Great Lakes Arbor & Nursery Co. Rooted in the Midwest.

About Us

Great Lakes Arbor & Nursery Co. grows trees, shrubs and perennials raised to handle Midwest winters, for landscape contractors and home gardeners alike.

Our Story

Horticulturist Arthur “Artie” Vance founded Great Lakes Arbor in 1988 as a small, family-run tree farm. He specialized in cold-hardy native oaks, sugar maples and windbreak conifers suited to Zone 5 and 6 winters.

Over nearly four decades, the farm grew from a local sapling supplier into one of the region’s leading commercial nurseries. Today, Artie’s daughter Elena Vance leads the company as CEO, and is bringing ordering online so trade and retail customers can see what’s in stock before they make the drive.

A smiling farmer in a straw hat gives a thumbs-up in front of a cornfield
Long rows of young green plants stretching across a field

Where We Grow

Our stock comes from 180 acres of fields, container yards and greenhouses. We’re headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with staging yards near Chicago, Illinois, and Columbus, Ohio.

What You Can Count On

  • Hardiness Guaranteed

    Our stock is raised to survive Midwest freeze-thaw cycles.

  • Transparent Inventory

    Live stock counts for home gardeners and commercial volume buyers alike.

  • Trade-First Logistics

    Dedicated staging lanes and scheduled job-site drops for contractors.