Well, we’d love for you to meet our Greenhouse Manager, Fred. From Williamston, Michigan, a small farm town settled around the beautiful Red Cedar River, Fred’s love of nature grew at a young age. After managing a large greenhouse downstate from 2009 to 2018, Fred moved to the Upper Peninsula and became a valuable asset in customer and plant care here at Nagelkirk Gardens.

With over 12 years of experience managing greenhouses, Fred is the go-to guy for answering your gardening quandaries. Whatever question springs up, Fred is known for addressing each concern with a calm and collected demeanor. In an industry that’s constantly growing, it can be hard to decide what the best course of action is when it comes to caring for your garden. Fred, being the trusty beacon of knowledge that he is, always does his best to make sure that you walk away with enough knowledge to be successful in your garden or lawn project moving forward.

A friend to all, he starts his day like any caring greenhouse manager; bright and early, to address whatever issues might be stemming from the greenhouses. With a grasp of what’s going on, he greets his team with a game-plan for a successful day of tending to the plant nursery. He loves that the greenhouse industry is ever-changing. Having learned a new thing or two about plantcare by the end of the day is about as gratifying as a weed-free garden bed.

When not in the greenhouses, Fred can be found cruising through the backroads of the Upper Peninsula. Leaving no stone unturned, he knows just where to find the most wonderful waterfalls, and could spend hours in his boat or garden without feeling like any time has gone by at all.

Introducing our dynamic Venue Coordinator and Wedding Planner, Samantha Evans! Samantha was raised in Harvey, Michigan, and has been planning weddings all over the state since 2018, including time spent in Petoskey, Charlevoix, and Boyne City. She joined the team here at Nagelkirk Gardens in the spring of 2021, placing her and her son, Tucker, on the shores of their favorite spot, Lake Superior.

Day to day, Samantha can be found diligently checking in with clients and finalizing details for upcoming events. Having earned a certificate in wedding planning from the New York Institute of Art and Design, she’s a passionate soul that makes the priorities of her clients her own. There is no limit to what can be created with her. Soon, Samantha will have a certificate in Eco-Friendly and Green wedding planning to compound her strong skill set. She is always learning more about the wedding industry, and is anxious to share her knowledge with you.

Samantha is utterly approachable and always willing to help the guests that walk through our doors. It’s easy for her to share excitement over all of the delights our store houses, especially plants! Samantha is more than a wedding planner, but a house plant connoisseur as well. Her love and knowledge of houseplants is always something she’s happy to share with curious customers and houseplant collectors.

When Samantha isn’t tending to her own plant babies, her and her son can be found taking walks in our beautiful community whenever the weather allows. When nature turns sour (as it often does here in the U.P.), Samantha is staying true to her dynamic nature by rearranging and enjoying her space at home. Designing in amazing spaces, like our wedding venue, makes the work of organizing everything that much more enjoyable. And there’s always inspiration to be found by seeing things in a new light.

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Kathryn is an imaginative floral designer born and raised in Negaunee, Michigan. In her six years working in floristry, Kathryn’s wild design style has left richly botanical compositions in the hands of many brides and bloom-lovers alike . By blending unique color palettes and using superbly enchanting flowers, like purple hellebore, in her designs, Kathryn easily became a beloved florist in the community. She can currently be found happily draping greenery and pushing petals here at Nagelkirk Gardens.

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Kathryn’s sense of wanderlust has been known to draw her toward adventure, near and far. Living in a little town by a big lake is sure to be a bounty of inspiration, but we all need a shift in perspective every once in a while. While living in the mountains of Colorado from 2016 to 2018, Kathryn designed at Denver’s most renowned florist shop, The Perfect Petal. (@theperfectpetal)

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In alignment with her appetite for the unexpected, she loves to add an element of surprise to her arrangements. How she harmonizes unique textures with big blooms is embodied in her magic as a designer.

What she loves most about being a florist is creating an arrangement based on someone’s experience. Her job not only consists of designing ornate bridal bouquets and bohemian boutonnieres, it also involves listening to the stories people share and making those moments into fine works of art through the language of flowers.

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When not behind a floral counter, Kathryn can be found exploring a river on her kayak, spotted with mud from the woods, or in an Airbnb that she rented the night before - but wherever Kathryn is, her heart is always amidst a field of flowers.