About Us
Growing One Plant at a Time.
Midwest Groundcovers, LLC, is an industry leader in the propagation, growing and wholesale distribution of quality container nursery stock. We operate over 700 acres of state-of-the-art nursery production facilities at five locations in St. Charles, IL; Virgil, IL; and Glenn, MI.
Each year, these nurseries produce millions of container plants, including more than 130 different groundcover varieties; over 240 species of local ecotype native plants identified as Natural Garden Natives®; 140 regional Midwest native species of which some are naturally occurring selections; more than 500 varieties of perennials and ornamental grasses; and over 275 varieties of deciduous shrubs, native shrubs, broadleaf evergreens, hardy shrub roses, conifers, and vines.
Each year, these nurseries produce millions of container plants, including more than 130 different groundcover varieties; over 240 species of local ecotype native plants identified as Natural Garden Natives®; 140 regional Midwest native species of which some are naturally occurring selections; more than 500 varieties of perennials and ornamental grasses; and over 275 varieties of deciduous shrubs, native shrubs, broadleaf evergreens, hardy shrub roses, conifers, and vines.
The Ever Growing History of Midwest Groundcovers
1969
The first 5 acres of land are purchased on Route 25 North of St. Charles with a vision of producing quality ground covers at fair prices to local landscapers, independent garden centers, and nurseries.
The first 5 acres of land are purchased on Route 25 North of St. Charles with a vision of producing quality ground covers at fair prices to local landscapers, independent garden centers, and nurseries.
1977
The first sales yard is opened at the North Nursery, in front of the new home/office; Peter is yard foreman and everything else.
The first sales yard is opened at the North Nursery, in front of the new home/office; Peter is yard foreman and everything else.
Our Growing Centers
St. Charles North Nursery & Sales Facility
Opened 1974 / St. Charles, Illinois / Acres 90+
St. Charles is Midwest Groundcovers’ headquarters and home of all administration and sales departments. It is also our main distribution facility, housing our U-Pick Yard, shipping and customer pick up services.
Number of units produced: 5.7 million units annually
Primary Sizes: cuttings, 3”, plugs, pints, #1
Produces: Groundcovers (Pachysandra, Sedum, Euonymus, Coloratus, Ivy), gallons, #5 shrubs, Hocus Pocus Groundcovers® & Premium Pint Groundcovers and Vines
St. Charles is Midwest Groundcovers’ headquarters and home of all administration and sales departments. It is also our main distribution facility, housing our U-Pick Yard, shipping and customer pick up services.
Number of units produced: 5.7 million units annually
Primary Sizes: cuttings, 3”, plugs, pints, #1
Produces: Groundcovers (Pachysandra, Sedum, Euonymus, Coloratus, Ivy), gallons, #5 shrubs, Hocus Pocus Groundcovers® & Premium Pint Groundcovers and Vines
Virgil Production Nursery
Opened 2001 / Virgil, Illinois / Acres 262
Virgil Nursery is our newest production facility and the site currently includes four completed “Growing Areas”. A growing area is a “nursery within a nursery”, complete with its own loading dock, storage facilities and work/break areas. The philosophy of this nursery was to work more efficiently.
Number of units produced: 2.3 Million units annually
Primary Sizes: #1, #2, #3, #5
Produces: Deciduous Shrubs and Small Trees, Roses, Tender Deciduous Shrubs, Conifers, Broadleaf Evergreens, Bud & Bloom, Herbs & Edibles, Tropicals and Fall Collection
Virgil Nursery is our newest production facility and the site currently includes four completed “Growing Areas”. A growing area is a “nursery within a nursery”, complete with its own loading dock, storage facilities and work/break areas. The philosophy of this nursery was to work more efficiently.
Number of units produced: 2.3 Million units annually
Primary Sizes: #1, #2, #3, #5
Produces: Deciduous Shrubs and Small Trees, Roses, Tender Deciduous Shrubs, Conifers, Broadleaf Evergreens, Bud & Bloom, Herbs & Edibles, Tropicals and Fall Collection
Michigan Production Nursery
Opened 1987 / Fennville, Michigan / Acres 300
Fennville is responsible for producing most of our perennials, ornamental grasses and Vinca. This nursery is unique in that some perennials are propagated through field production, meaning they are field grown and divided for cuttings. The land was purchased in the mid-1980’s and we built the first shelters and started container growing there in the mid-1990’s.
