Wildflowers hopes to bloom

Glen Arbor Sun

Sitting on Donna Burgan’s desk at Wildflowers are detailed blueprints for how Glen Arbor’s lush garden destination hopes to expand. The plans include a restaurant to the north of the store, a couple picturesque ponds, a wine-tasting room and condominiums and new shops to the back. Wildflowers, located on M-22 just south of Glen Arbor’s main intersection, currently uses only a quarter of its land (a storage shed and abundant parking areas occupy the rest).

Imagine that: 75 percent of your commercial property going unused in crowded, lucrative Glen Arbor.

For two and a half years Burgan and her marketing guru Sue Woodward have brainstormed how to expand Wildflowers in a tasteful manner that wouldn’t detract from the popular floral destination, would provide Glen Arbor with services the town doesn’t currently enjoy, and would occupy more of the 320 feet that Burgan owns between M-22 and the back of her rectangular plot.

During that time, of course, the country has fallen into a painful economic recession that has affected both citizens’ pocketbooks and banks’ ability to lend money. Burgan and Woodward have amended their original plan and now hope to lure investors or sell parcels of the property, but above all, involve local residents in visualizing how Wildflowers ought to bloom.

“We’re sitting on valuable property and not using much of it,” says Woodward. “Small businesses like this have to grow, to satisfy customer demands and product demands.”

The women have worked with a local architect to devise a plan that would happen in three phases — though all details are speculative, depending on investor interest. Woodward imagines building a driveway along the property’s southern edge and four condominiums above ground-floor retail spaces to the east that overlook the gardens

“Who wouldn’t want to live five months a year above their business, within walking distance of downtown Glen Arbor?” asks Burgan, who says she’d like to retire in three or four years — after 30 years at Wildflowers.

The mockup also includes a winery tasting room in the northeast corner with tables and chairs out front (in an effort to lure “wine tourists” to Glen Arbor from eastern Leelanau County) and an ethnic-food restaurant where the business’ storage shed currently sits.

“We want to reach out to the community and invite people to bring ideas to us,” says Woodward. “What do they envision for the land? Could we form some sort of environmental partnership here in Glen Arbor that drives visitors and investors alike?”

Woodward would like to introduce a grey water system that irrigates plants with recycled wastewater. Burgan wants to maintain the destination’s ambience, but take conservation to the next level.

Wildflowers doesn’t intend to alter the popular gardens and store, nor will it sacrifice “YouJazz in the Garden,” which attracts both amateur and professional musicians to perform amidst the flora on Tuesday nights. Currently in its fourth year, YouJazz sometimes draws as many as 45 guests, from ages 10 to 70, and has witnessed as many as 11 musicians playing at one time.

Wildflowers is currently listed with Serbin Real Estate. Sue Woodward, Donna Burgan and realtor Ron Raymond welcome ideas, input and investors. Those interested in joining the discussion may post comments on our website, GlenArbor.com, or email Woodward at MichKaleid@aol.com.