Rich's Foxwillow Pines Nursery, Inc.

A Tribute to Jerry Morris 1937-2022

In the late 1980’s, Susie and I had the great blessing of sitting at a table at the first ACS meeting at Hidden Lake Gardens with some great names in horticulture. Chub Harper, Joe Stupka, and Jerry Morris along with fellow novices Charlene and Wade Harris. That year Joe taught me how to graft. Chub, Randy Dykstra and Dennis Hermsen started brooming trips. Susie referred to us as the Baby Broomers. That winter we went west to Colorado to visit Jerry and Saunny Morris and we did this for 25 years.

We loved Jerry and Saunny, still do. Jerry was intensity personified. He ran us up and down mountains in his 60’s-80’s. Though not a cowboy, he was no one to trifle with. He was tough and you would not want to p**s him off. He mellowed as we all do with age. His range of study was the whole west, but he specialized from Vedauwoo (Cheyenne) in the north to Puebla in the south and discovered hundreds of brooms. Hundreds of Jerry’s plant selections are planted in the Denver Botanic Garden and they rever those plants. They started a movie on Jerry getting 90% done but it did not get finished when the dude left for another job. No one picked up the project and it never got completed.

People came from all over the world to see Jerry and some of his finds. When the Dutch Conifer Society showed up, I had the great honor of taking Dick van Hoey Smith, wife and daughters up the mountain in Colorado to show him what we think is a 7,000 year old Pinus aristata. On this trip down the hill, van Hoey Smith said he could die now that he has seen everything. That was something from a man I considered better traveled than anyone.

Jerry will be tough to duplicate. We have great plant people in our society. Jorg in Germany, the great Austrian broomer, and very significant Dutchmen especially Edwin Smits who is a supreme plantsman.

To all of us who obtained Jerry’s plants, what excitement. We are grateful to have known Jerry and send Saunny all our love.

Written by Rich Eyre 6/8/2022

Happy Spring 2022. We are happy to announce that Rich's Foxwillow Pines was sold and now operates as Annie's Tree Farm anniestreefarm.com. Annie operates the nursery at 3004 Stieg Road Woodstock IL 60098. 312-404-0942. Call to set up an appointment. You will be happy to know Roberto is still the there! Annie remodeled the McConnell Road House into offices for Annie's Therapy, her couseling practice. Rich and Susan Eyre have retired to Albuquerque NM. [email protected]
Welcome her to the conifer world!

Anyone interested in our tree slides? We also inherited Chub Harper's slides as well. Call 815-509-5876 for inquiries.

60% discount on containers until June 30, 2020. Open by chance or by appointment. Cash or check only. Please wear a mask. This is the final two weeks and this time we really mean it! Call 815-509-5877 for 815 509 5876 for appointment.

Great Lakes, Bad Lines

Great Lakes, Bad Lines Discover the story of two Michigan born adventurers and their 500-mile, fossil-free journey across the Michigan’s Upper Peninsula along the route of Enbridge…

Rich's Foxwillow Pines Nursery, Inc. updated their business hours.

Rich's Foxwillow Pines Nursery, Inc. updated their business hours.

Another semi-load of trees getting loaded at McConnell Rd.

Ginkgo biloba 'Pendula' during the snowstorm on Halloween and then on November 1st.

Final Weeks for Tree Sales 50% off
Final Sales Day - Saturday, November 16, 2019
Pizza at Noon

My whole life I had a special affinity for trees. As a child my family always worked together on projects and we were organic gardeners. In the mid-50's, Girard Nursery advertised in Organic Gardening Magazine. My Mom and Dad started ordering baby conifers from them for a small home nursery. It was my Mom's hobby where I did most of the work. Dad built large spec homes and we would landscape with the trees we bought . In 1958, I completed my first garden when I was 12 years old. That simple space and lannon stone wall still exists 61 years later.