Number of units produced: 6.6 Million units annually
Primary Sizes: cuttings, 3”, #1, #3
Produces: #1 and #3 Perennials, Vinca, Broadleaf Euonymus
Fennville is responsible for producing most of our perennials, ornamental grasses and Vinca. This nursery is unique in that some perennials are propagated through field production, meaning they are field grown and divided for cuttings. The land was purchased in the mid-1980’s and we built the first shelters and started container growing there in the mid-1990’s.
Number of units produced: 6.6 Million units annually
Primary Sizes: cuttings, 3”, #1, #3
Produces: #1 and #3 Perennials, Vinca, Broadleaf Euonymus
Midwest Natural Garden Production Nursery
Opened 2011 / St. Charles, Illinois / Acres 29
Midwest purchased The Natural Garden facility in 2011 and has kept the integrity of the local eco-type native plants and the origin of the stock plants/seed beds. All plants are sourced within 90 miles of St. Charles, IL. It is a neonicotinoid-free production nursery.
Number of units produced: 1 Million units annually
Primary Sizes: plugs and pints
Produces: Natural Garden Natives® plugs & pints for both sales and shifting up to larger production sizes
Midwest purchased The Natural Garden facility in 2011 and has kept the integrity of the local eco-type native plants and the origin of the stock plants/seed beds. All plants are sourced within 90 miles of St. Charles, IL. It is a neonicotinoid-free production nursery.
Number of units produced: 1 Million units annually
Primary Sizes: plugs and pints
Produces: Natural Garden Natives® plugs & pints for both sales and shifting up to larger production sizes
South Propagation Production Nursery
Opened 1969 / St. Charles, Illinois / Acres 5
South Propagation is part of the original parcel of land that Peter and Irma began propagating ground covers in 1969. Today, the nursery is used for the propagation of woody plant material and producing liners. Depending on the variety, a cutting grows there between several weeks up to 3 years before being potted up in Virgil.
Number of units produced: 900,000 units annually
Primary Sizes: cuttings, plugs
Produces: Woody plant propagation for Shrubs, Broadleaves, Roses & Conifer liners
South Propagation is part of the original parcel of land that Peter and Irma began propagating ground covers in 1969. Today, the nursery is used for the propagation of woody plant material and producing liners. Depending on the variety, a cutting grows there between several weeks up to 3 years before being potted up in Virgil.
Number of units produced: 900,000 units annually
Primary Sizes: cuttings, plugs
Produces: Woody plant propagation for Shrubs, Broadleaves, Roses & Conifer liners
About Us
Growing One Plant at a Time.
Midwest Groundcovers, LLC, is an industry leader in the propagation, growing and wholesale distribution of quality container nursery stock. We operate over 700 acres of state-of-the-art nursery production facilities at five locations in St. Charles, IL; Virgil, IL; and Glenn, MI.
Each year, these nurseries produce millions of container plants, including more than 130 different groundcover varieties; over 240 species of local ecotype native plants identified as Natural Garden Natives®; 140 regional Midwest native species of which some are naturally occurring selections; more than 500 varieties of perennials and ornamental grasses; and over 275 varieties of deciduous shrubs, native shrubs, broadleaf evergreens, hardy shrub roses, conifers, and vines.
Each year, these nurseries produce millions of container plants, including more than 130 different groundcover varieties; over 240 species of local ecotype native plants identified as Natural Garden Natives®; 140 regional Midwest native species of which some are naturally occurring selections; more than 500 varieties of perennials and ornamental grasses; and over 275 varieties of deciduous shrubs, native shrubs, broadleaf evergreens, hardy shrub roses, conifers, and vines.
The Ever Growing History of Midwest Groundcovers
1969
The first 5 acres of land are purchased on Route 25 North of St. Charles with a vision of producing quality ground covers at fair prices to local landscapers, independent garden centers, and nurseries.
The first 5 acres of land are purchased on Route 25 North of St. Charles with a vision of producing quality ground covers at fair prices to local landscapers, independent garden centers, and nurseries.
1977
The first sales yard is opened at the North Nursery, in front of the new home/office; Peter is yard foreman and everything else.
The first sales yard is opened at the North Nursery, in front of the new home/office; Peter is yard foreman and everything else.
Our Growing Centers
St. Charles North Nursery & Sales Facility
Opened 1974 / St. Charles, Illinois / Acres 90+
St. Charles is Midwest Groundcovers’ headquarters and home of all administration and sales departments. It is also our main distribution facility, housing our U-Pick Yard, shipping and customer pick up services.
Number of units produced: 5.7 million units annually
Primary Sizes: cuttings, 3”, plugs, pints, #1
Produces: Groundcovers (Pachysandra, Sedum, Euonymus, Coloratus, Ivy), gallons, #5 shrubs, Hocus Pocus Groundcovers® & Premium Pint Groundcovers and Vines
St. Charles is Midwest Groundcovers’ headquarters and home of all administration and sales departments. It is also our main distribution facility, housing our U-Pick Yard, shipping and customer pick up services.
