Our Company Mission

Buckley Growers Illinois is committed to exceeding the expectations of our wholesale customers. We strive to advance our knowledge and use of effective and responsible growing systems to produce a sustainable, innovative and diverse selection of quality seasonal color plants.

We pursue responsible opportunities to effectively conserve energy resources, maximize use of natural and organic cultural materials, preserve water and air quality, reduce discharge to the waste stream, and engage energy efficient logistic systems.

Buckley Growers Illinois (BGI) is a wholesale horticultural producer of young plants for the greenhouse production industry, spring, summer and autumn finished seasonal plants for the retail merchant and the professional landscape service industry, and Christmas and Easter holiday plants for the florist, retail garden center and professional interiorscape service industry. Young plant production serves the needs of grower-retailers and wholesale greenhouse growers throughout the United States. The finished plant side of the business serves customers in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Indiana.  

The new Taylorville facility features a state-of-the-art four acre greenhouse and 20,000 square foot production support building located on a 40-acre property immediately east of the Five Oaks Landfill outside of Taylorville, IL.

 BGI has partnered with Waste Management to utilize, as a greenhouse heat source, hot water produced as a by-product from electricity generation equipment fueled by landfill-created methane gas. The hot water is channeled to an extensive network of piping in the floor of both the production greenhouse and production support facility and aerial piping along the hanging basket lines in the greenhouse. High efficiency boilers utilizing natural gas as an energy source provide a safety backup to the hot water supply from Waste Management.

The Buckley family has a strong business tradition in association with the floral and floriculture industry. Henry Peck Buckley began the tradition with a florist business in Springfield, IL as early as the 1880’s. In 1920, Harry M. Buckley, wife Marie and three children built the family home in Springfield’s Washington Park Gardens that soon included a small greenhouse for growing tomato plants. That greenhouse eventually grew in size to 40,000 sq. ft. for the purpose of growing bedding plants and shipping rooted plant cuttings throughout the United States.  The new business was named H.M. Buckley and Sons.

In 1935, Harry M. Buckley Jr. joined his father in the business and later, along with his wife Ileus, purchased the business. In 1955, Harry Jr. purchased the 60,000 sq. ft. W. T. Buckley Greenhouses at Pasfield and Williams St. in Springfield and incorporated the acquisition as part of H. M. Buckley and Sons, Inc. Harry Jr., in 1965, purchased 30 acres of land on Meadowbrook Road west of Springfield to construct a new 100,000 sq. ft green house anticipating that his sons Harry III, Donald and Thomas would continue the family business. In 1977, H.M. Buckley & Sons expanded the business to the fast growing community of Naples, FL. Thomas, the youngest son, relocated to Naples, FL to manage the new Florida operation specializing in the production of finished plants.

The next Buckley generation, Harry (Lad) Buckley, IV, son of Harry III, Douglas Buckley, son of Donald, and David Wagner Jr., son of Nancy Buckley Wagner, and long time production manager, William Boehm, formed a new company in 2006, conducting business as Buckley Growers Illinois. BGI, with a commitment to continuing the Buckley family tradition of producing quality ornamental plants for the wholesale marketplace, began construction in 2006 on a four acre, state of the art greenhouse facility located immediately west of Taylorville, IL, with the intention of replacing the Meadowbrook Road facility.

Buckley Growers Illinois maintains active memberships in a variety of professional green industry and business organizations:

•  Greater St. Louis Flower Growers Association

•  Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce

•  Hort Co-op of Metro St. Louis

•  Illinois Green Industry Association

•  Illinois State Florists’ Association

•  Landscape and Nursery Association of Greater St. Louis

•  OFA – an Association of Floriculture Professionals

•  Western Nursery and Landscape Association

Buckley Growers of Illinois shall continue to strive to be the leader in the industry by assuring continued quality and customer satisfaction.

** THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT**