Sources for Native Plants and Seeds in Manitoba
Photo by Linda Dietrick. Symphyotrichum novae angliae.
2026 Update
Compiled by Linda Dietrick, Master Gardener
More and more gardeners are recognizing the value of native plants, also called indigenous plants, in the home garden. Not only are they hardy, drought-tolerant, and beautiful, they support pollinators and other wildlife to a degree that most garden cultivars cannot.
Where can gardeners source these plants and their seeds? The following six growers are committed to selling regionally indigenous genotypes from Manitoba. They harvest and propagate their material from plants that originated in the province’s wild areas, usually within a few hundred kilometers of their nursery.
To find out what species they offer, visit their websites, or if you are looking for something specific, you can call or email them.
Living Prairie Museum (seeds)
Naturalist Services Branch, City of Winnipeg
Marika Olynyk, Curator
2795 Ness Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3J 3S4
Email: prairie@winnipeg.ca
Ph: 204-832-0167
Web: winnipeg.ca/livingprairie
Set aside in 1968, the Living Prairie Museum is a preserved, 13-hectare piece of high-quality tall grass prairie in the city of Winnipeg. With help from volunteers, they cultivate plots of native plants grown from locally collected seed. The seed harvested from these plants is used in habitat restoration projects and is sold to the public at their Interpretive Centre. Seed of over 40 species is available. Staff can provide expert advice on successful growing. Proceeds support prairie conservation in Winnipeg.
In-person sales: The Interpretive Centre is open for seed sales on Saturdays throughout the year; from Tuesday through Sunday in July and August; and by appointment outside of these times. They also sell seeds at Seedy Saturday and other outreach events, and they host annual plant sales by Prairie Flora (see below)
Mail order: Not available
Delivery: Not available
Additional info: Living Prairie Museum has demonstration gardens for many native prairie plants, so you can come and see how they look in a garden context. You can view the plants in their natural habitat at the prairie preserve. We welcome your questions on seed-starting, plant selection, or prairie plants in general.
Northern Wildscapes Plants+Design (plants)
Ash Burkowski, owner
Winnipeg, MB
Email: NorthernWildscapes@gmail.com
204-803-3747
facebook.com/NorthernWildscapes
Instagram: @NorthernWildscapes
This is the home-based business of the former Board Chair of the Friends of Living Prairie Museum and Botany Research Assistant volunteer at the Manitoba Museum. Ash Burkowski started growing native plants for their gardens and now offers the “excess” to customers. Northern Wildscapes uses reclaimed pots, local soil and nothing but water and sunlight to grow their stock.
In-person sales: by appointment only. Email, call or text any day between 9 AM and 6 PM to book.
Mail order: Usually not available. However, if a Canadian customer is looking for a locally sourced native species not available elsewhere, shipping may be arranged on a cost-recovery basis.
Delivery: $10 within Winnipeg, add 75 cents/km outside the Perimeter, no minimum order, to a maximum 350 km round trip within Canada.
Additional info: Ash writes, “If you’re looking for native plants for shade, for groundcovers, for sandy areas, or just for something other growers don’t have, I’m the nursery for you. I grow small quantities of species not usually found in the trade, along with the more well-known and commonly seen prairie species. I personally harvest seeds and cuttings to grow the majority of the plants available to my customers. I’m happy to take special requests from my plant-savvy customers. If you’re struggling to plan and plant your garden, riverbank, rural acreage or septic field, I also offer design services.”
Prairie Flora Greenhouse (plants)
Aimee and Wes McDonald, owners
94-126 Hwy 7, PO Box 621, Teulon, MB R0C 3B0
Email: info@prairieflora.com
204-272-8846
Web: www.prairieflora.com
facebook.com/PrairieFloraGreenhouse
Founded by prairie restoration expert John Morgan in 1987 and now owned by the McDonalds for over a decade, Prairie Flora grows a large selection of native wildflowers and grasses from local seed using all-natural fertilizers and pest management.
In-person sales: Plants are sold at the Teulon greenhouse from early May until the end of September, usually 3 days a week in May/June and 1-2 days a week July to September. Plants are also available at Humboldt’s Legacy (167 Lilac St., Winnipeg) and Shelmerdine Garden Centre from early May to mid-June.
Annual plant sales are hosted at the following Winnipeg locations: Living Prairie Museum, Mary Jane’s Cooking School Garden Party (252 Arlington St.), and the South Winnipeg Community Centre – Richmond Site (666 Silverstone Ave.). Check website or Facebook for 2026 dates and times.
