Old Mission Flowers
is a self-serve cutting garden. The garden is open from dawn until dusk until Labor Day and perhaps beyond. (The garden will be open through September 22nd in 2024.)
Pick-a-Bouquet
There are hundreds of varieties of flowers so that there is a constantly changing parade of blooms to choose throughout the growing season.
The garden is open from dawn until dusk, from Mother’s Day through Labor Day. (Maybe earlier and maybe later…)
Bring your camera - the garden is on one of the Peninsula’s highest ridges and there are views of both East and West Bay.
Please do not bring dogs into the gardens. Ladd Rd. is a quiet road where you may walk them if needed.
Please visit the garden shed for instructions on how to pick and pricing. Cutting tools and vases are available, however, you are welcome to bring your own, gloves etc. if you would prefer.
How it Works
The business operates on the honor system. Guests pick flowers and put money or a check in a pay pipe (in front of the garden shed) or use Venmo (Old Mission Flowers) or PayPal (paypal.me/oldmissionflowers).
There are vases, jars, paper cups and pails that are priced for filling for mixed bouquets. For instance, you may fill a quart jar with a mixed bouquet using flowers you choose for $20.00.
Flowers may also be purchased by the stem.
While I am happy that people love to visit the garden and memorialize it with photographs and artwork, I am in the business of selling flowers and there are costs in time and treasure to keep it going. Please, if you are using the garden, either buy flowers or leave a donation. Sharing your pictures on social media and tagging Old Mission Flowers is very much appreciated.
The garden has many collections of flowers, for instance, there are over 40 varieties of peonies that begin blooming the end of May with some varieties at their peak in late June. The timing of particular flower blooms is dependent on when they were planted, how they were cared for, the temperature and the day length.
The garden is very dynamic and the flowers available change as the year progresses. Click BLOOMS to see monthly galleries of pictures taken at Old Mission Flowers.
Visit the Garden
The address for Old Mission Flowers is 16550 Center Rd., Traverse City, MI 49686 (14 miles north of Traverse City), however, the driveway is off Ladd Rd. If you are headed out the peninsula on Center Rd. (M-37)… after passing Chateau Chantal you will go up a big hill, pass the Ogdensburg Church and cemetery, then watch for the sign and turn onto Ladd Rd. The entrance to the garden is on the left. Feel free to park diagonally on the grass. Everything you need for picking is in the garden shed at the mouth of the driveway.
There are no foods, drinks, knick-knacks or bathrooms, just beds of flowers for cutting and some stellar views. Bring sensible shoes, gloves if you have sensitive skin and your camera. Cash, checks, PayPal and Venmo are accepted; change is not available.
Watch for the corner sign at Ladd and Center.
