Grand Rapids self-service flower stand promotes self-care through gardening

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Many living in West Michigan have heard the phrase “The west side is the best side.” 

When it comes to flowers, farmer-florist Kristen Freeland is proving that to be true. 

Bestside Blooms, a micro flower farm located on the west side of Grand Rapids, opened last week. However, it’s a passion project that’s years in the making. 

Freeland said her love for gardening began with her mom’s green thumb. 

“She is my biggest inspiration,” Freeland said. “I mean, I grew up in the garden. But when I had my own house and everything, I started really growing from seed and I tried vegetables for a long time and that’s just not my thing.” 

Freeland did much of her gardening in 2020, which she said helped her escape the scariness of the pandemic. She said this, in tandem with taking home store-bought bouquets on grocery trips, served as a form of self-care. 

Soon enough, Freeland began to research how to grow her own cut flowers and the best ways to sculpt the perfect bouquet. Growing vegetables became a thing of Freeland’s past — it was time to take the leap to flowers. 

Freeland is a stay-at-home mom and her family recently moved to Michigan from Tennessee, but she’s no stranger to the mitten state. Her dad is from Hastings, so she’s always spent her summers in West Michigan. 

She said they love it in Michigan, but to escape the chaos of renovating their home, she would often find herself in the garden tending to the flowers. 

“For me, a garden is just a labor of love and it really is a passion for me,” Freeland said. “Your soul’s in the garden. And I work really hard and it’s enjoyable work.”

The garden is not just Freeland’s reprieve from renovation, but also a way for her to deal with her chronic illness.

She said she has scleroderma, which is an autoimmune disorder that affects her joints and causes fatigue. 

Gardening has become a way for her to find productivity and peace alongside one another. 

“Slow and steady is a big thing for me and I have to remember it a lot,” Freeland said. “But I heard something recently that was saying, ‘The pause is as important as the project,’ and so telling myself to rest and knowing that that’s okay really helps me give myself the mental grace to take a breather every once in a while.”

Freeland uses sustainable, environmentally friendly growing practices, including no-till farming and composting. She said she grows native and pollinator-friendly perennials alongside annual blooms. 

Her flower stand is tucked into the side of her house, next to their driveway at 1112 Barber Terrace NW, Grand Rapids. 

She said it’s not completely visible from the road, but when you see a “Neighborhood Flower Stand” yard sign you’ll know you’re in the right place. 

Mixed bouquets are available first come, first serve basis at the self-service flower stand. Prices range from $15-$30 depending on the bouquet size. 

The stand is open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The different bouquets offered are often featured on her Facebook page.

Freeland said cash or Venmo is accepted and visitors can park in the driveway to take a look and grab their flowers. 

“As you come up to the stand, you can see what’s growing,” Freeland said. “And so when you get your blooms, you know, it’s kind of like you’re taking a piece of the garden home with you.”

Freeland said her home has a front window with a couch in front of it where she can see everyone stopping by the stand and enjoying her flowers, which means a lot to her. 

She said she hopes people enjoy her garden and feel inspired to plant some flowers of their own. 

“Get outside, grow some flowers and I promise that it will make you happy,” Freeland said. 

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