Mail order: If other pick-up or delivery options are not feasible, shipping to MB and SK addresses is available for native plant plugs at $20 for up to 6 plugs, $25 for up to 12 plugs, $30 for up to 36 plugs, and $40 for up to 70 plugs.
Delivery: Local doorstep delivery is available from late May until the end of September to residents of Teulon, Gunton, Balmoral, Stonewall, St. Andrews, and Winnipeg. Delivery is $10.00 for pre-orders made by May 4 and $20.00 for orders made after May 4. If you are on the way into Winnipeg, delivery is most likely an option. No minimum order. You may also pick up pre-ordered plants at any of the above plant sales.
Additional info: Prairie Flora no longer provides garden services, so as to concentrate efforts on sustainable plant production.
Prairie Originals (plants and seeds)
Kelly Leask, owner
82051 Rd 30E, St. Clements
Box 7, Grp. 10, RR 1, East Selkirk, MB R0E 0M0
Email: kelly@prairieoriginals.com
204-785-9799
Web: prairieoriginals.com
Founded by Shirley Froehlich in 1990 and owned since 2020 by her former nursery manager Kelly Leask, Prairie Originals propagates native wildflowers, grasses, and shrubs as seedling plugs or 4-inch pots. Most plants are started from seed collected from stock plants on the property. Seeds for about 70 individual species as well as four seed mixes are also offered.
New location: The retail store moved from 27 Bunns Rd. to 82051 Rd 30 E (off Hwy 59 north of East Selkirk) in spring 2025.
In-person sales: For 2026 the nursery will be open for plant sales daily from late May to mid-June and Monday-Saturday from mid-June until snowfall. In Winnipeg, a selection of plants is available in spring at Sage Garden Greenhouses and The Preferred Perch. Plants can also be purchased from The Green Spot in Brandon.
Kelly has a booth at the St. Norbert Farmers’ Market on Saturdays from early June to early August. Plants and seeds can be ordered for pick-up at the market.
Mail order: Seeds and gift cards only. Shipping is by weight, starting at $3.50, no minimum order.
Delivery: Items can be ordered for pick-up at the St. Norbert Farmers’ Market or during volunteer weeding sessions at gardens maintained by the Winnipeg Wildflower Project. The WWP schedule is posted monthly during the summer; locations in Transcona, St. Vital, Point Douglas, the Exchange, and River Heights. No delivery fees or minimum orders for pick-ups from the above-mentioned locations.
Additional info: Prairie Originals’ seed was originally sourced from within Manitoba. They only grow species that are native to Manitoba and do not grow any cultivars.
Prairie Shore Botanicals (plants and seeds)
Laura Reeves, owner
Gardenton, MB
Email: info@psbotanicals.com
204-425-3520
Web: psbotanicals.com
Prairie Shore Botanicals offers an expanding range of prairie and woodland plants native to Manitoba. All plants are started from seed harvested locally from native species, not cultivars, and are grown in a peat-free soil mix. Seeds available by request.
In-person sales: Prairie Shore Botanicals is not open to the public, but visits can be arranged for pick-up or browsing.
Mail order: Seeds only. Shipping is $7 for up to 40 g, $9 for 40-60 g.
Delivery: Generally available to addresses between Gardenton and Winnipeg or Steinbach. Laura tries to optimize travel for environmental reasons, usually arranging deliveries when there are sufficient orders or other reasons to drive to town. Delivery fee is $20 on a minimum $50 order.
Additional info: Laura writes, “I do my best to reduce and reuse, so there’s no telling what kind of container your plants will come in. I also offer plant combos – two species that naturally occur together – in the same pot. If you don’t see what you’re looking for on my website, let me know – it may be “coming soon.”
Skinner Native Seeds (seeds and plants)
John and Michael Skinner
Box 1221, Roblin, MB R0L 1P0
Email: skinnernativeseeds@gmail.com
204-821-5038 (John); 306-260-3104 (Michael)
Website: skinnernativeseeds.net
A son of the famed plantsman Frank L. Skinner, John has been growing native grass and forb seeds since 2000. While his main focus is on large-scale seed production for contract and wholesale customers, he does offer retail sales of smaller quantities of seeds and plants.
In-person sales: The farm is open most weekdays from 8 to 5 for sales of plants and seeds, as long as customers call ahead.
Mail order: They ship large and small seed orders throughout Manitoba and are willing to try shipping live plants. Typically, they use Canada Post and charge the rate back to the customer.
Delivery: Only on larger wholesale plant orders.
Additional info: They offer a wide variety of local wildflower seed, as well as lawn grass native alternatives and pollinator blends for yards and fields.