

  • Ripe elderberries ready for harvest in Michigan

Elderberry Growing Guide

Elderberry Growing Guide Elderberry Growing Guide Our Complete Elderberry Guide Elderberries are a fruit that have been used for centuries in [...]

  • Stunning blueish purple hydrangea blooms that have changed color with soil acidifier.

How To Change Hydrangea Color

How To Change Hydrangea Color How To Change Hydrangea Color Hydrangeas Can Change Color! Hydrangeas are one of the most beloved [...]

  • A young deer with its tongue out in Northern Michigan

Deer Resistant Landscape Design

Deer Resistant Landscape Design Deer Resistant Landscape Design Oh Deer! Deer are a common sight in Northern Michigan, and while they [...]

  • View of landscaping around the edge of a home in Michigan.

Michigan Landscape Design

Michigan Landscape Design Michigan Landscape Design What Is Landscape Design? Landscape design is the art of arranging and modifying outdoor spaces [...]

  • Several bright red strawberries hang from a plant ready to be picked!

Strawberry Growing Guide

Strawberry Growing Guide Strawberry Growing Guide Grow Fresh Strawberries In Northern Michigan There is truly nothing better than fresh strawberries on [...]

  • Outdoor table setting for a bridal shower.

Best Events For Outdoor Venues

Best Events For Outdoor Venues Best Events For Outdoor Venues Outdoor Event Venues When it comes to hosting events, outdoor venues [...]

  • A female American Robin perched in a native tree with berries in the winter.

Planting Native Plants To Attract Birds

There are several native plant species that provide a one-stop-shop for our local birds. Native plants help to provide shelter and building materials for our flying friends, which offer ideal nesting sites for many bird species. Above all, native plants are hosts to an abundant source of food!

  • Monarch Caterpillar on Swamp Milkweed by Larkin Kinsella

Benefits Of Michigan Native Plants

Planting native has been a popular topic in recent years. But does it really live up to the hype? The answer is absolutely! From providing habitat and essential food for animals, to their show-stopping blooms, native plants bestow a host of benefits for your backyard and beyond.

  • Monarch butterfly perched on a bright orange butterfly weed bloom.

Growing Native Plants In Northern Michigan

In the past, landscaping and flower gardens were built around non-native ornamental plants with the sole purpose of looking beautiful. Now, however, there is a movement to shift our gardens back to native plants that can look beautiful and improve the overall health of our ecosystem.

  • Long raspberry cane with many raspberries hanging from it ranging from black to red in color. Cane has some green leaves on it and there are several other plants in the background.

Raspberry Growing Guide

There are a few varieties that have been bred to perform well despite Northern Michigan’s weather trends. If you plant a hardy raspberry variety and combine that with the proper soil amendments and care, you’ll be rewarded with a highly fruitful plant that will provide abundant harvests for years to come.

  • A mix of fresh blueberries and raspberries resting in a large, blue bowl.

Grow Your Own Berries In Northern Michigan

A wide variety of berries grow quite well in Northern Michigan. Our sandy soil is mixed with rich nutrients from the lakeshore and the forests, combining to make the ideal medium for growing berries.

  • Several large, ripe blueberries shown on a mature blueberry plant with bright green leaves.

Choosing The Right Blueberry Variety To Grow

Blueberry plants like it here in Northern Michigan. They are a popular, easy to grow fruit that can be a wonderful addition to any backyard. Choosing the right blueberry variety to grow in your space is key to having a large fruit harvest at the end of the season.