Palm Sunday 1980. I ricocheted through Susie's life in Albuquerque and lured her with love into my complex web. She lovingly helped me care for my Grandparents into their 90's and my widowed Mom. 39 years ago Susie started helping me with my dreams. She is a superlative wife and partner. In 1987 we tore up the sod in all open parameters and started cleaning the w**d trees off our 6 acre dream place on McConnell Road in Woodstock. Now 32+ years later we have decided to retire. A labor of love, Rich's Foxwillow Pines Nursery became a little more than we thought it could be. It gives us great joy and strong feelings of gratitude to all who helped us along our journey. Workers, associates, friends, and anyone who gave us a referral, we give thanks. We challenged ourselves with legacy in plants and to provide the gardening public with alternative choices for interesting plants in their gardens.

The other focus in our life was to provide help for others who had no voice. I will always be grateful for Heifer International for the feelings of self worth it gave me. My Mother headed the "Hostas for Heifer" initiative under our willow tree. She and her army of volunteers divided hostas and sold them to benefit Heifer International. We donated all the proceeds to benefit various country endowments, especially Bolivia. When Heifer International concluded working in Bolivia, I must admit I was heartsick. About 15 years ago we connected with Mano a Mano International. It was started by a fellow Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia. Mano a Mano International is special, with 92% of donations spent on programs and 8% overhead, and is one of the best of all the charities we have experienced. We hope to continue our legacy to aid rural Bolivians through them to build hospitals, schools, roads, and reservoirs.

So by the end of November, our conifer path will become a retirement path in Albuquerque, where we bought a home and a small yard. We will continue our charity efforts and will still read the landscape looking for horticultural treasures.

Thanks to all. Rich

Seeing some spectacular color changes at RFWP:
Acer japonicum 'Otaki', Acer palmatum 'Red Flash', Acer triflorum, Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck', Ginkgo biloba 'Saratoga'.

Trees waiting to be picked up by customers. Many more container, b&b and in-ground trees available at 50% off retail pricing.

Over the seasons, Rich's Foxwillow Pines Nursery, Inc. became a wonderful friend to the show. After years of serving the Woodstock, Illinois area, Rich and Susie Eyre are preparing for a well-deserved retirement! They will remain open until the end of October.

And as they wind down the business, prices are lower than ever! All new orders for trees and shrubs will be 50% off retail pricing during the month of October! This applies to container, b&b and in-ground stock. (The discount does not apply to any existing orders.) Come out now to pick out your container or b&b trees; call 815-338-7442 to schedule a time to go out in the field to look for specimen trees. Don't miss this great opportunity to add some unique trees to your landscape projects.

Go to http://www.richsfoxwillowpines.com.

October Retirement Sale!

All new orders for trees and shrubs will be 50% off retail pricing during the month of October! This applies to container, b&b and in-ground stock. The discount does not apply to any existing orders. Come out now to pick out your container or b&b trees; call 815-338-7442 to schedule a time to go out in the field to look for specimen trees. Don’t miss this great opportunity to add some unique trees to your garden.

Need a pop of brightness in your garden? Thuja occidentalis 'Yellow Ribbon' is available in 1 gallon starter pots and larger in-ground specimens 9-10' tall.

We brought over some dwarf Norway spruces and dwarf Eastern white pines. Slow-growing trees that have been in the ground for a while have bigger rootballs than you might expect.

Another load of trees dug at the farm and now at the nursery: Picea omorika 'Pendula Major', Pinus strobus 'Green Shadow', Pinus strobus 'Pendula', Pinus sylvestris 'Mitsch Weeping', Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' and 'Degroot's Spire'.

Except for this one spot that has standing water, our sales yard is accessible after all the heavy rains. Now it's bright and sunny, great weather for picking out some trees.

Tree Care Season Starts Now - The Mike Nowak Show

Susan & Rich will be interviewed at 10:34 am.

Tree Care Season Starts Now - The Mike Nowak Show Evan Shorr of Bartlett Tree Experts answers questions about fall tree care season. Pastor Scott Onque’ previews the Faith in Place Green Team Summit.

Container and b&b trees waiting for new homes: Abies concolor 'Gable's Weeping', Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood', Pinus densiflora 'Umbraculifera', Pinus sylvestris 'MHS Broom', Pinus sylvestris 'Rockton', Thuja occidentalis 'Norm Evers'. It's a gorgeous day for tree shopping and planting!

A few of the new trees in our sales yard: Ginkgo biloba 'Male Clone'; Juniperus procumbens 'Nana'; Pinus parviflora 'Cni-cni'; Pinus strobus 'Pendula'.

