Yup. Twenty-five years in the nursery trade! It has been one heck of a ride. With Susie at my side and loving help from so many other folks, it's been a remarkable journey. Susan and I thank one and all for the work, the help, the education, the inspiration and all the laughs and love we could fit in. I have gratitude for my mother Margaret's loving dedication to our shared dream. Thanks also to our staff. It is the best group of employees in the entire 25 years with 99 combined years of service.  

Susan, Rich & Margaret Eyre and Missy

 The best part of the business for us is our customers. We have enjoyed offering them a wonderful selection of trees. We have acted as a resource to our customers in providing the latest news on garden conifers, great photos and slide shows, book recommendations, information on garden tours, and unique garden designs. Collectors are fun to work with as they comb through our selections looking for those special plants. Happy customers have expanded our client base with great referrals. Many have become our friends and we appreciate them becoming part of our personal lives.   Our life is an open book and we have a lot of friends we just haven't met yet.

The nursery at McConnell Rd circa 1990.

 My own world has blossomed during my time at Rich's Foxwillow Pines and it is hard to believe we could wind up like we have. That fateful day in 1985 when we took the 'wrong turn' down the 'right road' changed our lives forever. We accidentally found Hidden Lake Gardens and 'The Harper Collection' on Highway 50 in Titpon Michigan. When we met Chub Harper first by phone and then in person, our world was transformed. The American Conifer Society had been recently formed in 1983 and Chub was a founding member. His passion for garden and dwarf conifers was contagious and spread to the founding fathers of ACS and to the Baby Broomers, who began the search for witches' brooms and new selections of dwarf plant material all over the USA. Other ACS members were willing to share with me their knowledge of plants and the nursery business. This mentoring allowed me to achieve my dream of creating a dwarf and rare tree nursery, a dream born in my Peace Corps years in Bolivia. Thank you to my fellow plant geeks who tried to polish me up. I truly miss Chub's friendship and expertise.

I am very proud to incorporate into my professional life the ability to raise money for world hunger. Many thanks to Heifer International and the volunteers who help us with this meaningful work. Sales from our hosta patch are donated to Heifer International and there are at least 100 people who help us achieve this goal at every level: dividing hostas, donating hostas, maintaining the hosta patch, sales at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show and at two Hosta Happenings in June and August. 2012 sales benefited Heifer Zambia.

Our recent trip to Bolivia in December of 2012 confirms our commitment to Mano a Mano International Partners.   This efficient charity impacts the lives of rural Bolivians in so many ways. In the last 14 years, Mano a Mano has built 133 clinics, 47 schools, 1308 km of roads, numerous dams and irrigation projects with thousands of families influenced. In my lifetime of work with NGOs, I have never known any group that could approach their 95% program and 5% overhead expenses. We are just back from Bolivia and we are inspired by the local Heifer Bolivia staff and blown away by Mano a Mano programs. Food security with Heifer International, and hospitals, schools, roads, reservoirs, and aviation emergencies with Mano a Mano cover a lot of support for rural Bolivians. You cannot imagine how their lives are improved when their basic needs are met.

So thank you one and all for your support. Let's have a great 2013 together.

Rich and Susan Eyre