GRAND RAPIDS — From its humble beginnings in 1972, GardenView Flowers has blossomed into a unusual and
beautiful experience for the Van Houtte family — and customers.
Its location off of South River Road stands out with the charm of flowers as far as the eye can see.
Coming from a family of eight, farming was a part of Gerald Van Houtte’s life that he turned into a
career.
After meeting his wife, a student of horticulture, they transitioned their focus to primarily flowers,
where it remains today. In the beginning, however, Gerald did many arts and crafts shows and sold
flowers at farmers markets in Michigan, where his family is from.
His daughters, Ellie and Jenny Van Houtte, have assisted in expanding the business from selling flowers
at farmers markets to offering customers the chance to create their own bouquets from over 100 varieties
and 50 types of flowers.
This growth led to the U-Pick Flower Field.
The U-Pick Flower Field sets them apart from other farms, as well as the careful curation of the farm and
the sisters’ design expertise, etching out their place amongst other farms in Northwest Ohio.
The idea for the U-Pick Flower Field came from curious customers at the farmers markets they frequented,
wanting to know more about their farm, Ellie said. The chance to pick your own bouquets, coupled with
the nature experience of the farm turned the endeavor into a success, with over 100 visitors every
weekend since the grand opening, Ellie said.
“People are looking for experiences,” Ellie said of the U-Pick. “It evokes the imagination. It’s
peaceful. It’s therapeutic. It’s just an enjoyable experience.”
It gave people the opportunity to experience the flowers on an intimate level and immerse themselves in a
garden in a way that is nostalgic for many.
The one-of-a-kind experience they provided for customers was clearly genuine, as the family’s own passion
for flowers and their farm was evident in every peony and sunflower in bloom.
Their passion extends into the hard work they do behind the scenes to ensure the proper growth of their
flowers.
“You are at Mother Nature’s will when you work in agriculture. You can’t control the weather or the
markets,” Ellie said. “It’s a year-long endeavor to produce the flowers you bring to market for only
four or five months.”
They begin buying their seeds in December and plan and plant them to prepare them for blossoming in May
through October. Uexpected rain can affect plans at the last minute, which led them to diversify their
business, through efforts such as the U-Pick Flower Field.
The trials and tribulations of running GardenView has helped them adapt, making plans for the future of
their growing business.
They plan to have specialty patches, such as sunflowers, to create graceful environments for photos. They
also hope to have more activities in the gardens, such as yoga, food trucks or educational activities,
such as the importance of bees and other insects to the ecosystem.
Their ultimate goal is for GardenView to be a destination for people in the area.
“We’re offering an opportunity for people to connect and maybe grow a love for gardening,” Ellie said,
“We’re exposing people to something that they often don’t have the opportunity to see. This is a new
part of our history and we’re forging a new chapter.”