We dug more trees at the farm for our sales yard. Come see all the beauties.

RFWP will be open 8am-4:30pm Friday and Saturday this Labor Day weekend. We will be closed Sunday and Monday. Have a great holiday!

Here's another truckload of container plants from the farm. With daytime temps in the 70s and cooler nights, we'll be ready to start digging trees for orders soon. Call 815-338-7442 to make an appointment to tag trees at the farm, or come out to the nursery to see all the interesting trees. Discounts continue, with 40% off retail on all container trees and 30% off retail for b&b and in-ground stock.

Photos from the 2009 Chicago Flower & Garden Show - our Asian inspired creation.

A few in-ground trees at the nursery. Before you know it, it'll be time to start digging trees for fall planting.

Going through the storage room, recycling old Chicago Flower & Garden Show brochures. In 2011 we did a garden called "Silent Poetry: the confluence of stone and plants" and we featured Shona sculptures from Zimbabwe. Mike Munyaradzi, a sculptor from Zimbabwe, was on hand to demonstrate the carving techniques. This was a lovely garden sanctuary.

Ed Lyons posted fantastic photos of Shedd Aquarium on the PPA tour. We have a special connection there for over 25 years. It was an honor to plant our trees in this extraordinary site & work with 2 significant horticulturists. Bryce Banstra was one of Chicago's greatest horticulturists ever. He was a mentor to Christine Nye. Bryce selected the conifers around the building for the first project. The weeping spruce over the edge is so dramatic! Bryce went to the Chicago Park District & fabulous Christine Nye was his successor at the Shedd as Horticulture Program Manager. The Welcome Garden was our second project with Christine, Roy Diblik, & Aquascape where the buses circle around. Christine & Roy then created the Migratory Bird Garden on the other side of the Shedd. Christine poured her heart & soul in the continuation of Bryce's & her shared vision. In the late 1990's when Bryce moved to Lincoln Park Conservatory, he facilitated the garden with our conifers, ginkgos, & European beeches around the building. Bryce designed many award winning gardens for CPD at the Chicago Flower & Garden Show at Navy Pier. As we retire this year, we return to our love spot in New Mexico. We want to thank all those who supported us to leave legacy of planting our unique material in public & private spaces. Rich & Susan Taliak Eyre. Rich's Foxwllow Pines .

25' tall Liriodendron tulipifera 'Fastigiatum' - narrow form of tulip tree with great bark and beautiful leaves.

Late July Containers

Pinus sylvestris 'Bys WB #2' is a slow-growing Scots pine with short needles, only about an inch long. This tree grows about 2-3' every 10 years, perfect for a smaller garden space.

RFWP will be closed Thursday, July 4th. Wishing everyone a happy 4th of July holiday!

Enhance the tropical look of your garden with large leafed plants. We have a few large pots of Colocasia (Elephant Ears) - priced at $20 per pot. We also dug up a clump of the 'Elatior' hosta that's near the office - 1 gallon pots are $5 each.

Plenty of conifers in containers at RFWP. We just brought another load over from the farm. Discounts continue: 40% off all container trees and shrubs, 30% off b&b stock. Hostas are $5 for 1 gallon pots; larger ones as marked.

Three lovely trees dug from the farm and now in our salesyard waiting for their new homes: Abies concolor 'Wattezi', Ginkgo biloba 'Saratoga', Picea abies 'Pendula'.

This is a great time to be planting trees and we have so many containers to choose from. Photos of some Picea abies cultivars.

Garden Walk 2019 - Council of Rockford Gardeners, Inc.

Mark Wednesday, June 19th on your calendars. Visit beautiful gardens in Rockford and get inspired. One garden features perennials as well as a large collection of Japanese maples and conifers. Add a visit to Anderson Japanese Gardens and make a day of it.

Garden Walk 2019 - Council of Rockford Gardeners, Inc. If you have a garden that you would like shown on a future tour, please contact us by clicking here.     The FREE 2018 Garden Walk was enjoyed by a record number of garden enthusiasts! Click on any garden image to begin a slide show.   2017 Garden Walk Enjoy a photo journey through the … Contin...