$25

When you drive into Ray Wiegand’s parking lot, it may be hard to imagine that the business of growing has been in the Wiegand family since the 1860’s. It all started when Francis Wiegand purchased a little farm on 13 Mile Road in Warren, Michigan.

Francis’ son, Phillip, took nearly half of the family homestead and planted orchard and vineyard crops. By 1919, these crops expanded to include pine and spruce trees. As the years went on, more and more nursery crops were added.

Phillip’s son, Ray Wiegand Sr. “Cocky” married Alice LaGrou in 1941. Together, with her perennial plant knowledge, they developed a growing family business. Within the next 19 years, the nursery would continue to blossom – and so would the family. 13 children later, 9 girls and 4 boys, Ray and Alice seemed to have an abundance of little farm hands. Needless to say, the children would play a major role in assisting with the daily chores and responsibilities on the farm.

As the city moved in around them, bits and pieces of the Warren farm were sold off. In 1960, the family purchased 40 acres on Romeo Plank Road, in Macomb Township. In 1972, Ray Wiegand Sr. turned over the day-to-day operations of the business to his sons; Marvin, Phillip and Raymond Jr. As the suburbs grew in the area, so did the nursery. In 1993, daughter Erma joined her brothers, and together in 1996 they premiered an expanded garden center. Six of the third generation of family members have joined the business as well to allow the business to flourish.

Ray Wiegand’s also has a state of the art, 800 acre growing facility in Lenox Township, to nurture more than 500 varieties of trees and shrubs, along with growing over 600 varieties of perennials.

Times have changed in the last 153 years since the first Wiegand farm was purchased, and the nursery has grown and evolved. Ray Wiegand’s Nursery is proud to continue their commitment to quality, service and community.