Number of units produced: 5.7 million units annually
Primary Sizes: cuttings, 3”, plugs, pints, #1
Produces: Groundcovers (Pachysandra, Sedum, Euonymus, Coloratus, Ivy), gallons, #5 shrubs, Hocus Pocus Groundcovers® & Premium Pint Groundcovers and Vines
Virgil Production Nursery
Opened 2001 / Virgil, Illinois / Acres 262
Virgil Nursery is our newest production facility and the site currently includes four completed “Growing Areas”. A growing area is a “nursery within a nursery”, complete with its own loading dock, storage facilities and work/break areas. The philosophy of this nursery was to work more efficiently.
Number of units produced: 2.3 Million units annually
Primary Sizes: #1, #2, #3, #5
Produces: Deciduous Shrubs and Small Trees, Roses, Tender Deciduous Shrubs, Conifers, Broadleaf Evergreens, Bud & Bloom, Herbs & Edibles, Tropicals and Fall Collection
Virgil Nursery is our newest production facility and the site currently includes four completed “Growing Areas”. A growing area is a “nursery within a nursery”, complete with its own loading dock, storage facilities and work/break areas. The philosophy of this nursery was to work more efficiently.
Number of units produced: 2.3 Million units annually
Primary Sizes: #1, #2, #3, #5
Produces: Deciduous Shrubs and Small Trees, Roses, Tender Deciduous Shrubs, Conifers, Broadleaf Evergreens, Bud & Bloom, Herbs & Edibles, Tropicals and Fall Collection
Michigan Production Nursery
Opened 1987 / Fennville, Michigan / Acres 300
Fennville is responsible for producing most of our perennials, ornamental grasses and Vinca. This nursery is unique in that some perennials are propagated through field production, meaning they are field grown and divided for cuttings. The land was purchased in the mid-1980’s and we built the first shelters and started container growing there in the mid-1990’s.
Number of units produced: 6.6 Million units annually
Primary Sizes: cuttings, 3”, #1, #3
Produces: #1 and #3 Perennials, Vinca, Broadleaf Euonymus
Fennville is responsible for producing most of our perennials, ornamental grasses and Vinca. This nursery is unique in that some perennials are propagated through field production, meaning they are field grown and divided for cuttings. The land was purchased in the mid-1980’s and we built the first shelters and started container growing there in the mid-1990’s.
Number of units produced: 6.6 Million units annually
Primary Sizes: cuttings, 3”, #1, #3
Produces: #1 and #3 Perennials, Vinca, Broadleaf Euonymus
Midwest Natural Garden Production Nursery
Opened 2011 / St. Charles, Illinois / Acres 29
Midwest purchased The Natural Garden facility in 2011 and has kept the integrity of the local eco-type native plants and the origin of the stock plants/seed beds. All plants are sourced within 90 miles of St. Charles, IL. It is a neonicotinoid-free production nursery.
Number of units produced: 1 Million units annually
Primary Sizes: plugs and pints
Produces: Natural Garden Natives® plugs & pints for both sales and shifting up to larger production sizes
Midwest purchased The Natural Garden facility in 2011 and has kept the integrity of the local eco-type native plants and the origin of the stock plants/seed beds. All plants are sourced within 90 miles of St. Charles, IL. It is a neonicotinoid-free production nursery.
Number of units produced: 1 Million units annually
Primary Sizes: plugs and pints
Produces: Natural Garden Natives® plugs & pints for both sales and shifting up to larger production sizes
South Propagation Production Nursery
Opened 1969 / St. Charles, Illinois / Acres 5
South Propagation is part of the original parcel of land that Peter and Irma began propagating ground covers in 1969. Today, the nursery is used for the propagation of woody plant material and producing liners. Depending on the variety, a cutting grows there between several weeks up to 3 years before being potted up in Virgil.
Number of units produced: 900,000 units annually
Primary Sizes: cuttings, plugs
Produces: Woody plant propagation for Shrubs, Broadleaves, Roses & Conifer liners
South Propagation is part of the original parcel of land that Peter and Irma began propagating ground covers in 1969. Today, the nursery is used for the propagation of woody plant material and producing liners. Depending on the variety, a cutting grows there between several weeks up to 3 years before being potted up in Virgil.
Number of units produced: 900,000 units annually
Primary Sizes: cuttings, plugs
Produces: Woody plant propagation for Shrubs, Broadleaves, Roses & Conifer liners