{"id":5051,"date":"2025-09-04T13:20:50","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T13:20:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/?p=5051"},"modified":"2025-09-12T20:20:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T20:20:10","slug":"a-look-back-at-white-flower-farms-75-year-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/04\/a-look-back-at-white-flower-farms-75-year-history\/","title":{"rendered":"A Look Back at White Flower Farm’s 75 Year History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>
\n

1939<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Jane Grant, a co-founder of The New Yorker<\/em> magazine, and her husband William Harris purchase a property in Morris, Connecticut, converting a small barn into a cozy \u201clittle place in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

1946<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Harris and Grant, as they liked to be called, plant the original White Garden at the nursery, featuring white Tree Wisterias. They name their brand-new business White Flower Farm.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Jane<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Early<\/figure>
\n

1950<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Harris and Grant mail out a one-page \u201cmimeographed\u201d list of plants for sale.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The first greenhouse is built. Total size: 438 sq. ft.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    \n

    1951<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • White Flower Farm mails its very first black-and-white catalog.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Lilium speciosum rubrum<\/em> was featured prominently in our 1951 catalog and is still a customer favorite.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>
      \"1951<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
      \"\"<\/figure>
      \n

      Early 1950s<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      • The White Flower Farm flagship store opens in Morris, CT.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • The \u201cAmos Pettingill\u201d pseudonym is established.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
        \n

        1954<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        • David Smith arrives from the UK as the first horticulturist for the business.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • The White Flower Farm catalog is mailed to about 11,000 people.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>
          \"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
          \"\"<\/figure>
          \n

          1955<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

          Blackmore & Langdon Begonias, imported from the UK, appear in White Flower Farm\u2019s offerings for the first time. They are still popular today and White Flower Farm remains the only source in the US for these remarkable plants.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

          \n

          1957-1958<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          • Harold and Mavis Calverly are hired to oversee mail-order operations and administration for the business.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • European, Bald Cypress, and Weeping European Beech trees are planted at the farm.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            <\/p>\n<\/div>

            \"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
            \"\"<\/figure>
            \n

            1962<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

            William Harris debuts his Daffodil mix, \u201cThe Works,\u201d which remains a customer favorite today.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

            \n

            1963<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

            A Hosta planting on Esther\u2019s Lane is installed, inspiring the Emerald Isle Hosta Collection. It\u2019s still a popular plant collection for shady spots.<\/p>\n<\/div>

            \"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
            \"Eliot<\/figure>
            \n

            1975<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

            Eliot Wadsworth II begins working at White Flower Farm intending to buy the business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            1976<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

            Ownership transfers to Eliot Wadsworth II, who continues to own White Flower Farm today with his son.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

            \n

            1982<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

            The first color catalog is printed and mailed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            1984<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

            The White Flower Farm catalog is mailed to about 200,000 people.<\/p>\n<\/div>

            \"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
            \"\"<\/figure>
            \n

            1986<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

            The Torrington Company building is purchased to handle order processing and packaging, and is still in use today.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

            \n

            1998<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

            WhiteFlowerFarm.com is launched.
            Pictured: WhiteFlowerFarm.com in 2000, the company’s 50th anniversary<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

            \"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
            \"\"<\/figure>
            \n

            2001<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

            Fergus Garrett and Mat Reese create the Lloyd Border, inspired by Great Dixter Gardens and named in honor of Christopher Lloyd.
            Pictured: Fergus Garrett with White Flower Farm Head Gardener Cheryl Whalen.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

            \n

            2018<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
              \n
            • A three-quarter-acre solar farm is installed at the nursery. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Eliot A. Wadsworth assumes ownership from his father.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>
              \"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
              \"\"<\/figure>
              \n

              2019<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

              The Rose Garden is planted at the farm.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

              \n

              2024<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
                \n
              • The most recent greenhouse is completed, increasing total greenhouse space to 95,000 square feet. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • The White Flower Farm catalog is mailed to about 600,000 people.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>
                \"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
                \"\"<\/figure>
                \n

                2025<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

                It\u2019s with a little awe and a lot of gratitude that we celebrate 75 years in business. We are enormously grateful to our extraordinary team and to our amazing customers for making this journey possible. We can\u2019t wait to see what the next 75 years bring!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                1939 Jane Grant, a co-founder of The New Yorker magazine, and her husband William Harris purchase a property in Morris, Connecticut, converting a small barn into a cozy \u201clittle place in the country.\u201d 1946 Harris and Grant, as they liked to be called, plant the original White Garden at the nursery, featuring white Tree Wisterias. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5052,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[310],"tags":[],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"\nA Look Back at White Flower Farm's 75 Year History - White Flower Farm's blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whiteflowerfarm.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/04\/a-look-back-at-white-flower-farms-75-year-history\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Look Back at White Flower Farm's 75 Year History - White Flower Farm's blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"1939 Jane Grant, a co-founder of The New Yorker magazine, and her husband William Harris purchase a property in Morris, Connecticut, converting a small barn into a cozy \u201clittle place in the country.\u201d 1946 Harris and Grant, as they liked to be called, plant the original White Garden at the nursery, featuring white Tree Wisterias. 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