Legacy
In 1926, Harry Rosedale Sr. had a vision:
To make plants stronger and more beautiful for the
home gardener.
1926 | A young, aspiring immigrant from Denmark, Harry E. Rosedale Sr., opens Monrovia Nursery Co. on a modest 10-acre plot in Monrovia, California.
1941 | Monrovia becomes one of the first growers in the U.S. to trademark a more robust plant (Rosedale Pyracantha).
1950s
We establish a dedicated in-house research department to develop better soil, making for stronger roots and healthier plants.
1953 | In a major expansion, Harry relocates Monrovia’s growing grounds to Azusa, CA, adding several hundred acres into cultivation.
1960s | To help educate and inspire consumers, we were an industry leader in providing gardener-friendly labels on our plants.
1970s
Monrovia is the first major nursery to recycle irrigation runoff, radically reducing the use of water and fertilizer. It is now an industry standard.
1980s | We created an in-store tool, the Plant Finder, that helps garden shoppers choose the best plants for their projects.
1984 | We built a new
state-of-the-art nursery located in the Willamette Valley, near Portland, Oregon, to nurture conifers, maples, and other cold-hardy plants.
1990s | We partner with leading breeders and plant explorers to evaluate the evolution of plants, watch for new adaptations and bring these unique plants to market.
2000's
We reviewed our methods of pest management, removed all use of neonicotinoids and grew thousands of plants to maintain habitats and food sources for pollinators.
2009 | We partnered with famed world plant explorer, Dan Hinkley, to launch our first exclusive Collection.
2017 | A benchmark: We now offer more than 4,000 varieties with 22 million plants sold annually.
2020's
For nearly a century, we have poured our passion and expertise into each plant we grow, so that the next generation of plants will be stronger for the next generation of humans.