Bestside Blooms

Bestside Blooms Custom garden plans for homeowners who want a beautiful yard but feel overwhelmed. You’ll get a simple, actionable roadmap so you can plant with confidence.

Not sure where to start? Get my free guide! Flowers sales via our nonprofit, Kind Hearts Bloom.

05/29/2026

How to store your peony blooms for maximum enjoyment 🌸 Peony season is short, but oh so sweet! I love to stash blooms in the fridge so I have a fresh supply over 1-3 weeks.

When ready to use, give the stems a snip and set in water. They’ll open up in a few hours!

About me: I’m Kristen, a West Michigan garden consultant helping homeowners turn overwhelm into a clear, doable plan.

Start here: download my free Yard Guide to understand your space before planting anything. Link in bio.

Consults available locally (Grand Rapids, MI) and virtually.

05/27/2026

For years I couldn’t keep my hanging baskets alive all summer. They’d be bone dry hours of watering! I learned this trick from a professional greenhouse grower and haven’t had issues since👌

About me: I’m Kristen, a West Michigan garden consultant helping homeowners turn overwhelm into a clear, doable plan.

Start here: download my free Yard Guide to understand your space before planting anything. Link in bio.

Consults available locally (Grand Rapids, MI) and virtually.

05/08/2026

I think a lot of people assume they either need to fully tackle an invasive plant problem immediately - or do nothing at all.

But there’s a middle ground.

If you’re overwhelmed, simply cutting off the flowers before they set seed can help slow the spread while you figure out a longer-term plan.

And one important note: invasive plant material should go in the trash, not yard waste. Many species can continue spreading through compost piles or municipal yard waste systems.

Progress counts - even when it’s small.

About me: I’m Kristen, a West Michigan garden consultant helping homeowners turn overwhelm into a clear, doable plan.

Start here: download my free Yard Guide to understand your space before planting anything. Link in bio.

Consults available locally (Grand Rapids, MI) and virtually.

05/05/2026

I hate that guy.

05/01/2026

Wildflower mixes sound easy, but they don’t always work the way folks hope 😬

Making your own native seed mix, that works with your specific growing conditions, will reward you with blooms that stand the test of time!

About me: I’m Kristen, a West Michigan garden consultant helping homeowners turn overwhelm into a clear, doable plan.

Start here: download my free Yard Guide to understand your space before planting anything. Link in bio.

Consults available locally (Grand Rapids, MI) and virtually.

04/29/2026

Consider this your sign to rip out that plant you don’t love 🪏

It’s okay to edit your garden. It’s okay to pull things you regret planting (hello butterfly bush). It’s okay to make a change ✨

About me: I’m Kristen, a West Michigan garden consultant helping homeowners turn overwhelm into a clear, doable plan.

Start here: download my free Yard Guide to understand your space before planting anything. Link in bio.

Consults available locally (Grand Rapids, MI) and virtually.

04/21/2026

Want to make weeding more enjoyable? Check your weather forecast for rain ☔️

About me: I’m Kristen, a West Michigan garden consultant helping homeowners turn overwhelm into a clear, doable plan.

Start here: download my free Yard Guide to understand your space before planting anything. Link in bio.

Consults available locally (Grand Rapids, MI) and virtually.

For the past few months, I’ve been writing a weekly newsletter called "The Best Side of Things".It started as a way to s...
04/17/2026

For the past few months, I’ve been writing a weekly newsletter called "The Best Side of Things".

It started as a way to share a little more of my thoughts about gardens, community, and what it looks like to build a life surrounded by good people doing good things.

Now it has a home on Substack.

If you’ve ever missed an email, want to go back and read something again, or just prefer reading things in one place - it now has a home outside your inbox.

You can still subscribe to the newsletter and get it delivered each Sunday morning. Nothing changes there.

But now the writing a place to live, too! Previous issues will be slow-roll posted throughout the next few months.

You can find it here: https://substack.com/

04/15/2026

Free plants + no seed starting? Count me in!

Many plants spread via understand rhizomes or drop seeds - and early spring is a great time to grab these babies for other parts of your yard!

About me: I’m Kristen, a West Michigan garden consultant helping homeowners turn overwhelm into a clear, doable plan.

Start here: download my free Yard Guide to understand your space before planting anything. Link in bio.

Consults available locally (Grand Rapids, MI) and virtually.

If deer have ever eaten your plants overnight...you’re not alone.This is one of the most common frustrations I hear.And ...
04/02/2026

If deer have ever eaten your plants overnight...you’re not alone.

This is one of the most common frustrations I hear.

And while there’s no such thing as a completely “deer-proof” garden, there are plants they tend to leave alone.

This is a simple list of what has held up in my own unfenced front yard.

Save this for later when you’re planning your garden. And read all my tips for deer-deterring in this Sunday's newsletter!

About me: I’m Kristen, a West Michigan garden consultant helping homeowners turn overwhelm into a clear, doable plan.

Start here: download my free Yard Guide to understand your space before planting anything. Link in bio.

Consults available locally (Grand Rapids, MI) and virtually.

If you’ve ever stood in your yard and thought:“I don’t even know where to begin…”“I’ve tried things and they didn’t work...
03/19/2026

If you’ve ever stood in your yard and thought:

“I don’t even know where to begin…”
“I’ve tried things and they didn’t work…”
“Why does this always feel harder than it should be?”

You’re not alone.

Most people don’t need more plants. They need a clearer way to understand their space.

I put together a free guide that walks you through the 4 things I look at in the first 10 minutes of a yard consult:
• Light
• Space
• Structure
• Soil & drainage

It’s simple, practical, and designed to help you start seeing your yard more clearly. Before you spend more time or money!

You can download it at the link in my bio.

And if you ever get to the point where you want a clear, personalized plan - that’s exactly what I help with in my consults.

- Kristen

Address

Grand Rapids, MI
49504

Website

http://bestsideblooms.com/, https://substack.com/@bestsideblooms

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