About Us

Prairie Originals was started in 1990 in St. Andrews, just north of Winnipeg, by Shirley Froehlich. We did a lot of landscaping there with native plants, however we eventually ran out of space.

So in 2005 we moved to 27 Bunns Road, a 5-acre property on the east side of the river between Lockport and Selkirk, Manitoba. The new property was an old hayfield, so we have converted part of it to a retail and container growing area and to stock beds for collecting seed. We also have a shade house, where our woodland stock plants for shade reside. We have established several display gardens and demonstration prairies over the last few years. We continue to work on converting the hayfield to prairie so there will be areas in various states of establishment.

If you are not sure which plants grow well together, how many plants you need or which plants will suit your site we would be happy to help.

You are welcome to come and tour the stock beds, display gardens and demonstration prairies from May to September during regular business hours.

Our Plants

Prairie Originals grows about 125 species of native plants in our plant nursery. Our plants are almost all grown from seed with the vast majority of seed collected from our own stock beds. A few varieties are propagated by division. Our seed was originally collected from local areas around Manitoba. Shirley learned how to propagate native plants by reading and a lot of trial and error. She continues to work on some of the “difficult” varieties such as Baneberry, Bloodroot and Blue Cohosh.

Our plants are generally available in two sizes: 5 packs of plugs and in 4 ½” pots. Vines are in 4 ½” pots and shrubs are in 4 ½” pots and 1 gallon pots. Large orders of plants for landscaping companies are welcome.

We have native Manitoba Prairie plants suitable for all types of properties, whether small city gardens or larger rural properties. They are also excellent candidates for school grounds, cottages and commercial properties. We have species for dry, medium or wet sites and for sun or shade. Our top quality, nursery grown plants have excellent survival rates when transplanted at your site.

Other Sources of Plants

Selected varieties are also available in 4.5" deep pots at:

• Shelmerdine Garden Center - Headingly
• Foothills Greenhouse - Winkler, Mb.
• The Rock - 1459 Corydon Ave.
• Arbo Flora Garden Center - 650 St. Anne's Rd.
• Sage Garden Herbs - 3410 St. Mary's Rd.
• Sherwood Greenhouses - Regina, Saskatchewan

Our People

Shirley Froehlich grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan and attended the University of Saskatchewan for a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a major in horticulture. She has a passion for plants and the outdoors. She has established many native plant gardens on her properties over the years. In her spare (?) time she enjoys hiking, reading and vegetable gardening. On winter weekends you will find her on the cross country ski trails around Manitoba. Her favourite plants include Three Flowered Avens, Purple Prairie Clover and Prairie Dropseed.

Stefania Johnson started working at Prairie Originals in 2008 and has become very knowledgeable about
growing and establishing native plants. Stef is an accomplished Commercial Cook. Her favourite food is a Shore Lunch – Walleye, potatoes and beans cooked on an open fire. She spends her spare time on nature walks exploring with her husky Timber and snowshoeing in winter. Her favourite plants are Gaillardia and Purple Oat Grass. Stef is a student at Olds College studying Production Horticulture.